These two upcoming gubernatorial races could spell disaster for Republicans

Races in New Jersey and Virginia next month will serve as a test of the GOP's political strength in the age of Trump

Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Ralph Northam campaigns with former President Barack Obama.
(Image credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Thanks to the inability of President Trump's PR team to issue an apology or to even once acknowledge the tiniest, most obvious wrongdoing, the public's attention remains focused on precisely which gobsmackingly insensitive thing the president allegedly said to the widow of a fallen soldier last week instead of on the elections that are just two weeks away. Given how those battles are shaping up for the GOP, the grief-stricken people Trump might need to incompetently comfort next month are the leaders of his own party.

While off-year political contests lack the ratings-ready glitz of presidential or congressional races, this year's elections are far more important than is commonly understood. In particular, gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia next month will have far-reaching impact and serve as an early test of the GOP's political strength in the age of Trump.

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David Faris

David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. He is a frequent contributor to Informed Comment, and his work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Indy Week.