Danica Roem, a trans woman, just got re-elected as a Virginia Delegate during an election that had multiple nasty attacks on transgenders. Why? At least in part, she got reelected because she has a message.
McAuliffe didn’t have a central message and, even worse, did little to counter CRT attacks by Youngkin. A candidate who was paying attention would have realized school issues were resonating with Virginia voters and done something to address them. Saying they’re just a bunch of racists 1) isn’t true, 2) cedes the battleground to the opponent.
Charlotte Clymer:
“It’s about the central messaging. Voters need a lot more from Dem candidates than simply being anti-Trump.
Yeah, definitely coded for racist and transphobic voters but broad enough that A LOT of parents who have no idea what to think of CRT and trans rights—many of whom don’t even care, regardless—found someone who understands their general anger over schools.
Meanwhile, I ask again: what was McAuliffe’s message?
Again: this isn’t about moderate vs. progressive. It’s about having a vision for the voters and successfully communicating that vision. McAuliffe didn’t do that.”