this year to shore up voter protections ahead of the coming midterm elections. to his credit, the president has been more present than ever promoting his agenda on the hill as analysis suggests last year s census may have undercounted black americans. one more reason that the vote has to be protected. meanwhile, president obama is stumping today for a virginia gubernatorial candidate, terry mcauliffe, who joins us shortly to talk about the hotly contested race that is turning out to be much closer than democrats had expected. yet another political development in this arduous year that hasn t gone according to script. all that on politicsnation. but first, joining me now is congresswoman brenda lawrence, democrat of michigan.