NORFOLK, Va. - With all the major polls showing Bob McDonnell carrying a double-digit lead into the final week of Virginia's gubernatorial contest, Democrat Creigh Deeds is doing what he can to change the dynamic.

A Washington Post poll released Monday has McDonnel up 11 points, 55-44. An exclusive SurveyUSA poll conducted for ABC 7 News has McDonnell up 17 points, 58-41.  But Deeds isn't giving up, he says.

"If every time in my political life I'd believed the polls I'd have quit a long time ago," Deeds said, "but you know what, I don't believe in that. We're going to win this election."

Deeds is pulling in the Democratic Party's biggest gun in hopes of turning things around. He'll appear with President Obama Tuesday evening at a rally in Norfolk.

"We're going to win this election, but I need your help," Deeds said. "I need your help over the next eight days to drive out every single vote you can." 

Both candidates are in the final sprint, and taking nothing for granted.

"I know from nine elections thus far the only [poll] that matters is Election Day," McDonnell said.

McDonnell will be visiting 25 towns in the final five-day stretch as part of his New Jobs, More Opportunities tour. Dismissing his lead in the polls, he's also bringing in a big name among Republicans: former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

"I've been asking our supporters and volunteers to realize that we should run like we're 10 points behind and keeping talking about important things that Virginians care about," McDonnell said, describing those things as "quality of life issues, jobs, the economy, economic development, roads, [and] schools."

McDonnell also appears to have the upper hand in funding. The board of elections reports he has twice as much as Deeds left in his campaign coffers.

Be sure to watch ABC 7's Battleground Virginia special Tuesday at 8 p.m.

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