All eyes are on the Old Dominion tonight, as the race between former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and businessman Glenn Youngkin comes down to the wire. My colleague Jessica Taylor has written a definitive account of how this blue state has become the site of a statewide Toss Up contest. […] Read more »
Virginia’s governor’s race may hinge on debates about public schools
If Republican business executive Glenn Youngkin prevails over former Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe in Virginia’s gubernatorial election Tuesday, his stance on public education may be partially responsible. Polls have suggested that Youngkin built momentum among White suburban swing voters by addressing an issue that is not typically front and center […] Read more »
What Virginia’s election says about the nation
Whoever wins Virginia’s tight gubernatorial race Tuesday, the commonwealth will offer a fascinating read on where the country’s stormy politics stand a year after Joe Biden beat Donald Trump, and may point to what happens next. In the closing days of the race, both nominees in Virginia — as well […] Read more »
Virginia Buries an Enduring Political Myth
The political universe Tuesday night will look a lot like the start of a NASCAR auto race, with the Virginia governor’s election serving as the starting gun for the next year — or two or three — of campaign diagnostics. You can already hear the budding analysis: “Democrats See Midterm […] Read more »
Rating change: Virginia governor’s race a Toss-up
Under normal conditions, Democrats win in Virginia. But these clearly aren’t normal conditions. In the final moments of the 2021 race for governor, the race is coming down to the wire and Democrats no longer have a discernible advantage. Therefore, the rating for the race is changing from Tilt Democratic […] Read more »
Could anti-Trump messaging be more effective in 2022 than in 2021?
A wise friend of mine recently observed that if Democrats can’t turn Virginia’s gubernatorial election into a referendum on former President Donald Trump, it’s hard to see how that strategy would work in swing states in 2022. It’s a very reasonable point, since Trump lost Virginia by 10 points last […] Read more »