by James C. Sherlock
Glenn Youngkin and Terry McAuliffe proved that candidates matter, even in blue states like Virginia.
Jack Ciattarelli and Phil Murphy in yet bluer New Jersey have proven it again, no matter how that dead even race turns out.
I wrote here in early May that Glenn Youngkin and Jason Miyares would not only win the nominations, but go on to win the general election because of the education policies of the Northam administration.
I was proven right about that.
In the same column, however, I predicted that Terry McAuliffe would “read the room” among Virginia voters and ask Northam to fire his education leadership team.
I was wrong. McAuliffe doubled down. I am very happy he did not take my prediction as advice.
I wrote later, having watched nearly all of the campaign, that Terry McAuliffe was the worst retail politician Virginia has seen since Ken Cuccinelli. (I forgot Corey Stewart. I continue to try to forget Corey Stewart.)
That was before McAuliffe invited critical race theory enthusiast and head of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten to come down here for his last rally. He then put an exclamation point on his campaign by calling for fewer White teachers.
Amazing.
I knew Glenn Youngkin peripherally when he was in high school with my son. His reputation there was as a very bright, focused, nice, honorable and extremely tough young man.
He was a person of faith, but did not wear it on his sleeve. And no Virginia high schooler wanted to fight him for a rebound.
He grew to be an enormously successful businessman at a young age. Early in his 50’s he resigned, not to pursue the pleasures he and his family could well afford, but to bring his skills and values to public life.
I went to his rally here in Virginia Beach on Monday evening.
He has proven a gifted candidate; a happy warrior. If he and McAuliffe had switched party labels, Gov.-elect Youngkin would have won the state easily.
In the cases of Glenn Youngkin and Terry McAuliffe, it is hard to separate the man from his message.
Both believe what they said. Each was exactly who he presented himself to be. Each represented where their parties are on the issues.
Glenn Youngkin was simply the better candidate.
By a lot.
