Thanks for the perspective, Brent.

But according to your theory, McAuliffe should have won, and Youngkin should have lost. Youngkin won his primaries partly by questioning election integrity:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/youngkin-virginia-election-integrity-rally/2021/08/06/1cf4407a-f538-11eb-9738-8395ec2a44e7_story.html

He won the general election by promising to ban critical race theory as if it was actually part of the Virginia K-12 curriculum (it isn't).

McAuliffe is a Clintonista. Very centrist.

So I'll stick to my guns here. It was a silly social issue that won it for Youngkin. That, and Viriginians never re-elect governors.

McAuliffe was no more left than you or any of the rest of those 40%.

Fresh faces are going to be the order of the day for awhile, I think.