Former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello responds to a moderator during a Democratic debate with Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at WHRO-TV in Norfolk, Va. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Democratic candidate for governor Tom Perriello said Friday that the amount of undecided voters heading into Virginia’s primary is good news for his “challenger”-type campaign.

“I do encourage everyone to engage right now in the primary. There are a surprising about of undecideds, which is good for us because we’re kind of a challenger, and challengers tend to get late breakers,” Mr. Perriello, who served in the House of Representatives, said on “The John Fredericks Show.”

Mr. Perriello is running for the Democratic nomination against Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who current Gov. Terry McAuliffe and several influential Democrats in the state have endorsed. Polls show the nomination is a closer race than expected, but Mr. Northam is still favored.

When he was asked if he had enough money to continue his campaign, Mr. Periello said he did and that his campaign has done more with less.

“We do. And again we’ve been able to make huge gains so far with a lot less money,” he said. “We’ve built this kind of support with a lot less money, time and structural support.”

But Mr. Periello said that Democrats, regardless of who is the nominee, cannot rely on anti-Trump sentiment to get voters to the polls.

“Anti-Trump sentiment may lead people to go to marches, but it may not lead people to the polls,” he said.

The Virginia primary for governor takes place on June 13.