DEMOCRATS WITHER TRUMP’S CLOUT WITH KEY POLL WINS
Voters in Virginia and New Jersey gave Democratic gubernatorial candidates large victories on Tuesday and sent a clear message of rebuke to Republican US President Donald Trump.
In Virginia’s hard-fought contest, Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam defeated Republican Ed Gillespie, while in New Jersey, Democrat Phil Murphy trounced Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.
Far-reaching repercussions
The victors said Tuesday’s electoral results had far-reaching repercussions in a sharply divided country.
“Virginia has told us to end the divisiveness, that we do not condone hatred and bigotry,” Northam said.
“The days of division are over,” Murphy said in his speech, invoking Trump by name.
Morale boost
The wins in both states are a morale boost to Democrats who had so far been unable to channel anti-Trump energy into success at the ballot box this year.
“The people are going to rise up. They’re not going to take what (Trump) says and this is not fake news,” said Leanna Barnes, a 76-year-old from East Orange, New Jersey.
Gillespie tried to rally the president’s supporters with hard-edge attack ads focused on illegal immigration.
But after Tuesday’s loss, Trump said that Gillespie hurt himself by not closely aligning himself with the president.—