By Greg Giroux, CQ-Roll Call

President Obama underscored the national significance of next Tuesday’s election for governor of Virginia when he campaigned in the state on Tuesday to try to build enthusiasm for Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds.

Deeds, a state senator and former prosecutor, needs a late boost, as polls suggest he is struggling in his race against Republican Bob McDonnell, a former state Attorney General. The winner will succeed Democrat Tim Kaine , who is term-limited.

Obama promoted Deeds’ work on economic and education issues in an appearance at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, located in the vote-rich Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia. The president lauded the Democratic contender as a pragmatic, worthy successor to Democrats Mark Warner , now a U.S. senator and the state’s popular governor from 2002 to 2006, and incumbent Kaine, who also holds the title of Democratic National Committee chairman.

“And in one week, you’ll have a choice,” Obama said, “You can decide to break that tradition of good stewardship. Or you can continue with that opportunity.”

Obama said Deeds is “cut from the very cloth as Tim Kaine and Mark Warner : somebody who listens to folks even when we don’t always agree; somebody who focuses not on short-term politics, but on a practical long-term vision.”

Alluding to the uphill battle Deeds faces, Obama said the candidate “needs you to be there for him.”

“Let’s be honest: This is going to be a tough race,” Obama said. “We’ve got a tough economy, and even if it wasn’t a tough economy, it’s always tough in Virginia. ... We knew this was going to be tough. But even though Virginia is moving in the right direction, this is an evenly split state [with] pretty independent-minded folks.”

In introducing Obama, Deeds noted Obama’s impressive victory in the state’s presidential balloting in 2008, the first for a Democrat in 44 years, and implored Virginians to help him win the election.

“We only have seven days left. I need your help to drive out every single vote we can, because we did it last year. We can produce extraordinary results when we work together, when we stay focused,” Deeds said.

Deeds said he was unfazed by polls showing him trailing McDonnell by wide margins.

“If I believed every poll I ever looked at, I would have quit this process a long time ago,” Deeds said. “Reports of my demise are much exaggerated.”

CQ Politics rates the Virginia governor’s race as Leans Republican.

To follow all of the 2009 and 2010 governors’ races, check out CQ Politics’ election map.