On Wednesday, Republican Glenn Youngkin became the governor of Virginia in a high stakes blow to President Joe Biden and Democrats—and social media had mixed reactions.
Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate, had campaigned with both Biden and former President Barack Obama, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Youngkin from prevailing.
Youngkin had an early lead after the polls closed that carried out throughout the evening. McAuliffe missed out on vital counties that Biden won over in 2020.
“All righty Virginia, we won this thing. How much fun,” Youngkin said in his speech.
He also addressed schooling and said the following, in part: “We are going to introduce choice within our public school system... Friends, we’re going to embrace our parents, not ignore them. We’re [going to press] forward with a curriculum that includes listening to parents’ input.”
Here’s what people had to say in appreciation about the win.
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Our parents and children are the winners! It’s a great day in Virginia and America. Congratulations to @TeamYoungkin @GlennYoungkin for a strong finish.
— Mercedes Schlapp (@mercedesschlapp) November 3, 2021
🚨 POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE 🚨
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) November 3, 2021
Glenn Youngkin WINS in Virginia!
New Jersey too close to call!
Biden Remorse ‼️
Congratulations @GlennYoungkin and @WinsomeSears - this is a victory not only for Virginia but for America!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) November 3, 2021
This nation is a nation of sensible people - the silent majority is still alive & well, and growing stronger by the day!
Huge congrats to @GlennYoungkin on the victory in Virginia and to @Jack4NJ for his valiant, and as yet undecided, race in New Jersey.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) November 3, 2021
Congratulations to @GlennYoungkin & Suzanne!
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 3, 2021
A great victory for Virginia, and for our Nation.
A powerful wind of change is blowing….
The spirit of Liberty is moving….
God’s blessings are bountiful, and hope is abundant. pic.twitter.com/MLPxLprQd1
God Bless Virginia!
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) November 3, 2021
Welcome, Virginia, to the LGB community.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 3, 2021
Congratulations to all the moms and dads in Louden County, Virginia 😊and across the state. Your voices were heard and you fought for your children and for our great nation at the polls. #VirginiaElection2021 #GlennYoungkin
— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) November 3, 2021
Virginia’s results are a prime example as to why you don’t mess with parents and their kids.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) November 3, 2021
Not only did Republicans sweep statewide officeholder positions in Virginia yesterday, Republicans FLIPPED the VA House of Delegates!
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) November 3, 2021
Republicans put in the work and we got it done!
Others had reservations about what the win meant.
This weekend, America will turn back its clocks one hour and Virginia will turn its clocks back a 100 years.
— Dave Matt (@davematt88) November 3, 2021
Virginia is an alarm.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) November 3, 2021
It's up to the good people of this nation to wake up now— or hit the 12-month snooze and wake up next year in theocracy.
It’s very upsetting what happened in Virginia and it is a huge wake up call for all of us. Democrats have a lot of work to do before the 2022 midterm elections. But I know it can be done!
— Nathalie Jacoby (@nathaliejacoby1) November 3, 2021
Who agrees?
Imagine being Black and living in Virginia. Knowing that the *idea* of teaching your history triggered so much white fear and denial it got an outright racist elected.
— Kate 🤍🇺🇸 (@ImSpeaking13) November 3, 2021
Imagine the psychological impact of that. This is white supremacy in action. Racism is very much alive in VA.
Although last night did not go as Virginia planned, we must remain focused in our efforts in 2022. We cannot let what happened in Virginia, happen in Florida.
— Mike Harvey (@electMikeHarvey) November 3, 2021
So I guess the voting machines in Virginia work perfectly again until a Republican loses?
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) November 3, 2021
Republicans ran a vile racist campaign in Virginia, and won. The targets of their ire were Stacey Abrams and Toni Morrison under the guise of Critical Race Theory. To be clear, Republicans won in Virginia by attacking Black women. No need to try and find a positive spin on that.
— Maya Contreras (@mayatcontreras) November 3, 2021
In the Virginia gubernatorial results, “education” is the new “economic anxiety.” Call it what it is: racist backlash.
— Alex Berg (@itsalexberg) November 3, 2021
A lot of people voted out of fear of a curriculum that isn’t being taught in schools and they don’t even know what it is. I’m disappointed but not shocked. The mom’s were clearly the difference in Virginia.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) November 3, 2021
Youngkin, like Trump, got far on a big lie. On the campaign trail, he kept promising to ban critical race theory, which isn’t even taught in Virginia schools. He resurrected Republican race-baiting in Virginia. You know the state that was the capital of the Confederacy.
— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) November 3, 2021
The Republican’s eagle-eyed concentration on whipping up parents’ worry and outrage about culture war concerns in Virginia’s schools proved more effective than McAuliffe’s all-out campaign to depict Youngkin as a Trump adherent.
Youngkin falsely claimed that critical race theory – an analytic perspective through which scholars study how the law reproduces racial inequality – is pervasive throughout the state’s educational system (it isn’t even taught).
He also managed to walk a political tightrope by accepting Trump’s endorsement yet never mentioning him in stump speeches or inviting him to campaign with him in person. He created enough ambivalence to appeal to moderate Republicans without casting aside Trump’s supporters.
Further north in New Jersey, Phil Murphy, the Democratic governor, fought to win re-election against his Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli. This race is too close to determine, but Ciattarelli is narrowly ahead at less than 1 per cent lead with 98 per cent of ballots counted for.
If Murphy can hold onto his position as governor, he will become the first Democrat re-elected as the state’s governor in 44 years.
