In the lead-up to the 2022 midterms, Democrats have a major problem on their hands.
Polls across the country show that Biden’s approval rating could sink Democrats nationwide.
And now, a top Biden on the verge of blowing a race Democrats can’t afford to lose.
All eyes are on Virginia.
As one of the only states to hold elections in between Federal elections, Virginia’s gubernatorial race this November will be a major early test for Democrats in the lead up to the 2022 midterms, which provide Republicans with a chance to retake both chambers of Congress and put an end to much of Joe Biden’s agenda, perhaps for good.
With national pundits and political operatives alike predicting that Virginia’s results could paint a clear picture of what next year’s elections look like, Democrats are now in full-panic mode, as polling shows the race is inching closer and closer to a true tossup.
It’s largely thanks to Joe Biden’s sinking approval ratings as well, which have plummeted in recent months to as low as 38%. In a state Biden won by 10 points in 2020, Virginia could be poised to flip red in 2021.
Politico reports, “As the Virginia gubernatorial race careens toward the finish line, with just over three weeks to go, fundraising emails from former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and other Democrats are sounding the alarm. McAuliffe emailed his supporters last week with a simple question: “Are we blowing this?”
Polls in recent weeks show that Democrats very well could be blowing this.
Democrats were once considered to be strong favorites to win Virginia’s gubernatorial race. After all, Virginia has voted for Democrats in every single statewide election since 2009. The trendline has been clear for over a dozen years that Virginia has transitioned from once being a red state to now being considered by many as a solid blue state.
But now, with Biden’s sinking approval ratings and lackluster enthusiasm from Democrats themselves, there is evidence that such a trendline may be running up against a brick wall this November.
“In most public polls, GOP voters have been more enthusiastic about the upcoming election. The most recent was a poll from the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University on Friday, which showed McAuliffe up by 4 points within the poll’s margin of error. But the survey also found that Republican voters were more enthusiastic about the race than Democratic voters, which has been consistent with other public polling in the race,” adds Politico.
Even more polls show a tight race.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls show McAuliffe with a 3.5 point lead, but a recent Emerson poll shows the race is within a single point, well within the margin of error.
If McAuliffe loses in November, it would represent a more than 10 point swing against the Democrats from last year, signaling what could very well be a brutal landslide defeat for Joe Biden’s party in the 2022 midterms.