This was despite the fact that Vega had ducked a separate debate, planned for last month, that was to have been held at the University of Mary Washington (in conjunction with community groups and news outlets) and moderated by Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist there—rejecting plans for Virginia public media to broadcast the debate as insufficient, and taking a potshot at Spanberger’s “college campus” base.

Not Up for Debate (Columbia Journalism Review)

“If this were a conventional election cycle, that would be very bad news for Democrats who have a lot of voter anxiety, polls show, with respect to the economy and inflation,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington.

Inflation, fears about democracy driving 2022 midterm wave (Courthouse News)

Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said the results of the Loudoun race could be a bellwether for the Republican Party nationally, many of whose members would like to imitate Youngkin’s success last year in Virginia.

“Loudoun County has really become ground zero in Republican efforts to win back the suburbs,” he said. “If the renewed Republican efforts translate to gains in Loudoun, you can expect similar efforts elsewhere.”

Loudoun school board race partisan, tense and a test of GOP appeal (The Washington Post)

"It's a really good question as to why he would want them. He really didn't even seem to be all that interested in these national security concerns, briefs, or other things he did take as President. The only other thing I could speculate is that it must have been about some sort of leverage in his post presidency," said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.

Mar-A-Largo Documents Revealed (CTV News Canada)

"There are a wide range of factors that could impact turnout this year including recent expansions in early voting access and a heated political climate. "We can say it is kind of a high-water mark in terms of issues that bring people to the polls right now," said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.

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Opinion Column By Stephen Farnsworth and Cassandra Atkinson

Holding the Center (Richmond Magazine)