In two weeks, Virginia will elect a new governor — and nobody knows who it will be. Polls show a tight race between former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin. The race has broken state fundraising records. And the Cook Political Report recently revised its race rating […] Read more »
Out of office and off the ballot, Trump’s influence still looms
The two candidates in the Virginia governor’s race are talking more about Donald Trump, the former President, than they are about Joe Biden, the White House’s current occupant. That disparity in the dialogue between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin points toward an unusual, even unprecedented, dynamic looming over […] Read more »
All politics isn’t local anymore
I’ve spent plenty of time over the past three decades reminding national political reporters and political junkies that off-year gubernatorial races don’t tell us a hell of a lot about what will happen in the next midterm election or the next presidential contest. State and local races, after all, tend […] Read more »
In Virginia, Republicans see education, curriculum fears as a path to victory
… Schools have long been a top issue in gubernatorial campaigns. And education has frequently been the battlefield of American culture wars, from war protests to classroom prayer. But thanks to frustration over pandemic school closings, a national push by conservatives to resist a wave of race-focused curriculum changes and […] Read more »
Virginia is for worriers: Governor race poses real risk to Dem agenda
The Democratic Party’s fortunes are increasingly tied to someone who’s never served a day in federal office: Terry McAuliffe. Losing ground in a Virginia gubernatorial campaign once seen as a near-lock for Democrats, McAuliffe has sought to nationalize the race — calling out congressional inaction and President Joe Biden’s waning […] Read more »
Fox News Poll: Schools, economy driving close Virginia governor’s race
Virginia voters give better personal ratings to Democrat Terry McAuliffe than Republican Glenn Youngkin — and that gives McAuliffe an edge over Youngkin in the Virginia governor’s race. The closeness of the contest is driven by Youngkin’s competitiveness on the economy and schools. McAuliffe’s support stands at 51 percent to […] Read more »