Virginia is an outlier state because it holds its state elections on odd numbered years.
This makes it a major testing ground to see what the mood of the electorate really is at the ballot box.
And this election in November will be the first test for Republicans going into 2024.
In 2021, when Republicans took the governorship of Virginia, conservatives knew political change was coming, and we will get a preview of what will happen in the US in November.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin campaigned as a champion for Christian conservatives and the rights of parents in his state.
November of this year will be the first opportunity for voters to show how they like the new direction.
Virginia getting ready to vote on every seat in the state legislature this November
Virginia is gearing up for an election that could change the direction of the state in a major way and may signal the direction the voters want the country to go in 2024.
Every seat in the state’s legislature is up for grabs, and it will likely show how Virginians feel about the new direction of the state under Youngkin’s leadership.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission submitted new maps for state legislative districts in 2021, and many lawmakers are retiring.
These changes could prove to be a challenge or a boon for conservatives seeking to reshape the legal landscape in the years to come.
Republicans could maintain their control of the House and expand into the Senate, allowing for Youngkin to move forward with his conservative agenda.
Likewise, Democrats could take back control of both chambers if their base chooses to rebuke the new direction under Youngkin.
Republicans at all levels of government will use this as a report card for the conservative agenda.
Glenn Youngkin’s election was a major turning point for the state of Virginia
Youngkin’s election put an end to the Democrat trifecta that was informing policy in the state for the previous four years under former Governor Ralph Northam.
Northam led a crusade against the Pro-Life agenda and infamously worked on legislation to allow abortions to be performed after birth.
But Youngkin’s victory in 2021 was strong, and things turned around a bit in the Midterms.
Only one out of three races that were in cross-over districts went to Republicans during the 2022 election cycle.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), all the swing districts turned bluer in 2022 versus 2021.
Youngkin says that “500,000 plus Virginias” that voted for Youngkin in 2021 didn’t turn out to vote in 2022.
The Governor made the comments at a “Parents Matter” event in Loudoun County earlier this month.
Youngkin hopes to restart the conversation surrounding parental rights in Loudoun County that helped win his election in 2021.
Youngkin wants the voters of Virginia to remember that “Elections have consequences.”
Youngkin says that there is “much more to do” in the state on topics like abortion
“Friends, this is a moment for us to recognize that we’ve made a big step as a commonwealth…[but] we have so much more to do,” the Governor said to the audience.
Youngkin wants Virginians to step up and start voting as soon as possible—with early voting starting this month.
Youngkin has changed his strategy and shifted from rallies to a town hall format that gives citizens the microphone.
The Republican leader believes that the number one thing that GOP hopefuls should be doing is listening to people and acting on their concerns.
Youngkin has also encouraged his Republican colleagues to join him in consensus on a 15-week ban on abortions in the state.
The Governor believes that the party needs to have a unified message on the subject and not back down on this key issue.