Obama hit the campaign trail Sunday in Virginia, speaking to crowds on behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Clinton fundraiser Terry McAuliffe.

“This isn’t a game, and there are very real consequences when you operate ideologically as some of these people do,” Obama said at a rally this afternoon in Northern Virginia. Speaking of McAuliffe’s Republican competitor, Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli, Obama said, “Terry’s opponent sided with people who would rather hurt folks to make a point. Rather than back down, Terry’s opponent doubled down.”

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Obama was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia since 1964. McAuliffe holds a comfortable lead over Cuccinelli, who has marred his standing with key demographic groups with his support for congressional Republican brinksmanship over the government shutdown, and for unusually strident positions on gay rights and abortion.

Watch Obama speak about the race below.