Virginia gubernatorial candidates Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin face off in their first debate Thursday evening.
The state’s off-year election cycle is often analyzed for what it might foreshadow for midterm elections, or act as a kind of litmus test on the current presidential administration.
Republicans have not won a statewide office in the Democratic-trending state since 2009, as the population in Northern Virginia’s suburbs outside Washington, D.C., has grown and rural areas declined in population. In 2019, Democrats won control of both the state House and Senate, and in 2020, President Joe Biden won the state by 10 points over former President Donald Trump.
The debate takes place at the Appalachian School of Law at 7 p.m. and will be livestreamed on YouTube. Susan Page of USA Today, Richmond, Virginia CBS6 news anchor Candace Burns, and Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth will moderate.
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Election Day is Nov. 2, and early voting starts on Friday.
Here is how McAuliffe and Youngkin match up on experience, endorsements, fundraising, and key issues:
Experience
McAuliffe, 64, is the former Democratic governor of Virginia, from 2014 to 2018, seeking a second, nonconsecutive term because the Virginia state constitution prohibits back-to-back gubernatorial terms. A longtime Democratic operative, McAuliffe was also chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, and co-chair of former President Bill Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign.
Youngkin, 54, is a first-time political candidate who was previously co-CEO of the Carlyle Group private equity firm, where he worked for 25 years. Before becoming a candidate, the multi-millionaire was a major donor to Republican campaigns and committees.
High-profile endorsements
McAuliffe: President Joe Biden, current Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Human Rights Campaign, Washington Post editorial board, conservative commentator Bill Kristol.
Youngkin: Former President Donald Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Virginia Law Enforcement Sheriff’s Association.
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Fundraising as of Aug. 31, 2020
McAuliffe has raised nearly $33 million, with $2.5 million of that coming from the Democratic Governor’s Association and $250,000 from liberal mega-donor George Soros. He enters the final months of the election with $12.6 million in cash-on-hand.
Youngkin has raised more than $35 million, including $15.7 million that he loaned to his campaign. The Republican Governor’s Association gave him $4 million, and former Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos gave him $12,500. As of Aug. 31, he had $6 million in cash-on-hand.
Polls
An Emerson College poll conducted Sept. 13-14 found McAuliffe with 51% support among likely voters and Youngkin with 48% support.
An internal poll for Youngkin’s campaign conducted by WPA Intelligence Aug. 30-Sept. 2 found Youngkin and McAuliffe tied at 48% among likely voters.
A Monmouth University poll conducted Aug. 24-29 found McAuliffe with 47% support among registered voters and Youngkin with 42% support.
Issue: COVID-19
McAuliffe called for vaccine mandates except for medical and religious reasons and favors requiring universal mask-wearing in school buildings regardless of vaccination status.
Youngkin advocates for people to get the vaccine but opposes mandates, and he thinks students should not be required to wear masks but has not gone as far as other governors to advocate a ban on schools requiring masks. He stresses keeping Virginia businesses and schools open.
Issue: Taxes and economy
McAuliffe wants to impose a “substantial tax” on companies that raise drug prices without cause, require paid family and medical leave, and raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. He also proposes creating a fund for low-interest loans available to historically disadvantaged populations, providing hazard pay for essential workers, and advocates for bringing pharmaceutical manufacturing to Virginia.
Youngkin proposes eliminating Virginia’s 2.5% grocery tax, suspending the recent 12.6 cents per gallon tax hike for one year, requiring voter approval to increase property taxes, giving a one-time tax rebate of $600 for joint filers or $300 for individuals, and doubling the standard deduction, which is currently $4,500 for individuals and $9,000 for joint filers.
Issue: Education
Outrage over coronavirus restrictions, “critical race theory,” and transgender policy made Northern Virginia the center of culture-war-driven outrage and blowups at school board meetings this year.
McAuliffe wants to provide universal pre-K education, raise teacher pay above the national average, and create an education equity commission to address “modern-day segregation in schools.”
Youngkin proposes banning “critical race theory” education in schools, raising teacher pay, raising education standards, and expanding the number of charter schools in the state.
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Issue: Abortion
Texas’s newly implemented “heartbeat” abortion law, which effectively bans abortion after six weeks and allows individuals to sue anyone aiding in prohibited abortions, brought abortion access to the fore in the race.
McAuliffe latched on to the law, dubiously claiming Youngkin wants to ban abortion and pledging to be a “brick wall to protect women’s individual rights to make their own decisions about their own reproductive healthcare.”
Earlier this year, Youngkin was caught on a secret camera saying that he is not messaging harder against abortion in part because he does not want to push away independent voters. He opposes abortion, and his campaign has indicated he would sign a bill restricting abortion after 20 weeks if such legislation came to his desk. But unlike the Texas law, he supports allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.
