It was a remarkable sight to see how the gross misfortunes that a candidate causes on himself, and the way they can inspire others in this type of bellwether race.
Here in North Carolina, we saw it last year when Democrat Senate nominee Cal Cunningham’s campaign self-destructed in early October 2020 after it had been reported that he’d had an affair, and a recent one at that. Cunningham had led in most polls just before this revelation. However, he continued to make things worse with his response. At times, he avoided reporters while tapdancing at others. The normally pro-Democrat media outlets of this state reprimanded Cunningham for his treatment. Of course, he lost.
The Virginia press corps, by and large, have been pretty tough, too, on McAuliffe down the homestretch, so much so that he’s even taken to stomping off TV sets in a huff and complaining about how “better questions” should have been asked, as though questions about public education matters weren’t important to Virginia voters.
As we’ve previously documented, the signs of desperation with McAuliffe have been more than evident, from bringing in fellow election denier and failed 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams in to campaign for him to resorting to bringing an oversized blow-up “Trump chicken” to packed Youngkin rallies. He’s also now denying clear video evidence of him walking off that TV set.
This morning we found more proof that McAuliffe’s panic button was pressed. In their most recent campaign fundraising email, McAuliffe’s campaign made an embarrassing admission about sagging voter enthusiasm, writing that they “thought folks would be fired up to get out the vote, but at this point, it seems like enthusiasm is at an all-time low”:
Well now I’m flabbergasted @TerryMcAuliffeKatherine, where are you? pic.twitter.com/6Nay8oQSuQ
— Emily Domenech (@ehdomenech) October 21, 2021
You can be sure that Terry McAuliffe’s cringe-meter will explode if it doesn’t. Although they could introduce a new cringe-meter, it would still explode.
This is not a sign that McAuliffe feels secure in his final days. Youngkin, along with his team are putting the pressure on McAuliffe and are making McAuliffe suffer for their mistakes. The polling in this race is reflected that.
Youngkin, as I have said, is the better choice here. However, his supporters need to understand that he will not make the state solidly red again. That would take at least four years. But what he would be able to do is pull it back from the brink of blue domination with at the very least a smattering of Republican policies while GOP candidates who come after him can get to work doing what they can to build off of that (hopefully along with a Republican-controlled state legislature).
As far as I’m concerned and as a Republican in the purpling state just south of Virginia who has watched in despair as it has marched further to the left over the last several years, that’s the best reason of all to support him.
FlashbackTerry McAuliffe Loses it When Virginia Sheriff Asks if he Supports the Defunding of Police