Virginia State Capitol, Photo: Anderskev/Wikimedia Commons
It was February 2017, early days of President Donald Trump’s presidency, when Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) stepped into a town hall for a meeting. She was very confident and calm as this state had voted for Republicans.
As the town hall meeting proceeded she started talking but in the quiet rural Williamson County, it became tense at times and combative at others.
In the same month, another Republican, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, had to face harsh criticism and questions from the public on recent Trump policies.
Since then, it has been a string of controversies around issues under the Trump Administration that have set the tone and tenor of the political dialogue.
The primary race for Virginia governor has also turned into an anti-Trump rhetoric a new surge of voters have decided to go to polls tomorrow to cast their votes.
Virginia’s Gubernatorial primary elections are few hours away, the candidates from both the parties, Democratic and Republican have spoken on a verity of issues including the pressing issue of jobs. The Trump administration’s proposal on downsizing the federal government will impact adversely Northern Virginia – heavily dependent on government jobs. These are the first elections in a swing state during the Trump era.
Democrat hopeful Tom Perriello was seen on Saturday night begging for votes in the rural side of the State at a Waffle house and a truck stop. A few hours later, it was Perriello’s rival Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam with three Virginia favorites Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the commonwealth’s two U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner.
Democrat Northam did not talk about Trump in his rallies but Perriello tried to create a surge of new primary voters through anti-Trump energy and economic populism. He is known as a firebrand politician, who has been endorsed by Burnie Sanders for the Governor’s race in Virginia.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side candidate Ed Gillespie scrounged for votes in Democratic leaning Richmond and Fairfax County. He has been carefully navigating through the primary campaign process.
However, there is one Virginian politician, Corey Stewart, who is following Trump’s populist streak of politics and has adopted tough stands on several issues including immigration. On the eve of election, he is heading the card with 42 percent favorable rating.
In the latest assessments, he seems to have secured a slim lead over his seasoned rival Gillespie, who has support of 41 percent Conservative voters. Senator Frank Wagner is another candidate to watch, having a long experience in Richmond . Although, he has been trying to wrest the momentum to his side, his support remains far behind front-runners at 16 percent.
The successful Democratic and Republican candidates will contest the election for Virginia Governor in November.
With Trump looming large over the primary campaigns, the election Tuesday would serve as a barometer, with the possibility of a lot of bearing on the political temperature.
