Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to headline a fundraiser at the Providence Biltmore Thursday evening for Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Whitehouse already has an enormous fundraising lead over Republican rival Barry Hinckley.

Whitehouse had more than $2.5 million in his campaign war chest before the end of 2010. Brown University political science professor Wendy Schiller says Biden's appearance reflects how Democrats don't want to leave anything to chance in Rhode Island.

"I think it shows the White House's concern for maintaining a Democratic-controlled Senate," Schiller says. "And even though it appears that Senator Whitehouse has a significant financial advantage and lead in the polls, they are not taking anything for granted."

Hinckley had about $150,000 in his war chest through the third quarter of last year.

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