The Democrats were met with shocking elections results after a Republican win in Virginia on Tuesday night. Boasting of winning the 2020 general elections, Democrats had carried this momentum since the beginning of this year and thought that all other elections would be a walkover. Also, these politicians believed that with the damage enacted by former US President Donald Trump, it was hard for republicans to amass a lot of supporters. Some republicans aired out how Trump’s conduct had ruined their reputation and managed to anger the supporters, which aided Biden’s win.
But it seemed like the Republican’s followers were still active in America, and they stood strong with their political party. A Republican win out of nowhere became a reality check for the Biden administration. Republican Glenn Youngkin’s (54) triumph surprised most politicians since president Joe Biden won about 10% points of the Virginia state in the last year’s November elections. But this did not bring victory to the Democrat candidate Terry McAuliffe.
Youngkin is a “Republican private equity executive and political newcomer” who managed to get the high throne in his first run. He was able to dethrone a well-established former governor who served from 2014 to 2018 [Source]. McAuliffe accepted defeat and concurred that he had come up short in polls. In terms of post-elections relations, he noted how politicians in Virginia operate through “inclusion, openness, and tolerance for all.” The elections were pitied between Glenn and McAuliffe. The current governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, was not allowed to participate because the state does not allow one to serve consecutive terms in office.
Mr. Youngkin has become the first Republican to win such a position in Virginia since 2009. According to political analysts, his history is packed with political activities that include active participation “during the bitterly fought election on crime and the economy and how schools handle race, gender, and mask mandates. His competition was very vocal in issues related to abortion rights and voting reforms” [Source].
This Virginia win is being viewed as a tip of the underlying threat posed by the republicans. Democrats raised concerned eyebrows because these were the first elections after the Biden administration was elected into office. Therefore, they are very pertinent in projecting how Americans feel towards Biden’s governance so far. Also, the republicans grabbed a win in an area they were not even deemed to be the favorites, which becomes a cause for concern. Democrats are now worried about future elections, especially when they are losing in ‘democratic dominated” states.
CNN noted that “McAuliffe’s loss in a state that President Joe Biden won by double digits last year showed the enormous challenge that Democrats are facing next year as they attempt to maintain control of the US House and Senate” [Source].
In celebrating his win while addressing supporters 25 miles west of Washington, Youngkin alluded to how “the visit of Virginia is coming together like never before.” He added that “We’re going to embrace our parents, not ignore them. We’re going to press forward with a curriculum that includes listening to parents, as well as a curriculum that allows our children to run as fast as they can, teaching them how to think, enabling their dreams to soar. Friends, we are going to re-establish excellence in our schools”. McAuliffe conceded defeat on Wednesday morning and congratulated Youngkin by saying, “wishing the best to him and his family.”
In September, a survey revealed that 51% of Americans disapproved of Biden’s leadership decisions, which might be part of the reasons why democrats lost this election [Source]. If the head of an administration fails, all the other subordinates are caught in a web of misfortunes, such as losing elections. Analysts posited how Biden’s reign faced many major challenges such as the covid-19 pandemic, the war in Afghanistan, influx of migrants, and wealth inequality. Because of this, his leadership skills were called into action as soon as he stepped in, so that is why it only took a short period for people to analyze his leadership.
This loss triggered inquiries into democrats’ strategies, and Dan Sena, Democratic strategist, commented on the issue. Sena said, “The Democrats need to take a serious look at how we chose to engage with the Trump narrative. This was an election where the Democrats did not lean into their accomplishments either in Virginia or nationally. And as we look to 2022, we’re going to have to ask some hard questions about whether that’s the right strategy”.
Republicans are flying high with this major victory, and other republicans are outshining competitions in different elections. For instance, Jack Ciattarelli was leading the polls for the New Jersey governor position. If these occurrences reflect the future, this is a sour intake for Democrats who might be showered with elections losses. For the republicans, one can allude to Trump’s statement in which he stated that they would be back on the throne in the US.
