President Barack Obama has been stumping aggressively for Democrat Creigh Deeds, who is hoping to become governor of Virginia in Tuesday’s closely-watched election.      

Many political analysts say the governor’s race in Virginia – and the governor’s race in New Jersey – will be a major test for Obama in his quest to help get two prominent Democratic candidates elected to high office. 

It could be an uphill battle – at least in Virginia, where some political observers say Deeds has not energized the African-American base.

Despite Obama’s high-powered support for Deeds, it’s the Republican candidate, Robert F. McDonnell, who has a steady 11-point lead over Deeds in recent polls.

McDonnell also has the support of Washington Mystics owner and businesswoman Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and the ex-wife of Bob Johnson.  

“We need bold and innovative leadership to move our state forward, and that’s why I’ve chosen to support Bob McDonnell for Governor,” Johnson said in her endorsement of McConnell in July. 

But Obama says Deeds is the best candidate for the job.

“Again and again, Creigh Deeds has been there for the people of Virginia,” Obama said during a campaign event in Virginia last week. “Now he needs you to be there for him.”

“There’s no doubt,” Obama added, “this is a tough race.”

Yes, it is.

Deeds is also running behind McDonnell in the race for money. Deeds has reported $937,772.61 in the bank. McDonnell has $1.8 million in the final days of the campaign.

Charles Ellison, author and director of the Center for New Politics and Policy, said Deeds has bigger problems.

“Deeds' inability to energize black voters in Virginia is the real problem, even though he may tighten the race on Tuesday with a strong showing in solidly left-leaning Northern Virginia,” Ellison told BlackAmericaWeb.com. 

“Still, in a state where over a quarter of the voters are African-American, Deeds has done a sour job at outreach. By all appearances, he's all but discounted the critical need for that base,” Ellison said. 

“The interesting thing, however,” Ellison added, “has been the very strong support for McDonnell from Sheila Johnson, which could yield dividends for the black business and less-partisan political establishment in the state.” 

Karen Finney, a Democratic political analyst, said she’s waiting to see which candidate Obama voters decide to support. 

“The president brought in a whole new group of voters,” Finney told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “They are blacker, browner and younger, but they are loyal to Obama; they are not Democratic base voters, so it’s unclear if they will turn out and if they will they vote for the Democrats.”

In a recent Washington Post poll, 70 percent of voters say their views of President Obama will not be a factor in their choice for governor.

"Bob McDonnell appears positioned for a major win in the Commonwealth, and it could be a combination of Virginia's red roots galvanizing a strong grassroots effort with some folks naturally linking the economic climate to the current President,” Ellison said.

Here are a few other key races to watch on Tuesday: 

The New Jersey governor’s race: New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, is leading Republican opponent Christopher Christie, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll. Corzine, 62, a first-term Democrat and former co-chairman of Goldman, Sachs & Co., leads Christie, 43 percent to 38 percent, among likely voters.

"Recent polls showing a tightening race between incumbent Corzine and Republican challenger Christie, with the independent challenger, Chris Daggett, getting in the way of both," Ellison said. "Ultimately, most New Jersey voters you talk to are concerned about the state's notoriously high taxes, and the Garden State has been known to switch up in previous years due to voter angst over taxes," .....

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