November 2, the highly anticipated date of the Virginia gubernatorial elections, is about to arrive with the worries of Democrats increasing despite having control of the state.
This race could act as a benchmark to judge Biden’s popularity among voters after one year of his 2020 win.
Terry McAuliffe, the incumbent governor, is narrowly leading the state despite the fact that Biden won Virginia by ten points in the recent election.
While Barack Obama and Jill Biden have jumped into the race to promote Terry McAuliffe, Democratic voters’ apathy is the biggest hurdle in front of them right now.
Voters Apathy Could Slash Democrats Hopes in Virginia Elections
Voter apathy is the biggest hurdle for Democrats in the November elections, and they know this thing very well.
The swing voters are extremely vulnerable to change their inclination by seeing the recent Congressional Democrats tussle.
This makes the swing voters skeptical about Biden’s agenda. Even liberal Democratic voters could decide not to come to the polling station on the day when it would matter the most.
Democrats know this thing very well and have even accepted it. This is the reason why Obama wants to come, to further mobilize the people of color who can play a decisive role in the elections.
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Democrats Have Much to Worry Despite Having a Lead in the State
Over the past decade, Virginia has become a blue state, with Democrats winning every top-of-the-ticket race for president, senator, and governor.
However, elections in Virginia are always close, especially when the president is facing massive criticism over his recent faulty moves in Afghanistan and tackling the border crisis poorly.
Currently, the approval rating of Biden has fallen to 45 percent, with Democrats squabbling over the legislative process when they should be passing broad policies to implement the agenda proposed by President Joe Biden.
Early polls show Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe leading Republican Glenn Youngkin by only a few points. The projection shows McAuliffe winning with a 5.2% lead having an approval rating of 48.2% voters, while Youngkin has an approval rating of 46% of voters of Virginia. Nevertheless, 5.2% of the voters are still undecided and could have a huge impact on the outcome of the election.
Biden-Obama Bromance Continues in Virginia Elections
Early voting can play a critical role in elections, and mobilizing voters just before the actual poll can make a crucial difference.
There is a school of thought which suggests that if Biden himself campaigns, it can backfire on him. With numbers against him, he is not in the position to ask for votes directly and is leaning on his former boss.
If Democrats lose this election, it will be an ultimate lesson for them to course-correct before going to the 2022 midterm.
The gubernatorial election in Virginia is a one-state contest that is an entire year before the midterm election. This race is more than a national barometer as assumed by many, as it will place a deep influence on the outcome of midterm elections where Democrats have a historical disadvantage being the party in the White House.
In Virginia, race voters are focusing on key issues such as vaccination and mandate, economy, and jobs.
Experts are suggesting that this race can also act as a barometer to judge the popularity of the vaccine mandate which Biden is trying to champion across the United States.
Increasing governors are passing their verdicts against any such mandate, which is a significant indicator that not making these mandates compulsory could also be a popular approach.
Nonetheless, even if Democrats are able to clinch the state by a narrow margin, it will not guarantee them an easy walk for the 2022 midterm elections.
Final Thoughts
As the Republican candidate, Glenn Youngkin has distanced himself from Donald Trump in this election, and it can also impact his popularity in the state.
There is a common perception that only a pro-Trump Republican can win elections in the US.
However, this notion will also be busted if the Republican candidate can somehow clinch the state. Youngkin has even distanced himself from asking Trump to campaign for him in the state at a time when Democrats are bringing their former president for campaigning purposes.
Eli is a Political Data Scientist with over thirty years of experience in Data Engineering, Analytics, and Digital Marketing. Eli uses his expertise to give the latest information and distinctive analysis on US Political News, US Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and Racial Justice equipping readers with the inequivalent knowledge.