Why Republicans are poised for gains in 2022 regardless of who wins in Virginia on Tuesday
CNN
The political world eagerly awaits results from Tuesday's Virginia gubernatorial race, but they won't yield much new information about 2022 and beyond.
Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin has run a strong race in a Democratic-trending state -- which, if that translates into victory, would match Virginia's longstanding pattern of rewarding the party that lost the White House the year before. A Youngkin victory would be no surprise, though polls generally show a close race with Democratic opponent Terry McAuliffe.
Republicans nationally are poised for gains in next year's midterm elections - reflecting the nation's longstanding pattern of rewarding the party that lost the White House two years before. So long as Americans remain uneasy about the pandemic, the economy, and President Joe Biden's leadership, Democrats stand to lose control of Congress whether or not McAuliffe manages to keep the Virginia governor's mansion in his party's hands.