What Went Down During The 2021 Elections

And I think it’s probably really hard to separate the two in a poll when it comes to parents’ frustrations.

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.