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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVA-GOV: Virginia Governor's Race Moves to Lean Democrat
Cook Political Report: The Virginia governors race is officially set, with both Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears avoiding a primary. This means that the commonwealth will elect its first female governor come November.
When we initially rated this contest in December, we put the race in Toss Up, given the absence of early polling and the uncertainty of the political climate before Donald Trumps second term began. However, after talks with sources on both sides of the aisle taking into consideration the political environment, Democratic enthusiasm and private polling we are shifting the Virginia governors race from Toss Up to Lean Democrat.
https://politicalwire.com/2025/05/01/virginia-governors-race-moves-to-lean-democrat/

W_HAMILTON
(8,938 posts)And, no, I was not being sarcastic. Even though it is a little tongue-in-cheek, to push back against the "blame Democrats first" crowd who criticize anything and everything Democrats do. If you are gonna blame Democrats and their messaging when we lose, are you going to give them credit when they win?
Elections are referendums nowadays and it's not about how good or bad your messaging is -- it's about how unhappy people are and who they are directing their anger against. This was the case in 2008, 2016, 2020, and 2024 -- 2024, when people were willing to bring back a fascist felon who they had just got done voting out after what was one of the worst presidential administrations in our nation's history, just because people were unhappy with higher prices and he wasn't in office to be blamed.
Fact of the matter is, messaging didn't cost us in 2024 and it won't be the reason we win back seats across the nation over the next few years.
SheltieLover
(67,176 posts)