On the Virginia Gubernatorial Race

 

On Tuesday November 2nd, residents of Virginia will vote for a new governor. The candidates, Democrat (and governor from 2014-2018) Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin, could not be more different. Polls are showing that it's a close race, and it's expected to serve as a referendum on President Biden's performance thus far.

Skews toward the right:

Breitbart: Joe Biden Campaigning for Terry McAuliffe After He Called President ‘Unpopular’ in Virginia

This headline takes an antagonistic approach to the topic, highlighting the irony of the President campaigning for McAuliffe after the candidate called Biden “unpopular” in Virginia earlier this month. The article uses carefully chosen language to paint an unpromising picture of the situation, mentioning that “McAuliffe continues struggling in the race as Biden’s approval ratings have cratered.” It states that the campaign is trying to “limp across the finish line” by bringing President Obama, Stacey Abrams, and Vice President Harris on the campaign trail with McAuliffe. A large portion of the article focuses on McAuliffe’s Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin, and his promise to fix issues like critical race theory and sexual assault in public schools. McAuliffe has responded by calling these “Trumpian dog whistles,” and the article closes by claiming that Obama “dismissed parental concerns” about the issues mentioned above while campaigning for McAuliffe last Saturday. It further characterizes Obama as “complaining” about Youngkin resorting to outrage politics rather than focusing on “serious problems that actually affect serious people.” Overall, this article focuses on the attacks that the McAuliffe and Youngkin campaigns have leveraged at each other, contributing to the polarization trend in politics. 

Trends toward the center: 

Associated Press: Biden ties Republican in race for Va. governor to Trump

This headline focuses on Biden’s choice to tie Republican candidate Youngkin to former President Trump in order to undermine his campaign. Unlike the previous article, it provides some background on why the Virginia governor race is so crucial. Polls have shown that this race is close, which is troubling for Democrats since a loss of the governor’s mansion could be a sign of what’s to come in the 2022 midterms. Similar to the previous article, Biden’s falling approval rating is mentioned, as are the numerous top Democrats that have campaigned for McAuliffe. However, these facts are relayed with more neutral language than the negative tone of the Breitbart article. It elaborates on the major talking points of each candidate, including Youngkin supporting a mother who tried to have Beloved by Toni Morrison banned from her child’s classroom and McAuliffe accusing his opponent of backing Trump’s “bad ideas and bad record.” Ultimately, this article is both more informative and more balanced than the previous one, effectively communicating why the Virginia governor’s race is important to the political world.

Skews toward the left:

CNN: Tight race for Virginia governor enters final week with national implications on the line

This CNN headline takes a more dramatic approach than the other headlines we’ve looked at, communicating both the close nature and the importance of the race right off the bat. It picks language that communicates the high stakes of the situation, such as “neck and neck” and “turned up the pressure.” This makes the race feel more like an action movie than a serious political event. The dramatization does include crucial facts, like that the Democrats need this win to spell good things for Biden and the Democrats in future races, and that Republicans are hoping for this win because it would give them momentum going into 2022. The article closes with Stacey Abram’s appeal to voters on the campaign circuit; “"If you want to know what happens to Virginia, if we don't vote, if you don't turn out on November the 2nd, then remember what you felt like in November of 2016,” she told them. Overall, this article contains plenty of information on the Virginia campaign and why it is important, but it does frame it in a way that is clearly meant to draw an audience over anything else.

My balanced take:

Next week, Virginia will elect a new governor. While a GOP candidate has not been elected statewide since 2009, current polls are showing a tight race between Democrat McAuliffe and Republican Youngkin, signaling that the Democrats may be losing momentum in the state. This comes as President Biden's approval rating is dwindling. If McAuliffe loses, this could mean trouble for the Democrats in terms of holding onto their narrow margins in Congress when the 2022 midterms roll around. As a candidate that has aligned himself with Trump, a win by Youngkin could signal that Trump still has major sway over the Republican party. This is definitely a race to watch.