Storm nixes campaign stops

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Hurricane Sandy's approach has canceled at two presidential race rallies in the campaign's closing days in swing state Virginia and may do the same for other events as the freakish late-season megastorm comes ashore.

The long-lasting Mid-Atlantic storm also has forced Virginia and electrical utilities to activate contingencies to quickly restore electricity to any polling places left powerless by the Nov. 6 election.

Gov. Bob McDonnell says he even has the authority to postpone some elections in extreme calamities but not a presidential election.

Republican Mitt Romey has cancelled a Sunday Virginia Beach rally, though two others in Virginia still are planned.

President Barack Obama's campaign is monitoring the storm, and Vice President Joe Biden's Virginia Beach event Saturday is canceled, though a Lynchburg rally is still in the works.