front royal va. ralph mike waller ardent backers president donald trump help stage counter-protest every wednesday front front royal virginia pawn shop spar anti-trump demonstrators gather across street ask ed gillespie republican candidate virginia governor next tuesday election show little enthusiasm would like somebody closely align trump ralph waller mike waller uncle say shop floor rack pawn rifle behind gillespie fact nothing like trump real estate magnate never hold political office although members party gillespie washington lobbyist work president george w. bush white house kind establishment mainstay trump bash campaign trail moreover gillespie largely keep distance trump rarely mention name notably ask trump help tight race gillespie still need voters like wallers trump lose virginia last year point democrat hillary clinton best rural areas counties along virginia mountainous spine less urban areas tension gillespie look thread thin needle try appeal voters turn trump retain enough trump passionate base secure victory win gillespie might provide blueprint republican candidates unsure campaign era president popular few 40 percent americans manage show engage trump voters literally avoid donald trump say quentin kidd political scientist christopher newport university newport news virginia virginia governor race one two country year watch nationally political observers look clue next year midterm elections democrats seek seize one house congress gillespie court trump voters focus say threat pose illegal immigrants longtime trump campaign theme criticize sanctuary cities run ads warn street gang ms-13 largely compose members central america also call preserve confederate monuments follow clash white supremacists protesters august charlottesville virginia trail significantly behind democrat ralph northam state lieutenant governor gillespie rise poll since ads begin run regularly kidd credit spot make race competitive sanctuary cities gillespie tell reuters interview go make us safe virginia sanctuary cities often use municipal fund resources enforce federal immigration laws issue arise early year measure state legislature prohibit veto democratic governor terry mcauliffe argue gillespie cautious corey stewart run gillespie gubernatorial primary garner support trump base say gillespie err ask president campaign harness energy trump stir put president distance offend lot president supporters stewart say could cost election trump tweet support gillespie far go gillespie say appreciate trump endorsement decline say whether would ask even parrot trump word like president disclose military strategy disclose campaign strategy say recent house party fairfax county virginia outside washington gillespie mix prosperous group republicans snack cater spread chat private school speak traditional republican priorities economic growth education reform never mention trump refer politicians support vice president mike pence george w. bush smart say chris andreas great fall virginia resident attend event say believe trump hurt republican party 2016 trump fare significantly bad fairfax county republican nominee mitt romney four years early voters gain anywhere else state strategy downside democrats hold large advantage northern virginia lose grind rural areas warren county front royal locate trump gain 2,000 vote romney largely attract wayward democrats say stephen kurtz former chair county republican party pattern say repeat across counties rural virginia kurtz say hear grumble gillespie washington background worry voters energize trump may stay home hard sell believe kurtz say trump force high-wire act republican virginia governor 's race