With Virginia an acknowledged presidential election “battleground state,” presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney was scheduled to be the focus of a major Pentagon City fundraiser that featured Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Wednesday night, following by a few days a mega-fundraiser featuring President Obama in McLean.

Obama is stepping up his Virginia presence with an visit to Arlington’s Washington-Lee High School Friday at midday. His focus will be to prevent the doubling of federally-subsidized student loan interest rates, a move that will happen on July 1 unless Congress acts. Obama will then speak at a rally at the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center in Richmond late Saturday afternoon. The Obama Falls Church headquarters in Lohmann’s Plaza was jammed to the rafters Monday as 600 mostly women heard remarks by Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to Obama, and former Virginia first lady Anne Holton.