This Years Gubernatorial Races May Come Down to The Wire
In less than one week, voters in New Jersey and Virginia will once again be voting for their future governor. Both races have tightened to a frightening margin for the incumbent Democrats.
VIRGINIA
Virginia’s Gubernatorial race is tight, only one point if that lies between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngskin. Some polls are even showing a tie between the two candidates.
Crucially, Youngskin seems to have won over the support of the independent voters of Virginia. If Youngskin wins this election, it will most definitely be thanks to the independent voters and the support of parents with children attending K-12 schools.
The parents of students all the sudden have become a integral part of this election, as Virginia polls show schooling as one of their top concerns, and many parents have expressed discontent with current governor Ralph Northam’s (D) school mask mandates, which McAuliffe plans to follow. This could be the defining line for this otherwise tight race.
Though President Biden won Virginia handily 54% to 44%, it seems this governor race will not be as cut and dry as the presidential election.
NEW JERSEY
Phil Murphy has been falling in voters eyes since June, and this downward spiral could spell trouble for the otherwise thought to be safe re-election for Murphy.
Unlike Virginia, New Jersey’s top issue is taxes, the state ranks in the top 5 for the highest taxes in the whole country. Murphy has been losing on this issue, and Jack Ciattarelli has been attempting to take advantage of this with his aggressive ad campaign. His ads have been plastered across Youtube, and it has most definitely helped grow his popularity.
Recently to counteract this, appearances from former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden have been occurring across the state. All are campaigning on behalf of Murphy, Obama even making comments on Ciattarelli’s questionable past.
Polls are indicating that the lead Murphy currently holds is only between four and six percent. Compared to his thirteen point victory in 2017, this race is extremely tight.
With only one week left until the election, it is important to stay informed on the issues at hand. Each vote counts and all adds to the democratic process. Get out and vote on November 2nd!
