RICHMOND, VA — When nationally acclaimed political analyst Larry Sabato hears about rallies in Virginia supporting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, some of which have been headlined with the candidates themselves, he shakes his head.

The way he sees things, such gatherings are little more than a fool's errand in the contest against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine. So when NBC News reported Thursday that the Trump campaign is "pulling out of Virginia," citing sources on a conference call late Wednesday, the University of Virginia professor wasn't surprised at all, and basically wondered what took them so long.

"If you read our Crystal Ball, you know we put Virginia in the Democratic column last March and we've never moved it," Sabato said Thursday. "Tim Kaine's addition to the ticket iced Virginia for the Democrats. "I'm amazed Trump and Pence have spent so much time and energy here — a big waste for them."

Sources told NBC News that Trump is "running essentially a four-state campaign," targeting battleground states Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In the latest poll available, via Roanoke College from Oct. 2-6, Clinton leads by 45 percent over Trump (36) and third-party candidates Gary Johnson (7) and Jill Stein (1).

The Real Clear Politics aggregate poll of Virginia has Clinton ahead by 7.5 percentage points.

Virginia Tech political scientist Charles Walcott had sentiments similar to Sabato's about the report, adding he was a bit taken aback, given that Pence had campaign stops Wednesday in Salem and Lynchburg.

"So it's kind of sudden," he said Thursday. "Trump's path to victory is now overgrown with weeds, boulders, snakes, and what have you. But he definitely has no path without the four states he'll focus on, so the decision makes sense. "That said, his chances in Pennsylvania, to name one, look bleak at best. In fact, right now he would likely lose all four."