First Lady Michelle Obama Stumps for McAuliffe in Virginia

First Lady Michelle Obama made an appearance at a fundraiser at the Sheraton Premier in Tysons on Thursday to campaign for Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia.

Event invitations indicated ticket prices ranged from $100 for individuals to $1,000 for “VIP” couples. About 400 people attended the event, according to McAuliffe’s campaign.

McAuliffe, former chair of the Democratic Party and a veteran fundraiser, is locked in against Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. The election is expected to draw national attention in November.

“If folks in the state are looking for a fighter, they found one in our friend Terry,” Obama said during her remarks, reported Ben Pershing of The Washington Post. “Terry knows what it means to work hard and struggle to get ahead like so many of us.”

Obama stressed the need for changes that will benefit Virginia’s economy and its education systems.

“Barack Obama cannot do it alone, he absolutely needs folks like Terry McAuliffe here in Virginia,” Obama said. “We need all of you do everything you can between now and November to get Terry elected.”

In his remarks Thursday, McAuliffe called the election “critical” to the Commonwealth’s future, saying Cuccinelli would focus on forcing extreme policy.

“They think this election is about proving the viability of their own ideology,” McAuliffe said in a statement. “I say this election is about creating jobs. Virginia simply can’t afford a governor who spends time trying to impose his own social agenda instead of trying.”

The event occurred a few hours after McAuliffe unveiled his proposal to bolster equal-pay rules in Virginia. The plan would establish more severe penalties for employers who break equal pay laws and more money for women who have been discriminated against.

As governor, McAuliffe said, he would “work to make sure that all Virginians have economic opportunity, quality health care, and access to a good education in order to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow."

Campaign finance reports filed June 3 show that McAuliffe is ahead of Cuccinelli in terms of fundraising.

McAuliffe's running mate will be decided in a matter of days, during the Democratic Primary Election on June 11.