Republican Glenn Youngkin pulls ahead in Virginia but governor’s race remains too close to call

Glenn Youngkin in Fairfax, Virginia, on Tuesday.

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12.55am EDT
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Today’s politics recap

It was Election Day across the country…

The Virginia governor’s race, Democrat Terry McAuliffe was defeated Republican Glenn Youngkin. The race is being widely viewed as a referendum on Joe Biden’s first year in office. Youngkin leaned into a growing backlash against mask mandates, school closures and right-wing fervor against teaching critical race theory.
In New Jersey, the governor’s race between Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman, remains too close to call.The election could be a litmus of how voters are responding to coronavirus health policies like mask mandates, business closures and other restrictions.
In Boston, progressive Michelle Wu defeated moderate Annissa Essaibi-George in the mayoral race. She has become the first woman of color and Asian American elected to the office. Her campaign emphasized climate action, the importance of addressing racial inequities in a city where the majority of residents are people of color.
Aftab Pureval was elected Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor.“We made history in Cincinnati,” Pureval said to supporters in a victory speech. His family ” came to this country to provide a better life for their sons. Because of that incredible decision, our family went from being refugees to mayor of Cincinnati,” he said.
Abdullah Hammoud has won the mayoral race in Dearborn, Michigan, making him the city’s first Arab American leader.Dearborn has one of the largest Arab American populations in the nation.
In Durham, North Carolina, Elaine O’Neal will become city’s first Black woman mayor. She campaigned on neighborhood safety, housing and economic relief in the aftermath of the pandemic. She is a former superior court judge and the former dean of North Carolina Central University’s School of Law.
Minneapolis voters choose not to replace the police department. Voters rejected a plan to transition the city’s police department to a new Department of Public Safety, nearly a year and a half after the police killing of George Floyd inspired nationwide protests against police brutality.
In New York, Eric Adams won the New York mayor’s race, as expected. The former police officer, 61, would be only the second Black person to be elected New York mayor. He urged unity in his acceptance speech. “Today we take off the intramural jersey and we put on one jersey, Team New York,” he told supporters in a victory speech.
Democrat Alvin Bragg won the race for Manhattan district attorney. He will be the first Black DA for Manhattan and inherit an office that is leading a closely-watched investigation into Donald Trump’s business dealings. Bragg has also vowed to address the disproportionate prosecuting of Black residents and scale back the prosecution of “crimes of poverty”.

In other politics news…

Joe Biden criticized the leaders of China and Russia for not participating in the Cop26 climate change conference, saying they had made a “big mistake”. Holding a press conference before leaving Glasgow, Biden said, “We showed up. And by showing up, we’ve had a profound impact on the way, I think, the rest of the world is looking at the United States and its leadership role.”
The US rejoined the High Ambition Coalition at Cop26. The group is dedicated to following through on the pledge to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C (2.7F), which was included in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Biden also expressed confidence that Joe Manchin will support the final version of Democrats’ reconciliation package. “He will vote for this if we have in this proposal what he has anticipated,” the president told reporters in Glasgow. “I believe that Joe will be there.” Manchin has indicated concerns about how the legislation will impact the federal deficit, and he said today that it would take “quite a while” to pass the bill.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats had reached a deal on a proposal to lower prescription drug prices, one of the last remaining hurdles in their negotiations over the reconciliation package. But Democrats still need to find common ground on the immigration provisions and the proposed Medicare expansion in the bill, to name just a couple of the outstanding issues in their talks

– Maanvi Singh and Joan E Greve

12.42am EDT
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Abdullah Hammoud has won the mayoral race in Dearborn, Michigan, making him the city’s first Arab American leader.

Dearborn has one of the largest Arab American populations in the nation.

Abdullah Hammoud
(@AHammoudMI)

Dearborn, we won!

I’m honored & humbled by today’s support. Our residents spoke loudly — we want change & bold leadership to tackle the challenges our city faces.

We live in the greatest city in America and I’m excited about what we can achieve together.

Let’s get to work! pic.twitter.com/q8u1VmSzdc

November 3, 2021

Updated
at 12.53am EDT

12.40am EDT
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David Smith

Joe Biden suffered a bitter political blow in Virginia.

McAuliffe, had campaigned with Biden and Barack Obama but it was not enough to prevent Youngkin pulling off an upset.

The race was effectively the first referendum on Biden’s presidency, one year after he won the White House, and it coincided with his agenda stalling in Congress and his approval rating sinking to 42%.

McAuliffe’s all-out effort to portray Youngkin as an acolyte of Donald Trump proved less effective than the Republican’s laser-like focus on whipping up parents’ fear and anger about culture war issues in Virginia’s schools.

Youngkin made false claims that critical race theory – an analytic framework through which academics examine the ways that racial disparities are reproduced by the law – is rampant in the state’s education system (in fact it is not taught).

His campaign zeroed in on a perceived gaffe by McAuliffe at one of their debates: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”

Importantly, Youngkin was also successful walking a political tightrope in which he accepted Trump’s endorsement but never mentioned him in stump speeches or invited him to campaign with him in person. He cultivated sufficient ambiguity to appeal to moderate Republicans without alienating the Trump base.

History was on Youngkin’s side in that the party that loses the White House tends to be energised and usually wins the Virginia’s governor’s race a year later. But McAuliffe himself had bucked that rule when he became governor in 2014 (he was limited to one term).

However, no Republican had won statewide office since 2009, and Biden beat Trump in Virginia by 10 percentage points, meaning that Democrats’ loss here will reverberate across the nation.

12.40am EDT
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Republican Youngkin projected winner of Virginia Governor’s race

The Associated Press has called the race.

The face-off between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin has been widely considered a referendum on Joe Biden.

McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014 to 2018, cast Youngkin as a Trumpist, and vowed to protect voting rights and abortion access in the state, while Youngkin capitalized on anger against mask mandates, school closures, and other pandemic-era public health policies.

12.35am EDT
00:35

Aftab Pureval was elected Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor.

“We made history in Cincinnati,” Pureval said to supporters in a victory speech. His family ” came to this country to provide a better life for their sons. Because of that incredible decision, our family went from being refugees to mayor of Cincinnati,” he said.

He won with about 66% of the vote.

Updated
at 12.39am EDT

12.09am EDT
00:09

In Buffalo, incumbent Byron Brown declared victory over socialist candidate India Walton, who has refused to concede.

If Walton, 39, wins, she would the first Black woman to lead Buffalo. Her stunning victory over Brown in the June Democratic primaries bolstered her profile. But Brown asked supporters to write him in today – and his strategy seems to have worked.

The vote could take a while to tally.

11.39pm EDT
23:39

In Durham, North Carolina, Elaine O’Neal will become city’s first Black woman mayor.

She campaigned on neighborhood safety, housing and economic relief in the aftermath of the pandemic. She is a former superior court judge and the former dean of North Carolina Central University’s School of Law.

O’Neal’s challenger Javiera Caballero had suspended her campaign but remained on the ballot.

10.50pm EDT
22:50

Progressive candidate Michelle Wu wins Boston mayor race

Michelle Wu defeated Annissa Essaibi-George in the Boston mayoral race. She has become the first woman of color and Asian American elected to the office.

Acting mayor Kim Janey is the first woman and person of color to lead the city, having been appointed by former mayor Marty Walsh who is now serving as Labor secretary. Wu’s campaign has emphasized climate action, and she has vowed to address the housing crisis and racial injustice. She signaled ambitions to enact universal pre-K, public transit and initiatives to address the racial wealth gap.

Essaibi-George, who ran on a moderate platform, conceded in a phone call to Wu. “I know this is no small feat. You know it’s no small feat,” she said. “I want her to show the city how mothers get it done.”

Wu’s win is historic in a city where the majority of residents are people of color.

Updated
at 10.50pm EDT

10.35pm EDT
22:35

The Virginia governor’s race remains too close to call, but Democrat Terry McAuliffe – who is trailing Republican Glenn Youngkin – delivered a measured speech.

“I want to thank my campaign staff – it was the greatest team ever assembled,” he said in a speech that sounded adjacent to a concession speech, even though he wasn’t conceding.

“The fight continues,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure we protect women’s right to choose here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We’ve got to make sure everyone gets quality, affordable health care here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Everybody’s entitled to a world-class education here in the Commonwealth of Virginia and we are going to continue that fight tonight, and every day going forward.”

Updated
at 10.36pm EDT

10.25pm EDT
22:25

“Tonight, New Yorkers have chosen one of their own,” Eric Adams, who just won the mayor’s seat, said in a victory speech. “I am you.”

Adams urged unity. “Today we take off the intramural jersey and we put on one jersey, Team New York,” he told supporters at a celebration at the New York Marriott.

“Tonight is not just a victory over adversity, it is a vindication of faith,” he noted. “It is the proof that the forgotten can be the future.”

The former police officer and centrist has been a disappointing choice for many progressives who hoped to see radical reforms in the criminal justice system. Adams has promised to strike a balance between fighting crime and ending racial injustice in law enforcement.

Updated
at 10.30pm EDT

10.09pm EDT
22:09

Minneapolis voters choose not to replace police department, AP projects

Voters rejected a plan to replace the city’s police department with a new Department of Public Safety, nearly a year and a half after the police killing of George Floyd inspired nationwide protests against police brutality.

The rejected initiative would have gotten rid of a city a requirement to staff the police department with a minimum number of officers, clearing the way to completely reimagine law enforcement. A new Department of Public Safety would instead develop “a comprehensive public health approach”.

Updated
at 10.35pm EDT

9.56pm EDT
21:56

Democrat Alvin Bragg won the race for Manhattan district attorney, the AP projected.

He will be the first Black DA for Manhattan and inherit an office that is leading a closely-watched investigation into Donald Trump’s business dealings. Bragg has also vowed to address the disproportionate prosecuting of Black residents and scale back the prosecution of “crimes of poverty”.

Updated
at 9.56pm EDT

9.36pm EDT
21:36

In New Jersey, the governor’s race between Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman, remains too close to call.

The election could be a litmus of how voters are responding to coronavirus health policies like mask mandates, business closures and other restrictions. Murphy, who has issued stringent health orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 has earned high marks from constituents for his leadership during the pandemic. But Ciattarelli, like many Republican politicians across the US, has seized on growing backlash and frustrations over such policies.