Copyright Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
Four years ago, Republican Glenn Youngkin ran a disciplined campaign that capitalized on the simmering public discontent with pandemic-era restrictions and overblown concerns about leftist indoctrination in public schools. His 2-point victory over former Gov. Terry McAuliffe was hailed by the GOP as a rebuke to then-President Joe Biden and framed as Virginia returning to its senses after eight years under Democrats McAuliffe and Gov. Ralph Northam. If Youngkin’s narrow win was considered a sweeping mandate for change, what can be said of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s blowout win on Tuesday? The Democratic candidate and former U.S. representative defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by nearly 15 points as voters across the commonwealth turned out in droves to demand a change in leadership. Already the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing has begun. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, now famous for claiming to not know about current events involving the president and his divisive policies, dismissed the outcome as predictable, saying that, “No one should read too much into last night’s election results. Off year elections are not indicative of what’s to come.” But Johnson and his party would be mistaken to ignore what happened at recreation centers, public schools, firehouses and other polling stations on Tuesday. That’s especially true of Virginia Republicans, many of whom were swept from office as Democrats flipped 13 seats in the Virginia House to secure a 64-36 majority in the coming legislative session. There’s no question Virginia has been trending left in the last 10 years, driven by voters in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. But the Democratic landslide on Tuesday saw voters in deep red areas such as Southside and Southwest Virginia also tilt toward Democrats. And, again, this is only four years removed from an election that saw Republicans win all three statewide races. Just as Youngkin’s win in 2021 was seen as a rebuke to the Biden White House, Tuesday’s vote was a loud and unmistakable rejection of what President Donald Trump is doing to the country and our commonwealth. Spanberger and many of the Democrats on the ballot focused their campaigns on practical concerns, such as the cost of living, energy affordability, public education and other kitchen table issues, but Trump cast a long shadow as Virginians filled in their ballots. His administration’s policies have hit the commonwealth particularly hard, pushing thousands of federal workers out of their jobs, imposing tariffs that harm Virginia farmers and small businesses, and seeking to bring institutions such as the University of Virginia to heel. The Republican spending bill imposed deep cuts to social safety net programs that provide food for needy families and will raise the cost of health care coverage, all in service to tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Johnson said Tuesday that, “(Republicans) have an extraordinary record to run on. The first nine months of this Congress and this administration, arguably the most productive of all time.” Even if that was true — and it’s not; the speaker has kept the House out of session for nearly two months — polling shows the American public overwhelmingly in opposition to that record. Even on issues that were once his strength, such as immigration and the economy, Americans largely reject Trump’s policies by wide, and growing, margins. The speaker may be confident that voters will reward his party next year, and certainly a lot can change between now and then. But results in Virginia, New Jersey, California and New York City — as well as in places such as Mississippi and Georgia — show a simmering discontent and an eagerness to stand up to Trump and the GOP at the ballot box. For Virginia, Spanberger’s mandate is beyond question, and her common-sense approach and practical campaign platform inspire confidence she’ll be a steady hand on the tiller. That should serve the commonwealth well. Despite what the House speaker says, Republicans, particularly those who represent Virginia, should recognize that voters want elected officials to stand up for them rather than repeatedly bow to an erratic, unpopular president.
