Republican Glenn Youngkin won a stunning victory in Virginia on Tuesday, snatching the governor’s mansion away from Democrats in a state that President Biden won by 10 points just a year ago.
Youngkin, a businessman and first-time candidate for office, defeated Terry McAuliffe, a past governor and close ally of the Clinton family who has been a fixture of Democratic politics for decades. It was the first Republican statewide victory in the commonwealth since 2009.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy was locked in an unexpected dogfight with Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli that stretched into the early hours.
At 1 a.m. Eastern Time, Murphy and Ciattarelli were close to neck and neck with around 80 percent of precincts reporting.
But beyond the results, what are the main takeaways?
