RICHMOND -- Former Virginia Gov. and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner will deliver a prime-time address at the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month, focusing on economic themes that are central to Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

Warner will be the keynote speaker Aug. 26, a night when the convention program will be devoted largely to economic issues. Warner's appearance will immediately precede a much-anticipated speech by Sen. Hillary Clinton, the runner-up in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Warner's selection as a keynote speaker was disclosed in a draft news release from Obama's presidential campaign obtained late Tuesday. In the news release, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said Warner's record of building bipartisan coalitions and his attention to the economic conditions of rural areas make him a fitting keynote speaker.

"His work creating jobs in Southwest and Southside Virginia is a model for the rest of the country," Plouffe said. "Like Barack Obama, Mark Warner is not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring people together and get things moving. It's that kind of spirit and innovation that resulted in his selection as keynote speaker on a night when we will be discussing how to renew America's promise."

A Warner spokesman declined to comment to avoid pre-empting an official announcement that is expected to be made this morning.

Warner's selection also underscores Virginia's status as a key state in the presidential race. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried the state since 1964, but recent polls of Virginia voters show the race between Obama and Republican John McCain in a statistical dead heat.

Warner is not the only Virginia Democrat attracting national attention as the convention approaches. Gov. Tim Kaine is widely considered one of a handful of Democrats on Obama's list of possible vice presidential candidates. Kaine has declined to talk about his conversations with Obama's campaign, but has done little to discourage speculation about his prospects for joining the ticket. Kaine is a national co-chairman of Obama's campaign, but it was unclear Tuesday whether he will have a speaking role at the convention.

The vice presidential candidate will address the convention Aug. 27. Obama will deliver his acceptance speech the following night at 76,000-seat Invesco Field at Mile High.

Warner, a wealthy venture capitalist, was elected governor in 2001 partly by reaching beyond traditional Democratic constituencies and making inroads in rural areas. He forged working coalitions with Republicans who controlled the General Assembly and won support for a 2004 tax increase that he deemed essential to shoring up the state's finances. Warner briefly explored a presidential bid of his own after leaving the governor's office in 2006.

Warner's focus on rural areas enhanced his standing among national Democrats and got the attention of Obama's campaign. Obama appeared with Warner at a town hall-style meeting in Bristol, Va., in June, shortly after securing the delegate votes he needed for the presidential nomination.

Warner is running for a Senate seat now held by Republican John Warner, who will retire after three decades in office. The two Warners are not related.

Republican Jim Gilmore, who preceded Mark Warner as governor, also is running for the Senate seat. Warner held a significant funding advantage over Gilmore at the end of June and has consistently led in early public opinion polls.

Warner's speaking slot this year is considered a coveted one. Obama was the featured speaker on the second night of the convention in 2004, when he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. The speech vaulted Obama into the national spotlight and began the momentum that led to his presidential candidacy.