What one Washington, D.C., wag calls the "Biden Variant" may be the reason Democrats seeking the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia now find themselves in very tight races.
"President Biden’s plummeting job approval ratings are hurting Democrats everywhere, including in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races," Henry Olsen, senior fellow at the Center for Ethics and Public Policy and author of a critically-acclaimed book on Republicans and the blue collar vote, told Newsmax.
On Thursday, a YouGov Poll conducted for The Economist showed the president’s approval rating at an all time low — 39% among likely voters nationwide, with a strong 49% expressing disapproval.
That same day, a just-completed WPA Intelligence poll of likely voters in Virginia showed Republican Glenn Youngkin leading Democrat and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe for the first time.
According to the survey, former Carlyle Group co-CEO and first-time candidate Youngkin had 48% of the vote to 46% for McAuliffe.
Even more shocking for Democrats were the results of the latest poll of New Jersey voters. With Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy long considered a cinch for reelection and holding double-digit leads in most surveys, a new Fabrizio-Lee poll conducted for the Club for Growth found Murphy barely edging Republican Jack Ciattarelli by 43% to 41%.
"This poll suggests that the Virginia Governor’s race is not the only major statewide 2021 contest becoming competitive," concluded veteran political analyst Jim Ellis. "It appears the New Jersey race is worth further attention as the campaign continues to develop, since an upset in this gubernatorial contest would send shock waves throughout all impending 2022 midterm election campaigns."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.