7 days ago
The Virginia Governor's Race Has Republicans Reeling
The Virginia race is also Example A of how Elon Musk walking away from electoral politics, at least for now, could have down-ballot repercussions. Democrats in the commonwealth earlier this year were bracing for an influx of the tech billionaire's money into Virginia, where there are no caps on giving, but the Musk moolah has yet to appear.
Just as significant, Youngkin, a multi-millionaire, has yet to infuse the Virginia ticket with significant personal money or contributions from his political action committee.
'He's got to win something,' said Delegate Terry Kilgore, the House GOP Leader, of the governor's legacy leaving office after his single term.
Youngkin already lost control of the Virginia House of Delegates and failed to flip the state senate two years ago. And he was unable to find a top-tier candidate to take on Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) last year and will almost certainly not run himself next year against Virginia's senior senator, Mark Warner (D).
That's because the governor seems to be preparing for a future presidential bid. He courted business moguls earlier this month at Allen and Company's annual retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho — where he appeared with Maryland's Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in a discussion moderated by CNN's Anderson Cooper, I'm told. Last week, Youngkin attended a GOP fundraising dinner in first-in-the-nation Iowa, and next month he'll travel to South Carolina, traditionally the first presidential primary in the South.
But he could leave behind a political mess for his own party in Virginia. Youngkin all but assured Sears' nomination for governor, even though it was widely known she was a weak fundraiser and mercurial figure, and then attempted to torpedo the candidacy of her successor as lieutenant governor, John Reid, after it was alleged earlier this year that he had posted sexually explicit images online.
Now, Virginia Republicans — who were already swimming against the tide in a blue-tinted state Trump has never won that tends to punish the party in power in Washington — are alarmed their entire statewide ticket may lose and could deepen the party's minority in the House of Delegates.
Private polling from both parties has Spanberger leading outside margin of error. Democrats have her up 10 points, while Republicans project her to win by mid-single-digits, I'm told. And Republicans are worried their entire ticket may go down if she loses by more than five.
