In Virginia, like in the rest of the country, Jewish voters are overwhelmingly Democrats. (A recent Youngkin ad featured a Republican activist who had pushed to have Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved removed from the reading list of her son, then a high school senior who went on to intern in the Trump White House.) Youngkin, meanwhile, is arguing that he will defend the rights of parents in the face of critical race theory and other policies pushed by progressives. Trump is reportedly planning a virtual rally for Youngkin on Monday night, although Youngkin said that Trump will not be joining the campaign in person. McAuliffe has opted to make his closing argument about the former president, calling Youngkin an “ extremist” and tying his “ politics of hate and divisiveness” to Trump. Governor Hala Ayala, and Dorothy McAuliffe.
Also pictured (L-R) are Democratic candidate for Attorney General Mark Herring, Democratic candidate for Lt.
Terry McAuliffe (2nd R) at Virginia Highlands Park on Octoin Arlington, Virginia. President Joe Biden (C) campaigns with Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Virginia Gov. Youngkin’s focus on education draws a contrast with McAuliffe, who “has been running much like a nationalized campaign, bringing in national political figures to campaign for him and trying to tie Glenn Youngkin to Donald Trump,” Rozell added. He’s hit a chord here,” said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. “He holds these rallies on education issues out in Loudoun County.
“But in reality, there is a significant backlash in Virginia to these changing demographics, which is why you’re seeing these culture wars being instigated as part of the campaigns across the Commonwealth.”Īll of this has come together in the final weeks of the gubernatorial campaign, with Youngkin seizing on a comment by McAuliffe in a recent debate: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” McAuliffe said last month - a sentence that has now been blasted to airwaves all around the state in Youngkin TV ads as an example of McAuliffe’s supposed lack of support for parents. Then they started referring to it as solidly blue,” said Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Much of the divisiveness is being fueled by an increasingly diverse electorate in Northern Virginia that is calling for greater equity, and is coming to define the final days of a race that is being seen as a bellwether for 2022 and even 2024. Pocketbook issues have taken a back seat. Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin and Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who once occupied the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond, are having to step through minefields on charged issues like critical race theory, parents’ roles in what their children are taught in school, transgender rights and even school calendars. Demographic changes that have altered the makeup - and the politics - of the Old Dominion have touched off emotional, and sometimes violent, battles in America’s culture wars. S.In the closing days of a dead-heat race for governor, Virginia is looking less like a blue state than a black-and-blue one. Senate challenger 2008 previously Republican Governor (VA)ĭemocratic Jr Senator previously Governorįormer Republican Primary Candidate VA GovernorĬonstitution Party presidential nominee former Republican Representative (VA-5)įormer Republican Representative (VA-1, 2001-2007)įormer Republican Senate Challenger (2012) Republican 2020 Senate Challenger (2020 race)ĭemocratic Jr Senator previously Governor (2020 race) Libertarian Challenger for Senate (2014 race)
Republican Primary Gubernatorial Candidateĭemocratic Senate Challenger previously Governor (2018 race) Republican candidate for governor of Virginiaĭemocratic Senate Challenger previously Governorĭemocratic nominee for Governor previously DNC Chair (Click on an issue to see all politicians' stances) Candidates and representatives from Virginia: