Ex-President Obama encourages fellow Democrats to cast ballots in Virginia’s high-profile contest. Obama’s recorded robocalls will be delivered to more than 100,000 homes in about 20 crucial legislative districts between now and Tuesday’s election.
The elections in Virginia are being keenly followed because Republicans are trying to keep their slim majority in the state House and regain control of the state Senate, and this is the first time the former president has gotten involved. If Glenn Youngkin, a rising star in the GOP, were governor and the Republicans controlled all branches of government in Richmond, they could pass a conservative agenda.
During a rally in Virginia, Trump called in via video and urged supporters to vote for Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, while Obama is scheduled to visit the state later this month to register and turn out Black voters.
Former Obama attorney general and current chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NRDC), Eric Holder, is in charge of the organization. Voter turnout in Virginia will be closely watched on Tuesday, and both calls stress the importance of casting a ballot.
Joe Biden’s popularity will be tested in Virginia’s gubernatorial election, which the nation will closely watch next month.
Biden’s reelection campaign in Virginia comes at the wrong time, what with the botched Afghanistan departure, legislative gridlock on the fundamental objectives of his domestic program, and rising uncertainty of economic recovery post-pandemic. From 55% in March to 44% now, his popularity has plummeted.
Trump is widely believed to be gauging his popularity with Republican voters ahead of the elections, which could affect his decision to seek reelection in 2024 after he lost Virginia by 10% in 2020.
Trump and Obama are weighing in on the fight, and it is now considered a bellwether for the 2022 midterm elections. Winning Virginia would significantly boost Biden and the Democrats’ chances of maintaining control of Congress next year and avoiding the stigma of being a lame-duck government. A victory for Republicans in 2020 might signal the beginning of a long road back to electoral power for a party still dominated by Donald Trump in 2022.
