The Republican Governors Association is projecting optimism in Virginia in a fresh memorandum sent to GOP donors that highlights President Joe Biden’s weakened position and details a list of top 2022 takeover targets.
The RGA memo declares the toss-up Virginia governor’s race in a state Biden won by more than 10 percentage points 12 months ago as proof that voters are disillusioned with Biden and congressional Democrats. Pointing to Biden’s plummeting poll numbers in the commonwealth ahead of Tuesday’s election, RGA Executive Director Dave Rexrode writes that this campaign has provided concrete evidence Republicans can be competitive in Democratic-leaning states across the country in next year’s midterm elections.
“The fact that this is a jump ball the day before the election, in a state that has shifted so dramatically to the left over the last decade, should be a wakeup call to every Democrat on the ballot in 2022,” Rexrode said Monday.
TRUMP URGES VIRGINIANS TO VOTE FOR YOUNGKIN WHILE CASTING DOUBT ON STATE VOTING SYSTEM
According to RGA polling, Biden’s personal favorability numbers tumbled from 54% in May to 45% as of Oct. 19. The group’s tracking additionally found that the president’s job approval with independents had sunk to a meager 27%. Even in more the Democrat-friendly state of New Jersey, where incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to hang on Tuesday, Biden’s approval among independents was 23% as of Oct. 19.
The RGA memo lays out a map of the governor’s mansions the group is most confident in capturing in the midterm elections and urges donors to attend its annual gathering in Arizona later this month to meet with the various Republican gubernatorial hopefuls who are considering mounting 2022 campaigns. States on the target list include Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“The RGA team has been crisscrossing the country meeting with potential candidates who can win targeted races next year,” Rexrode said. “Many of our top candidates will be joining us in Phoenix later this month at our annual conference and I hope you will take some time to meet the next generation of Republican governors.”
In Virginia, Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin is hoping to defeat Democratic former Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first from his party to be elected governor in the commonwealth since 2009.
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Education and public schools have been a major issue with voters that has boosted Youngkin down the stretch of the campaign.
But Republican operatives closely monitoring the race say the contest began to turn away from McAuliffe in August during Biden’s botched handling of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
