Biden-Trump Proxy Battle in Virginia Governor Election, Republicans Lead Mid-Count

Midterm Election Barometer in November Next Year
Biden Administration Faces Thorny Path Ahead

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Joe Biden is on the verge of falling into a lame-duck phase just nine months after his inauguration. This is because the Republican candidate took the lead in the Virginia gubernatorial election held on the 2nd (local time), putting the Biden administration in a critical crisis.

In the Virginia gubernatorial election held on the 2nd (local time), Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin is leading Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in the middle of vote counting. According to The Washington Post, with 82% of the votes counted, Youngkin has 52.9% of the vote, ahead of McAuliffe's 46.4%.

Pre-election polls had predicted a close race, but as voting and counting progressed, the possibility of a Republican victory has been forecasted. U.S. media reported that the chances of Democratic candidate McAuliffe winning are low.

This Virginia gubernatorial election is the first major election since President Biden took office and is seen as a barometer to gauge public sentiment ahead of next November's midterm elections, drawing significant attention. Virginia has been a Democratic stronghold where the Democratic presidential candidate has led four consecutive times since Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run. However, the previous six presidential elections were all won by Republicans.

Both President Biden and former President Trump directly entered the campaign to appeal for support. Former President Trump also expressed confidence in the victory of Youngkin, whom he endorsed, through a statement. Trump made a sudden appearance in the election campaign the day before the election.

In a phone campaign the day before, Trump urged support for Youngkin, saying, "Virginia Republicans will do what no one else can." In an 11-minute phone speech, Trump said, "I know Youngkin well. We have a good relationship, and he is a fantastic person," adding, "The fake news wants to say otherwise because they don’t want our big, huge, beautiful base to vote as much as never before." He emphasized, "Youngkin will be a great governor."

President Biden appealed for support during a campaign rally for McAuliffe last week, but McAuliffe’s approval ratings did not change.

After attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Scotland that day, President Biden said at a press conference, "I think we will win in Virginia," but added, "It’s a close race, so it’s hard to predict the election outcome," and did not guarantee victory. Ultimately, defeat is becoming a reality.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.