Victory in Virginia: A Forecast for Flipping in 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican Governors Association is proud to congratulate Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin of Virginia. Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe by a healthy margin in a traditionally deep blue state Joe Biden had won by over 10% last year by flipping the vote in many counties and making significant gains in others.

Glenn Youngkin flipped seven previously blue counties including:

• Virginia Beach +7.4% (53%)
• Chesterfield +6% (51%)
• Chesapeake +6.7% (53%)
• Stafford +7.6% (55.1%)
• James City +5.7% (52.6%)

Youngkin also closed the margin on the Democrat vote in these five counties:

• Prince Willam +5.1%
• Loudoun +7.7%
• Henrico +5.7%
• Arlington +5.6%
• Alexandria +6.4%

And, in the traditionally red counties, Youngkin pulled out significant gains in the following:

• Bedford +5.8% (79%)
• Frederick +6.3% (69%)
• Rockingham +5.9% (75%)
• Roanoke +6% (66%)
• Augusta +5.2% (78%)
• Lynchburg +7.6% (55%)

Looking at the 36 gubernatorial races across the country next year, the spotlight turns to the eight states where Democratic governors currently hold office and that Joe Biden won by the same or smaller margin than he did in Virginia in 2020.

The nationwide frustration with Democrat-controlled leadership at every level of government in Washington, DC is a bad sign for Democrat governors’ chances at re-election. From the rising costs of living due to bad economic policies, to the border crisis that’s allowing deadly drugs to flow into American communities, to the vaccine mandates costing people their livelihoods, to the radicalization of schools, Americans are beyond frustrated with Biden’s failed leadership and the Democrat governors who refuse to challenge him.