BY OLYMPIA MEOLA

Coming off of weekend travel in Kansas and Missouri, Gov. Bob McDonnell leaves today for Michigan, where he’ll speak at the Kent County Lincoln Day Dinner in Grand Rapids as a surrogate for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

He’ll also hold a conference call for reporters this afternoon with the Michigan attorney general in support of Romney. Michigan’s GOP presidential primary is a week away. 

McDonnell, the subject of vice presidential buzz, has campaigned for Romney in Florida and South Carolina and is quickly becoming a familiar surrogate.

An aide to the governor notes that McDonnell will leave after 5 p.m. today and return before midnight.

His three events over the weekend were related to his work with the Republican Governors Association — addressing the Kansas Republican Party Convention in Overland Park, attending an RGA discussion and reception in Kansas City, and addressing the Missouri GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. McDonnell serves as chairman of the RGA.

He’ll head out of state again, Friday through Monday, for RGA and National Governors Association meetings in Washington.