What Went Down During The 2021 Elections

Right, Sarah, I do wonder if education would be such a big issue in Virginia right now if the pandemic hadn’t happened. Obviously, the focus on critical race theory isn’t really related to COVID-19 — but the broader themes of parental autonomy and input in children’s schooling were primed by public health measures surrounding the pandemic.

The fact that education has catapulted to the front of voters’ concerns in the Virginia race is especially noteworthy. We’ve mentioned this already, but it’s hard to believe that roughly two months ago COVID-19 was the top issue among voters in California, whereas it’s a far less pressing issue in Virginia. Or … maybe I should say that concern around the pandemic has changed and manifested in other ways — whether that’s education or the economy.

Yes, Trump has shown remarkable restraint — for him personally, at least — in staying out of Virginia governor’s race. However, it looks like his patience is waning. He teased a visit to Virginia to help Youngkin, leaving the gubernatorial campaign in the awkward position of protecting the former president’s feelings while trying to avoid giving his opponent, McAuliffe, the best electoral gift Democrats could dream of. An in-person visit from Trump would provide Democrats an enthusiasm boost more powerful than anything McAuliffe could have achieved on his own. Instead, Trump held a tele-rally, continuing the Republican Party’s efforts to target Trump supporters through smaller rallies and press statements that don’t usually make top headlines — in other words, Republicans have been able to rally their base without fueling Democratic outrage. I don’t know whether Trump will be able to keep that up through the midterms, though.