President Joe Biden campaigned for Democrat Terry McAuliffe one week ahead of Virginia’s gubernatorial election as a new poll shows a deadlock in the race.

According to a Suffolk University poll of likely Virginia voters, McAuliffe narrowly leads with 46 percent over Republican Glenn Youngkin by less than one point, or within the poll’s statistical margin of error. Biden hoped to boost the former governor’s campaign on Tuesday evening despite his own declining approval rating.

“You don’t have to wonder what kind of governor Terry will be because you know what a great governor he was,” Biden said. “Wasn’t just because of what he promised, it’s what he delivered.”

The president continued that during McAuliffe’s time in office, from 2014 to 2018, he improved the state’s economy, created jobs, invested in education, supported the veterans community and enacted gun safety measures.

President Biden Speaks At Campaign Rally
President Joe Biden’s endorsement of Terry McAuliffe comes as the president faces criticism for his handling of the economy, immigration, infrastructure and climate change—which have been cited as the likely reasons he’s losing popularity. Above, Biden appears on the stump with McAuliffe at Virginia Highlands Park on October 26, 2021, in Arlington, Virginia.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

During Biden’s endorsement of McAuliffe, he also took aim at former President Donald Trump and told voters that a Republican victory could undermine democracy.

“Terry’s opponent not only embraces someone with such a lack of character, he endorses Donald Trump’s bad ideas and bad record,” the president said.

In the same Suffolk University survey, 52 percent of respondents said they disapproved of Biden and 66 percent said they felt the nation was headed in the same direction.

As of Monday, Biden had an approval rating of 43.5 percent and a disapproval rating of 50.6 percent, according to a poll of polls created by data website FiveThirtyEight.

Just days before that, on Friday, the Democrat’s approval rating sunk to a new low of 43.4 percent, and his disapproval rating reached 50.7 percent.

Biden’s approval rating was closer to 53 percent and his disapproval rating was 36 percent when he first took office, according to the website.

Virginia’s gubernatorial election, which is taking place in an off-year, may provide insight into how next year’s midterms will shape up. A few key issues have primarily been defining the governor’s race ahead of Election Day.

Forty percent of Virginia voters surveyed said the economy or jobs was the most important issue impacting the governor’s race while 23 percent said education and 17 percent said health care, according to the poll.

McAuliffe led Youngkin 80 to 13 percent among those concerned about healthcare but trailed by 13 points for those most concerned about the economy.

Newsweek reached out to McAuliffe for comment.