President Barack Obama thinks the key to winning reelection to the White House is very close to the White House. As a matter of fact, it is just across the Potomac. It is Virginia.

Obama said on Thursday night in a speech to supporters that if he wins Virginia he would win reelection. In 2008, Obama became the first presidential candidate from the Democratic Party to win the state of Virginia since 1964 when Lyndon Johnson won. Obama also was able to win North Carolina, the first victory in that state for a Democrat, since 1976 when Jimmy Carter won it.

In the race for Virginia this year, there is a wild card of sorts. There is the potential for a third candidate to be on the ballot. Former congressman and Virginia resident Virgil Goode may be on the ballot as an independent.

Goode is a Republican who formerly was a Democrat. The conservative could take away a substantial amount of the vote from Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate.

Obama’s victory in Virginia virtually clinched the election in 2008 over John McCain. Many feel the same thing would happen again in this election. The Republicans are well aware of that and because of that Romney is expected to spend a great deal of time in the state campaigning, during the run up to the election.

The key in Virginia for Obama is the northern section of the state that has the growing suburbs that surround Washington D.C., which have become more and more Democratic. Included in that area is Loudon High School where the President was speaking last night.