{"id":580241,"date":"2021-11-03T17:54:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T21:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.the74million.org\/?post_type=article&p=580241"},"modified":"2021-11-03T20:35:37","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T00:35:37","slug":"qa-education-commentator-andrew-rotherham-on-the-virginia-governors-race-and-the-k-12-peril-facing-democrats","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.the74million.org\/article\/qa-education-commentator-andrew-rotherham-on-the-virginia-governors-race-and-the-k-12-peril-facing-democrats\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Education Commentator Andrew Rotherham on the Virginia Governor\u2019s Race and the K-12 Peril Facing Democrats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Over the last 20 years, Virginia has transformed from a conservative stronghold into a reliably blue state. It\u2019s a metamorphosis that has in some ways typified the Democratic Party\u2019s strategy nationally: win over highly educated voters in urban and suburban areas through progressive appeals on issues like health care, jobs, and K-12 schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how was it that popular former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, widely seen as the Democrats\u2019 strongest contender when he won the party\u2019s gubernatorial nomination in June, lost his bid for reelection on Tuesday night? And how did his opponent, Republican businessman and political neophyte Glenn Youngkin, harness a wave of public outrage about education issues to become the state\u2019s next leader?<\/p>\n\n\n\n