Former U.S. President George W. Bush waves to the crowd prior to Thursday foursome matches of the Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club on September 28, 2017 in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Former president George W. Bush will headline two fundraisers in Virginia for for his one-time counselor-turned-GOP gubernatorial candidate, Ed Gillespie.

Bush will be the main atttaction at Oct. 16 events for Gillespie in Alexandria and Richmond, said Gillespie spokesman Dave Abrams.

A columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch first tweeted news of the fundraisers.

Bush tapped Gillespie, a longtime GOP operative, to lead the Republican National Committee between 2003 and 2005 and to serve as his White House counselor from July 2007 to the end of his term.

Bush previously attended a March fundraiser for Gillespie in Dallas. He has personally given $50,000 to Gillespie's campaign.

Bush was the last Republican to carry Virginia in a presidential campaign, which has swung Democratic for the last three cycles.



Gubernatorial debate between Ed Gillespie, left, and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam in Washington , DC on September 19, 2017. (Bonnie Jo Mount/Washington Post)

The fundraisers come as Gillespie lags behind his Democratic opponent Ralph Northam in campaign cash. The latest filings show Northam had $5.6 million heading into September, to Gillespie's $2.6 million.

Northam, the lieutenant governor, is also getting fundraising lift from one of his party's all-stars: Hillary Clinton is headlining an Oct. 4 fundraiser for him in New York.

Virginia does not place limits on campaign contributions, and is holding the nation's only competitive gubernatorial race on Nov. 7.