Virginia governor race emerges as test of Biden popularity

By WILL WEISSERT and SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin were locked in a fierce battle for Virginia governor Tuesday night, the most closely watched contest in an off-year election that could prove a referendum on President Joe Biden’s first year in office. The closeness of the race is a stark departure from 12 months ago, when Biden captured the state by 10 points. The bruising campaign this year centered on issues including Youngkin’s ties to former President Donald Trump, abortion rights and culture war battles over schools. But voters saw the economy as the top issue, followed by the coronavirus pandemic, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of statewide voters.