PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Early voting is now in full swing, with many local and statewide politicians out at rallies trying to convince people to cast their ballot now. 

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is looking to keep his seat. He was in Accomac on the Eastern Shore Sunday for an early-vote rally. On Friday, Sept. 20, Kaine’s opponent, Hung Cao, made a speech and appearance in Virginia Beach at Hunt Club Farm with fellow Republican politicians who will appear on the ballot this year. 

Both political parties are traveling around the Commonwealth to boost awareness about their campaigns and encourage early voting. 

“This country gave me everything, and so that’s why I fought for this country for 25 years in Navy Special operations around the world, in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, but watching it fall apart right now … That’s why I felt that the fight is here within our country because they’re destroying this country and turning this into what I ran away from,” said Republican candidate Hung Cao. 

Meanwhile, Kaine said blaming each other will not get work done in the government. 

“I think President Trump is a guy who really banks on the fact that the American people are fundamentally pessimist, mad, angry,” Kaine said. “They want to blame somebody. They want to kick somebody around because that’s the way he acts. And I think he acts that way thinking that that’s the way the American people are. I don’t think that’s who we are.”

The outcome of this race could affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in 2025.

“The basic question is this, are you better off today than we were four years ago? If you say yes, you’re probably an illegal alien,” said Cao. “At the end of the day, the people that got us into this mess, Tim Kaine, has been in office for 30 years, and he’s saying, ‘Give me six more. I’ll get us out.’”

Kaine said he’s been listening to Virginians for 30 years. 

Hung Cao and Senator Kaine will be debating on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. 10 On Your Side’s Tom Schaad will be one of the moderators. It will air live from Norfolk State University. Nexstar stations across Virginia and DC will also air the debate.