Black Voters in Virginia Refuse to Be Blamed for a Major Democratic Defeat

Astead W. Herndon
·2 min read
Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Va., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Va., on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Democrats across Virginia expressed profound disappointment Wednesday after Republicans romped to an unlikely victory in the governor’s race, an ominous sign for the Democratic Party before next year’s midterm elections.

But one group refused to be blamed for the party’s poor showing: Black voters and elected officials.

Fears about Black turnout and a lack of enthusiasm did not materialize in Tuesday’s results as former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, ran close to expected totals in the state’s majority-Black areas. Instead, Black state leaders and voters who backed McAuliffe said the results were a sign that the party could not rely on minority voters to cover its cratering totals in more white areas of the state, particularly in rural communities that voted heavily for Glenn Youngkin, the Republican businessman who won the governor’s race.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

“I believe that Black voters are easily the first target for when things don’t go for how they want it to go,” said Marcia Price, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates who won reelection.

“It’s a trash take to look at us and not the middle,” she said. “The middle said Youngkin is more palatable than Trump, and they were willing to take a chance with him.”

Price’s words reflect a sense among the state’s Black political class that communities of color are often blamed when Democrats lose.

At the grassroots level, voters in Newport News also said that their support for McAuliffe did not mean they were satisfied with the performance of Democrats in Washington.

Several voters cited a radio advertisement that had been playing on local stations saying Black voters should not back McAuliffe because Democrats cared about Black communities only during election season. They rejected the ad’s plea to stay home but said the general theme resonated, and they urged Democrats in Congress to pass bold legislation on President Joe Biden’s core campaign promises, including climate change, police reform and economic investments in Black communities.

“A lot of people are upset with Biden,” said William Joyner, a 54-year-old Democrat. “We have high gas prices. Everything is so expensive right now.”

He added, “Biden made promises to Black people he hasn’t kept yet.”

Tony McCright, 68, who also voted for McAuliffe, said there was a sense among Black voters that they were voting for Democrats only out of necessity.

“Republicans are happy to come together to do the wrong thing,” McCright said, “but Democrats never come together to do the right thing.”

© 2021 The New York Times Company

Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting

Recommended Stories

  • Republican Glenn Youngkin wins Virginia governor's race

    Glenn Youngkin decisively won the election Tuesday night, a massive victory for the GOP after more than a decade of political losses in the state, and an indication of significant discontent with President Biden and momentum for the Republican Party nationwide ahead of next year’s midterms.

  • 5 things we learned from Republicans’ big night

    Republicans mounted a big comeback in elections in Virginia, New Jersey and other states.

  • Biden predicts Democrat Terry McAuliffe will win Virginia’s governor race

    President Biden, responding to a question about the Virginia gubernatorial race, predicted that Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe would win the contest, saying, “We’re gonna win.”

  • Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine blames 'purist' demands by congressional Democrats for Terry McAuliffe's loss to Glenn Youngkin

    Asked to whether he faulted McAuliffe himself, Kaine said "there's a million reasons behind any victory or loss, but that's not productive right now."

  • Pelosi says Virginia election results won't change Democrats' agenda; Republicans call her 'LAME DUCK'

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats aren’t changing course on their multitrillion-dollar agenda despite suffering a devastating loss in the Virginia gubernatorial race Tuesday night as party negotiations continue.

  • Voters rejected more taxes in Colorado and Washington — what does that mean for Biden’s agenda?

    'There's a cautionary note here,' one tax expert said of voters rejecting capital-gains taxes on high earners.

  • Trump and Republicans haven't made a peep about voter fraud in Virginia since Glenn Youngkin won

    Trump and Republicans amplified baseless voter fraud claims ahead of Virginia's gubernatorial election. They haven't said a word since Youngkin won.

  • Democrats now will ‘circle the wagons and pass’ spending bills — analysts react to Virginia, N.J. elections

    Here are some initial reactions from analysts after Republican Glenn Youngkin wins the race for governor in Virginia, and New Jersey's GOP candidate for governor performs above expectations.

  • After sobering Virginia upset, Biden to push Democrats to pass spending plans

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Wednesday confronted a sobering defeat for Democrats in Virginia's gubernatorial election, adding new pressure to resolve Democratic bickering and pass his social and climate agenda. In Virginia's closely watched election for governor on Tuesday, Republican newcomer Glenn Youngkin defeated https://www.reuters.com/world/us/too-close-to-call-virginia-governors-race-headlines-us-elections-2021-11-02 Democrat Terry McAuliffe in a state Biden won by 10 points in the presidential election a year ago. The loss raised red flags for Democrats over midterm elections in November 2022 that could see them lose control of Congress, making it tough for Biden to advance his agenda in the second half of his presidency.

  • Republican Marine Vet Winsome Sears Elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor

    Republican candidate Winsome Sears, a Marine veteran and Jamaican immigrant, has triumphed in the Virginia lieutenant governor’s race.

  • GOP Adds 13 Democratic House Seats to 2022 Midterm Target List after Election Night Successes

    The House GOP campaign arm is targeting an additional 13 Democratic House seats in the 2022 midterms after Republicans had a number of successes on Tuesday.

  • Dear Moderates: The Left Isn’t Why McAuliffe Lost Virginia

    Win McNamee/Getty ImagesNothing motivates conservative Democrats like an excuse for inaction, and Virginia’s sucker punch of a gubernatorial election Tuesday night offered a golden opportunity for them to pump the legislative brakes.Let’s own the bad news: after an increasingly vitriolic campaign centered around the bogeyman of “Critical Race Theory,” Republican Glenn Youngkin beat Democrat and former Governor Terry McAuliffe to end what has been a successful and effective streak of Democratic v

  • John F. Kennedy Jr., Who Is Dead, Failed to Make Expected QAnon Appearance at Rolling Stones Concert

    One QAnon influencer made the connection by saying, “Rolling Stones? Rolling away the stone!” John F. Kennedy Jr., Who Is Dead, Failed to Make Expected QAnon Appearance at Rolling Stones Concert Wren Graves

  • Key Senators Float SALT Break for Americans Earning Less Than $400,000

    (Bloomberg) -- A second key lawmaker expressed openness to restoring the federal deduction on state and local taxes only for Americans earning less than $400,000, suggesting Senate Democrats are coalescing around the idea rather than providing the tax break in a broader way that would benefit the very rich.Most Read from BloombergSupply Chain Crisis Risks Taking the Global Economy Down With ItChina’s Climate Goals Hinge on a $440 Billion Nuclear BuildoutAtlanta’s Crowded Election Pits Former May

  • CNN’s Van Jones Says a Youngkin Victory Would Be ‘Delta Variant’ of Trumpism

    Prior to the return of election results on Tuesday night, CNN's Van Jones asserted that if Republican Glenn Youngkin triumphed in the Virginia gubernatorial race, it would represent the "Delta Variant" of Trumpism. Jones explained the analogy by saying Youngkin was a part of the "same disease" but that he would spread "a lot faster."

  • N.J. Governor Inches Ahead as Late-Arriving Votes Trickle In

    (Bloomberg) -- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has a slight lead over Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in his bid for a second term, as slow-in-coming ballots continue to be counted long after the polls closed.Most Read from BloombergSupply Chain Crisis Risks Taking the Global Economy Down With ItChina’s Climate Goals Hinge on a $440 Billion Nuclear BuildoutAtlanta’s Crowded Election Pits Former Mayor Versus ‘Anyone But’Into the Metaverse: Where Crypto, Gaming and Capitalism CollideResults

  • Pelosi says paid leave is back in the social spending bill, daring Manchin to tank the popular provision

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote to Democrats on Monday that she's asked for 4 weeks of paid leave to be included as negotiations continue.

  • At Least 7 Republicans Who Were At The Jan. 6 Rally Just Got Elected To Office

    And even more attendees of the rally that turned into the Capitol riot will likely be on the ballot in 2022.

  • Taylor Swift fans showed up for McAuliffe in Virginia, but it wasn't enough

    On Tuesday, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah correspondent Desi Lydic interviewed a group of Taylor Swift fans in Virginia to find out if they were the key to the state's gubernatorial race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin. McAuliffe ran ads during his campaign targeting Swift fans and attacking Youngkin, because he was the CEO of The Carlyle Group, the private equity firm notorious for being involved with Scooter Braun in the purchase of Swift's master recordings. It was a smart move on McAuliffe's part, as Swift has a huge fanbase. Who can forget when Swift inspired 65,000 of her fans to register to vote within 24 hours of posting on her Instagram in 2018? "Could this new base of voters actually tip the scales in Virginia," asked Lydic. One Swift fan, Molly, shared, "I'm originally from Texas, and the last three years in college, I voted in Texas, but I just knew that I couldn't just sit by and watch as Youngkin took Virginia. That's when I decided to change my voter registration." Another fan named Keirsten also shared, "I was in a weird college area as well, where I was voting in my home state, but now I am voting in Virginia because of this issue." When Lydic asked the girls what they would say to boomers who say 14-year-old girls should stay out of politics, Nicole stated, "I think that's a weird stereotype of Taylor Swift fans. We're not 14 anymore. We're adults. We pay taxes and vote," while Molly asked, "Do you want to see my thesis paper about congressional legislation? I can show you that. Don't underestimate Swifties." Unfortunately for the Swifties who showed out, on Tuesday it was reported that Youngkin defeated McAuliffe. But it's safe to say this isn't the last time we'll see political activism from Swift fans.

  • Female handball players can now wear shorts

    Female handball players no longer have to wear bikini bottomsThe International Handball Federation (IHF) has changed its rulesto allow beach handball players to wear shortsfollowing complaints that the previous regulations were sexistIn July, Norway's beach handball team were fined 1,500 euros ($1,750)for being 'improperly dressed' at the European championship(SOUNDBITE)(Norwegian) NORWEGIAN BEACH HANDBALL PLAYER, JULIE ASPELUND BERG, SAYING: "We want to make a change because we don't want the sport to exclude anyone. We wish it to be inclusive, for diversity . There are several countries and regions that don't allow women to dress the way the rules state. We wish there to be focus on the sport and not the clothing. Everyone should feel comfortable and well and only focus on the sport. That's what's important to us."U.S. singer Pink said she was proud of the team and offered to pay the finesThe IHF rulebook now reads: "Female athletes must wear short tight pants with a close fit"