The last stop on Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s trip to Virginia came along Henrico County's affluent River Road corridor, where he attended a private fundraiser for Democratic gubernatorial candidate R. Creigh Deeds.
Standing in the spacious, but crowded kitchen of Leon and Lisa Roday, Biden told roughly 100 well-heeled donors that Deeds is the "real deal" who would not change his beliefs for the sake of political expediency.
"The thing I love about this guy," said Biden, "is he will not change his brand."
The vice president asked the crowd for a little bit more to help Deeds get elected: "I ask you as a personal favor -- break your neck for this man."
Deeds campaign officials would not reveal how much money was raised during the event, for which guests paid a minimum of $1,000 to pose for a picture with the vice president.
Guests dined on shrimp cocktail, beef tenderloin, chicken skewers, grilled vegetables, fruit, cheese and brownies, washed down with imported beer and Virginia wine.
Among the elected officials attending were state Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, and Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, who arrived in the motorcade along with Virginia first lady Anne Holton.
Leon Roday is a senior vice president at Genworth Financial Corporation, which has donated $15,000 to Deeds, as well as $15,000 to Republican nominee Bob McDonnell.
Biden arrived at 6:35 in a motorcade escorted by a dozen Virginia State Police troopers on motorcycles.
Deeds addressed GOP assertions that his campaign would emerge from the bruising Democratic primary in trouble.
"We are not poor. We are not tired. We are not divided," he said to applause. Deeds prodded Biden, a well-known Amtrak rider and proponent of high-speed rail, for some of the $8 billion in federal grant money for rail projects.
"Wouldn't it be great if we could get a bunch of that money?" he said, turning to the vice president, who smiled. "You could be making a lot more trips to Virginia a lot quicker."
Biden told about the mixed blessing of having a controversial Senate colleague offer to campaign for him while he was running for re-election in Delaware.
"Creigh, I'll campaign for you or against you -- whatever helps you the most," he joked.
Before he departed, Biden walked across the backyard of the Roday home to say hello to children playing next door.
Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com.
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