Youngkin has won (Virginia Beach, Richmond, Chester: credit, schools, casino)

[Bigfoot424]

Just read when I woke that he has been declared the new governor. That said. I hope people can remain civilized about it on BOTH sides. I voted for him but also really hoped he will remain as far from Trump as possible. No need to gloat on the one side and no need to throw insults around if you voted for Terry M.

[rural & red]

I'm very pleased. While we lost all of Northern Virginia we stilled pulled through despite the ridiculously high turn out in an off-year election in key areas. Thanks in no small part to rural areas, Chesterfield and Virginia Beach both flipping back.

I hope as Governor, Youngkin can work to lift everyone up, be compassionate, just, and lead our great commonwealth back to prosperity.

Also Winsome Sears (R) was elected Lt. Governor, the first black woman to win this job -- historic.

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Also Richmond casino was voted down.

[LM117]

I didn't vote for Youngkin, but after watching McAuliffe's campaign sh*t itself in recent weeks, I knew he would win. Like I said in the other thread at the beginning of the race, McAuliffe would have to screw up pretty damn bad in order to lose, and that's exactly what happened. McAuliffe snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and pulled the other Democrats on the ballot down with him.

Youngkin's campaign had a rough start, but he turned it around, and I'll give him credit for that.

[Tyler_Jolie-Pitt]

I pray he will govern as a moderate, pro-business Republican (i.e. Charlie Baker, Larry Hogan, Phil Scott) and not delve into the culture wars... His campaign offers me little hope of that, though.

[TheMarino]

Terry was a horrible candidate who came off cocky and that comment about "not letting parents tell schools what to teach" absolutely screwed him to demographics that normally vote, middle aged white people with school age kids.

At least enough to make him lose a few percentage points.

I also guarantee democrats learned nothing from this loss.

[Ycomoque]

Originally Posted by LM117

I didn't vote for Youngkin, but after watching McAuliffe's campaign sh*t itself in recent weeks, I knew he would win. Like I said in the other thread at the beginning of the race, McAuliffe would have to screw up pretty damn bad in order to lose, and that's exactly what happened. McAuliffe snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and pulled the other Democrats on the ballot down with him.

Youngkin's campaign had a rough start, but he turned it around, and I'll give him credit for that.

Missing open layups is one of the few things the blue team does well.

Obviously I don't live there but from what I've seen/heard McAuliffe didn't go near hard enough anywhere outside of northern VA. Been saying it a long time and it's a myth that persists here and elsewhere online....that lame area alone can't carry the state. It's a team effort, and like someone said above Chesterfield and VA Beach were the keys to Youngkin's w.

[LM117]

Originally Posted by Ycomoque

Missing open layups is one of the few things the blue team does well.

Obviously I don't live there but from what I've seen/heard McAuliffe didn't go near hard enough anywhere outside of northern VA. Been saying it a long time and it's a myth that persists here and elsewhere online....that lame area alone can't carry the state. It's a team effort, and like someone said above Chesterfield and VA Beach were the keys to Youngkin's w.

McAuliffe had debate gaffes that bit him in the ass, and he overplayed his Trump card. He tried to nationalize the race while Youngkin was focused on the state. If McAuliffe had focused on the state the way Youngkin did, last night most likely would've turned out different.

It also didn't help McAuliffe that there's an apathy among Democratic and independent voters in general right now thanks to Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, moreso Sinema since she's practically done a 180 from her 2018 campaign.

[rural & red]

Originally Posted by Ycomoque

Missing open layups is one of the few things the blue team does well.

Obviously I don't live there but from what I've seen/heard McAuliffe didn't go near hard enough anywhere outside of northern VA. Been saying it a long time and it's a myth that persists here and elsewhere online....that lame area alone can't carry the state. It's a team effort, and like someone said above Chesterfield and VA Beach were the keys to Youngkin's w.

This is the key takeaway.

McAuliffe was extremely unpopular in most parts of Virginia except the Northern Virginia D.C. suburbs and individual cities that tend to automatically vote democratic, regardless of the candidate. He came across as smug, arrogant and entitled. As a conservative, I would have preferred a more left-of-center candidate like Carrol Foy based on personality alone.

McAuliffe pretty much campaigned only in NoVa. The rest of his rallies outside in Richmond and Virginia Beach were sparsely attended, despite the high profile surrogates like Obama and Harris stumping for him.

Meanwhile, Youngkin was treated like a celebrity in all parts of Virginia with huge crowds at his rallies everywhere he went.

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Chesterfield and Virginia Beach and rural counties demonstrate that the 'Rest of Virginia' still matters to win an election statewide.

Although Republicans had the right political storm afoot, there was still a handicap to covercome -- a whole month and a half of early voting combined with a massive mail-in balloting scheme. That is something to celebrate.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Jolie-Pitt

I pray he will govern as a moderate, pro-business Republican (i.e. Charlie Baker, Larry Hogan, Phil Scott) and not delve into the culture wars... His campaign offers me little hope of that, though.

I'm in agreement with you that he governs as a moderate but I have my doubts with the T-Party influence in this state. I guess 1 good thing about him winning is we don't have to listen to months upon months of accusations about election cheating although I am sure there will be those who won't give it up.

[Kid Ashbury]

So I guess "We own your kids and will cover up rape if we want to and we think there are too many white people" turned out to be a losing message?

Who'd a thunk it?