Hillary Clinton will headline an Oct. 4 fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who seeks to succeed Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), left. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)

Hillary Clinton will headline a fundraiser for Virginia Democrat Ralph Northam next month as he makes a final push against Republican rival Ed Gillespie.

Northam will hold the fundraiser with Clinton in New York on Oct. 4, as first reported by the Associated Press.

The Northam campaign confirmed the report but declined to comment further.

Northam, who is Virginia's lieutenant governor, is locked in what polls say is a close contest with Gillespie, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, ahead of the Nov. 7 election.

[Want to get the latest on Virginia governor’s race? Join this Washington Post Facebook group.]

The Democrat had a significant lead in fundraising as of the last campaign finance disclosure filing. Northam had $5.6 million in cash on hand to Gillespie's $2.6 million as of Aug. 31, according to filings earlier this month.

Back in June, Northam's reserves were depleted by a tough primary battle, but Gillespie was flush with cash and got out of the gate early with TV ads. Northam has been catching up in recent weeks.

The race has garnered national attention as a proxy for partisan battles in Washington, with Northam attempting to tie Gillespie to President Trump, who remains deeply unpopular in much of Virginia. The state was the only one in the South that went for Clinton in last fall's presidential election, by a healthy 5-point margin.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who is prohibited by the state constitution from serving two consecutive terms, is close friends with Bill and Hillary Clinton and was a longtime fundraiser for them before seeking office himself.

Northam has also indicated that former president Barack Obama will campaign with him but has released no details.

View Graphic Virginia general election guide

Fenit Nirappil contributed to this report.