Republican Glenn Youngkin projected to win Virginia governor’s race

Republican Glenn Youngkin, a former private equity executive running his first campaign for political office, will be the next governor of Virginia, ABC News has projected. My fellow Virginians, we stand here this morning at this defining moment, a defining moment that yes, started with two people on a walk and a defining moment that is now millions of Virginians walking together, Youngkin said around 1 a.m. at his election night headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia. Together together, we will change the trajectory of this commonwealth. Friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one. ABC News also projected Republican Winsome Sears, a former member of the House of Delegates, as the winner in the lieutenant governor race, but has not yet projected the attorney general race. Around 10 p.m., Democrat Terry McAuliffe spoke at his election night event, but did not concede defeat. We still got a lot of votes to count, we got about 18% of the vote out, so were gonna continue to count the votes because every single Virginian deserves to have their vote counted, McAuliffe said. Youngkins projected win over McAuliffe, a longtime fixture in Democratic politics and a former governor of the commonwealth, marks the first time a Republican has won the gubernatorial election since 2009 and the end to Democrats trifecta government control in Richmond. Its also a warning shot to Democrats one year out from the 2022 midterm elections. Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin speaks at a campaign rally at the Loudon County Fairground, Nov. 1, 2021, in Leesburg, Va. The race, nationalized by the candidates themselves, was viewed by most as a referendum on President Joe Biden and a bellwether for next years contests, when Democrats have to defend their slim majorities in the House and Senate with history already against them. Poll after poll showed Republican voters felt more enthusiastic about participating in this election than Democratic voters, and in the lead up to the election, Youngkin was able to turn the race into a dead heat. He centered his closing message around parents rights to have a say in their childs education, accusing McAuliffe of wanting to put government in between parents and our children after he said during the final debate that he doesnt think parents should be telling schools what to teach. Youngkin also pledged to raise the standard in schools, keep them open to in-person instruction amid the pandemic and ban critical race theory from being taught in K-12 schools, even though its not in the curriculum. In his victory speech early Wednesday, Youngkin elevated this message again. Were gonna embrace our parents, not ignore them. Were gonna press forward with a curriculum that includes listening to parents input, a curriculum that allows our children to run as fast as they can, teaching them how to think, enabling their dreams to soar, he said. McAuliffe called Youngkins closing message around education divisive, saying, He has pitted parents against parents. Hes got parents against teachers, and hes bringing his personal culture wars into our classrooms. But according to exit polls, Youngkins message appears to have resonated with Virginia voters about half say parents should have a lot of say in what their childs school teaches and now can serve as a blueprint for Republican candidates competing in bluer areas of the country. Essentially running as the incumbent in the race, McAuliffe promised to build on Democrats accomplishments over the last eight years, beginning first under his administration. He made promises like increasing the minimum wage and teacher pay, making health care more affordable and requiring vaccinations for nurses, doctors and teachers. Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former governor Terry McAuliffe takes the stage during a campaign event at Caboose Commons in Fairfax, Va., Nov. 1, 2021. But his campaign against Youngkin focused more on a Republican who was not on the ballot Donald Trump and painting a dire picture of what Virginia would look like under a Youngkin administration by asserting that Youngkins agenda is Trumps agenda. At every opportunity, McAuliffe and his allies tied Youngkin to the former president, who Virginia voters rejected by a 10-point margin in 2020. Trump endorsed Youngkin after he won the nomination and never campaigned with him directly, but that didnt stop McAuliffe from linking them as one in the same. The former president took partial credit for Youngkins projected victory, saying in a statement, I would like to thank my BASE for coming out in force and voting for Glenn Youngkin. Without you, he would not have been close to winning. He mocked McAuliffes strategy of connecting Youngkin to Trump. It is looking like Terry McAuliffes campaign against a certain person named Trump has very much helped Glenn Youngkin. All McAuliffe did was talk Trump, Trump, Trump and he lost! Trump said in a second statement. I didnt even have to go rally for Youngkin, because McAuliffe did it for me. McAuliffes apparent defeat Tuesday is the latest indication that trying to tap into voters disapproval of Trump may not be a winning strategy for Democrats especially when theyre facing headwinds from an unpopular president and stalled agenda in Washington. According to exit polls, 54% of voters disapprove of Bidens job performance, and nearly twice as many strongly disapprove of his work in office than strongly approve. The post Republican Glenn Youngkin projected to win Virginia governors race appeared first on Patabook News .

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