What’s at Stake in the Virginia Governor’s Race?

The Virginia Governor’s Race. It is the next big test for Democrats, and there is a lot at stake, so let’s detail what’s happening and why it is so important.

First, we will explore some important context. Virginia is the only state in the nation to prevent governors from serving consecutive terms, which is why you may remember McAuliffe was governor between 2014 and 2018. Virginia is also one of only two states that holds their gubernatorial race the year after the presidential election. This means it is a great indicator of how the electorate is feeling about the president’s party. That’s why current governor Northam won by a considerable margin in 2017 in response to Trump.

Virginia is a lean Democrat state, and Republicans have not won a statewide office since 2009, and President Biden won by ten percentage points.

However, Biden’s falling approval rate and the fact that turnout is much lower in ‘off years’ have made this race close. For context, 4.5 million Virginians cast ballots in 2020 versus 2.6 million in the last gubernatorial election.

The Republican candidate is Glenn Youngkin, a former private equity executive who is running as a moderate Republican. He has Trump’s endorsement, but Youngkin’s strategy to steer clear of Trump’s controversial MAGA movement has angered Trump. Youngkin says he wants to “build a coalition of forever Trumpers, Never Trumpers, single-issue voters, libertarians, Tea Party folks” and Democrats and independents frustrated with the Democratic party.

Trump’s leadership was devastating to Republicans in Virginia, who can now run as moderates. But, how moderate can a party be when they don’t listen to science, and can one candidate appeal to moderate Republicans and Trump Republicans?

Although McAuliffe has connected Youngkin to Trump and Youngkin has connected McAuliffe to the Clintons, this race will probably be won over state issues.

So, which candidate best represents Virginians?

According to the Washington Post, 67% of Virginians support a school staff vaccine mandate. This is considerably higher than  59% of the nation that supports the same. Glenn Youngkin is against COVID vaccine mandates.

Another big issue in this race are reproductive rights. According to various polls, between 75 and 85 percent of Virginians support keeping abortion legal. McAuliffe is outspokenly pro-choice and has said he wants to codify Roe v Wade in the state constitution, something 15 other states have already done. Youngkin has said he wants to go ‘on the offense’ in terms of abortion, and although he supports exemptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother, he supports significant bans on abortion. And these exemptions are just the bare minimum for proof of humanity. He also is endorsed by pro-life PACs and has had meetings with pro-life leaders.

Education, namely what can be taught in school and how much influence parents have, is also a big issue in this race. But, of course, this issue is not as simple as more parental power being good or bad. More parental power could mean better advocacy for special needs students, or it could mean students are not taught complete history, as Republicans oppose teaching about systemic racism. Youngkin says teaching kids about racism will pit them against each other. McAuliffe said in the final debate that he doesn’t think parents should be telling schools what to teach and that teachers should make those decisions.

One of the most significant issues is something those in many other states may not understand. Virginia is one of 13 states that has a grocery tax. This hurts low-income people the most. Both candidates support the ending of this tax, but McAuliffe has said that Youngkin’s plan does not account for the resulting loss of revenue, $500 million a year, which would most likely result in less funding for schools and roads. The best way to make up the lost revenue without continuing to hurt low-income people the is to increase tax rates on the very rich, something that would be impossible under Youngkin’s proposal of more tax cuts.

It will probably be a close race, so increasing turnout is critical. It’s so crucial that Virginians understand their options and what each candidate offers.

If you want a Virginia where vaccines are mandated for educators and healthcare professionals, where reproductive rights are protected, where students are taught history and can learn from it, where education and infrastructure are funded, and where GOP extremism cannot flourish, then vote for Terry McAuliffe.

Glenn Youngkin is catering to two groups who believe different things. There is no moderate Republican who is endorsed by Trump or supported by Trump supporters.

Please get out and vote. If you are interested in helping people get to the polls to vote in this election, consider driving with us. And if you need a ride, we will be there.

by Betsy Zalinski