It's about TURNOUT. AS IN: GET DEMOCRATIC VOTERS TO THE POLLS.
Background. Virginia elects state and local officials in odd-numbered years -- 2017, 2019, 2021, . . .
With that in mind, let's compare the Virginia 2020 Presidential election (won by Biden) with the 2021 Gubernatorial election, won by Republicans.
2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN VIRGINIA
Biden 2,413,568
Trump 1,962,430
Turnout 81%
2021 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN VIRGINIA
Youngkin 1,663,596 Difference from Trump: -15%
McAuliffe 1,600,116 Difference from Biden: -34%
Turnout 58%
Notice two facts:
-- Fewer voters, both D and R, voted in 2021 than in 2020.
-- TWICE AS MANY DEMOCRATIC VOTERS STAYED HOME AS REPUBLICAN VOTERS.
In 2021, the Republican candidate drew 15% fewer votes than did Trump.
Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate drew 34 % fewer votes than did Biden.
Yes, there were other factors at play but nothing can overcome voters who stay home. In fact, if you run the same data for Virginia elections, you find that in every gubernatorial election year when compared to the preceding Presidential year, the same pattern holds -- more Democrats stay home during the gubernatorial election than voted during the preceding Presidential election.
The morale of this story: GET OUT THE VOTE -- because Republicans vote while we Democrats stay home, voting only in Presidential elections.
= new reply since forum marked as read