Two Virginia Senate races will determine whether Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) finds a sorely needed foothold on Capitol Square, and Republicans and Democrats are betting big money on both.
The contests — which will decide control of the Senate and McAuliffe’s prospects for a legislative legacy — are for seats being vacated by two of the Senate’s last moderates: Sen. Charles J. Colgan of Northern Virginia and Sen. John C. Watkins of suburban Richmond….
“What’s really striking about the battle for control of the Virginia Senate is how few races could even plausibly be discussed as competitive,” said Stephen J. Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington political scientist. “It is a testament to the effectiveness of gerrymandering.”
