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| Glenn Youngkin: Republican seizes lead in Virginia governor race | Glenn Youngkin: Republican seizes lead in Virginia governor race |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Glenn Youngkin has focused his campaign on education issues | Glenn Youngkin has focused his campaign on education issues |
| Republican Glenn Youngkin has a commanding lead in the Virginia governor's election, widely seen as a referendum on Joe Biden's presidency. | Republican Glenn Youngkin has a commanding lead in the Virginia governor's election, widely seen as a referendum on Joe Biden's presidency. |
| Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014-18, saw his opinion poll lead vanish in recent weeks. | Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014-18, saw his opinion poll lead vanish in recent weeks. |
| The race is still too early to call, but Mr Youngkin was comfortably ahead as results trickled in. | |
| A Democratic loss in a state that Mr Biden won by 10 points just a year ago would unnerve his governing party. | A Democratic loss in a state that Mr Biden won by 10 points just a year ago would unnerve his governing party. |
| If he wins Tuesday's vote, Mr Youngkin would be the first Republican elected to statewide office in Virginia since 2009. | If he wins Tuesday's vote, Mr Youngkin would be the first Republican elected to statewide office in Virginia since 2009. |
| The political newcomer focused during the bitterly fought election on crime and the economy, as well as how schools handle race, gender and mask mandates. | |
| Mr McAuliffe campaigned on other cultural issues, such as abortion rights and voting reform. | Mr McAuliffe campaigned on other cultural issues, such as abortion rights and voting reform. |
| But the Democrat's critics hammered him for saying during a debate: "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach." | But the Democrat's critics hammered him for saying during a debate: "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach." |
| Terry McAuliffe | Terry McAuliffe |
| According to exit polls by the BBC's US partner, CBS, education and the school curriculum were top issues for slightly more than half of all voters. | According to exit polls by the BBC's US partner, CBS, education and the school curriculum were top issues for slightly more than half of all voters. |
| At a news conference earlier on Tuesday, Mr Biden predicted his party would win the first major election since he took office 10 months ago, but he acknowledged "the off-year is always unpredictable". | At a news conference earlier on Tuesday, Mr Biden predicted his party would win the first major election since he took office 10 months ago, but he acknowledged "the off-year is always unpredictable". |
| Mr Biden's popularity has been sliding amid rising inflation, a slow economic recovery, a deadlocked legislative agenda and the aftermath of a disorderly US withdrawal from Afghanistan. | Mr Biden's popularity has been sliding amid rising inflation, a slow economic recovery, a deadlocked legislative agenda and the aftermath of a disorderly US withdrawal from Afghanistan. |
| How Virginia's governor race explains US politics | |
| The Democratic president's approval rating has fallen to 43%, according to an opinion poll average by RealClearPolitics. | The Democratic president's approval rating has fallen to 43%, according to an opinion poll average by RealClearPolitics. |
| The McAuliffe campaign tried to liken the challenger to former President Donald Trump, who remains unpopular in Virginia. | The McAuliffe campaign tried to liken the challenger to former President Donald Trump, who remains unpopular in Virginia. |
| But Mr Youngkin, a mild-mannered private equity tycoon, sought to appeal to moderates by keeping Mr Trump at arm's length, while tapping into the former president's supporters in the state. | But Mr Youngkin, a mild-mannered private equity tycoon, sought to appeal to moderates by keeping Mr Trump at arm's length, while tapping into the former president's supporters in the state. |
| His balancing act may offer a template for Republicans seeking to win back suburban moderate voters who were turned off by Mr Trump's firebrand style of politics. | |
| The race could shape party messaging and battle-plans for next year's mid-term elections, when the Democrats will defend their wafer-thin majorities in Congress, and the 2024 White House election. | |
| Mr Trump was quick to project victory for Mr Youngkin. | Mr Trump was quick to project victory for Mr Youngkin. |
| He said in a statement: "I would like to thank my Base for coming out in force and voting for Glenn Youngkin." | He said in a statement: "I would like to thank my Base for coming out in force and voting for Glenn Youngkin." |
| He added: "The MAGA movement is bigger and stronger than ever before." | He added: "The MAGA movement is bigger and stronger than ever before." |
| The winner will succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Ralph Northam. | The winner will succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Ralph Northam. |
| In other elections across the US on Tuesday: | In other elections across the US on Tuesday: |
| New Jersey's Democratic Governor Phil Murphy is in a dead heat as votes are counted in his bid for a second term against Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli | |
| As expected, former police officer Eric Adams has been projected by US media to win New York City's mayoral election to replace Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio | |
| Minneapolis voters are deciding whether to replace their police department in the city where George Floyd was murdered by an officer | Minneapolis voters are deciding whether to replace their police department in the city where George Floyd was murdered by an officer |
| In other mayoral races, voters in Boston were choosing between two women of colour, the first time the Massachusetts city will be represented by someone other than a white man | In other mayoral races, voters in Boston were choosing between two women of colour, the first time the Massachusetts city will be represented by someone other than a white man |