This Election Day is a quiet one for most of the country, but it also marks the unofficial start of the 2022 midterm race. One particular contest is garnering most of the national attention---the Virginia governor race between Democrat (and former governor) Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin. The race has drawn even more buzz since a poll showed Youngkin taking the lead in the deep blue state. That has prompted panic among Democrats, with McAuliffe breaking out the race card against Youngkin in recent days.
Youngkin's surge has coincided with comments made by McAuliffe in response to parents complaining about Critical Race Theory and other controversial teachings in public schools. "McAuliffe made one of the most ignorant remarks in recent history when he said parents should not have the right to affect their kids' education," says KTRH Political Analyst Chris Begala. "That is moronic."
Nevertheless, Begala believes that McAauliffe and the Democratic machine in Virginia will find a way to win. "I think when Terry McAuliffe became governor, he did a few things to ensure ballot victory for Democrats, and I think that's what's going to happen," he tells KTRH.
"Terry McAuliffe is an inside dealer," Begala continues. "And I'm just telling Republicans don't get your hopes up...I think McAuliffe is going to win."
As for this race being a bellwether for 2022, Begala is dubious. "You cannot take how someone in Virginia voted, and then extrapolate that to how somebody in another state is going to vote a year from now," he says. "So all this talk about oh my gosh, look at Virginia, this is what we can expect next year...that's just talk, I don't believe it, and it's a waste of time to try to even get into that."
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