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In the race to succeed the current governor of Virginia, Democrat Terry Mcauliffe, the polls are razor thin. Republican candidate Ed Gillespie is hoping the base will come out to support him against Democrat Lt. Governor Ralph Northam. Gillespie has traditionally been a Bush-aligned, establishment Republican, but tried to incorporate some of the more popular themes used by President Donald Trump into his campaign. W. James Antle III outlines the race at The American Conservative:
Gillespie has kept Trump at a safe distance, leaving the president to tout his candidacy on Twitter while former President Barack Obama stumps with Northam. Yet the usually conventional Bush Republican has run a far more Trump-like campaign than anyone anticipated.
The former Republican National Committee chairman has taken a surprisingly hard line against illegal immigration, opposing sanctuary cities that make enforcement so difficult. He has promised to crack down on the MS-13. And Gillespie has spoken in favor of keeping up Confederate statues that dot the Virginia landscape.
This, along with a campaign ad hitting Northam and incumbent Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe for the restoration of a convicted sex offender’s voting rights, earned Gillespie a rebuke from the Washington Post editorial board.
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