Warner, Perriello help Obama kick off "day of action" in Virginia A week before President Obama campaigns in Virginia, his volunteers will take part in what they have dubbed a "day of action"" to register new voters and build up support for his reelection bid. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D), former representative Tom Perriello (D-Va.) and Michael Blake, deputy director of the Obama campaign's Operation Vote program, will participate in events in Arlington, Falls Church and Charlottesville on Saturday. Other events will take place across the state. Former representative Tom Perriello (D-Va.) Melina Mara/The Washington Post Obama's campaign talks about his May 5 rally in Richmond as some sort of general election kickoff, but actually it has been active in swing states like Virginia for months. It was the ground game that helped him win Virginia in 2008 - and the campaign is working to match that. The campaign has 13 offices and dozens of staffers in every region of the state, some of whom have been here for more than two years through Organizing for America, a Democratic National Committee community organizing project. Since the launch of Obama's reelection campaign in April 2011, volunteers have reached out to more than 500,000 Virginians on the phones and at front doors. Republicans, who now have a nominee, are working hard to play catch-up. The GOP's coordinated campaign - dubbed the 2012 Virginia Victory Campaign - has seven offices, with more on the way. "In 2008, the president ran on "hope and change," but in the past 3.5 years of President Obama, we have only seen political gimmicks and failed promises,"" RNC spokeswoman Allie Brandenburger said. Virginians are tired of his failed policies and broken promises, and recent polling shows it will certainly be an uphill climb for the Obama campaign in Virginia. They can use all the help they can get.""