Republican Glenn Youngkin wins Virginia's governor race, dealing Democrats a blow:
Republican Glenn Younkin became the Governor of Virginia on Wednesday morning after incumbent McAuliffe conceded. This marks the first statewide win for Republicans in Virginia since 2009. Younkin’s win could owe to his overall focus on education, specifically his ambitious plan to ban “critical race theory” in the classroom. This could act as a template for other Republicans going into the 2022 midterm elections, where the GOP has an opportunity to strip Democrats of their slim congressional majority. Younkin’s win may also owe to him distancing himself from former President Donald Trump as this allowed him to attract moderates without alienating the Republican base. This may be a sign that Democrats need to focus their campaigns on their own message rather than the problems within the GOP.
