Republican Glenn Youngkin is edging out his challenger, former Democrat Gov. Terry McAuliffe, in the polls with less than two weeks until Virginia’s competitive gubernatorial race.
According to various polling groups, the Trump-endorsed Youngkin has a sizable chance of becoming the next governor of Virginia, replacing the state’s disgraced Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam.
According to a recent Monmouth poll, Youngkin and McAuliffe are tied with 46 percent to 46 percent, closing a five point gap from last month when McAuliffe was ahead of Youngkin by five points. Youngkin leads McAuliffe among independent voters with 48 percent to 39 percent, a stark increase from his 37 percent to 46 percent deficit from last month.
A Trafalgar Group poll reported that Youngkin is ahead of McAuliffe with 48.4 percent to 47.5 percent, less than one percent. According to the poll, Joe Biden’s approval rating in Virginia has tanked to 39.9 percent. Biden won Virginia by more than 10 points in the 2020 presidential election.
Gov. Ralph Northam’s approval rating is underwater as well. According to Trafalgar, only 41.8 percent approve of his performance as governor. Northam came under fire two years ago after it was discovered that he was pictured in his yearbook dressed in blackface or a KKK outfit. Northam claimed that he could not remember which of the two he was dressed as.
McAuliffe’s previously considerable lead over Youngkin narrowed over the past month after he commented during the gubernatorial debate that parents should not be telling schools what they should teach. McAuliffe’s words angered many parents in the state amid reports that schools were assigning reading materials to students that contained sexually explicit, pornographic content involving children to students without informing parents.
McAuliffe vetoed a bill as governor that would have informed parents that students were being assigned materials with sexually explicit content. Youngkin questioned McAuliffe on why he vetoed the bill during the gubernatorial debate.
“Yeah, I stopped the bill,” McAuliffe bragged. “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”
McAuliffe’s words have deeply upset many parents, according to the Trafalgar Group poll. Nearly 55 percent of residents disagreed with McAuliffe’s statement that parents should not have a say in their child’s education, while 37 percent agreed.
Democrats are ramping up campaign efforts in liberal areas of the state to increase Democrat turnout in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Joe Biden is scheduled to make a campaign stop for McAuliffe in Arlington this week following Kamala Harris’ appearance. Former President Barack Obama campaigned for McAuliffe at Virginia Commonwealth University on Saturday.
While President Donald Trump has not scheduled a campaign rally in Virginia, he endorsed Glenn Youngkin in May, telling Virginians to say “yes to Patriot Glenn Youngkin!”
“Glenn is pro-Business, pro-Second Amendment, pro-Veterans, pro-America, he knows how to make Virginia’s economy rip-roaring, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” said Trump.
Trump continued, “[McAuliffe] was responsible for many of the problems Virginia currently has. Virginia doesn’t need the Clintons or the Communist Chinese running the state, so say no to Terry McAuliffe, and yes to Patriot Glenn Youngkin!”
Virginia’s gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 2, 2021.