In Virginia, Both Parties Use Trump To Turn Out The Base
Virginia is one of only two states with gubernatorial elections in 2017. Both nominees have had to navigate internal divisions in their own parties in a race that's all about turning out core voters.
There's no such thing as an off year in Virginia politics: it's one of two states, along with New Jersey, holding gubernatorial elections in 2017. Those races can serve as a testing ground for the political parties' messages ahead of the 2018 mid-terms.
The Virginia governor's race has been tight, with predicting contradictory results. The stakes feel especially high this year in the wake of the 2016 presidential campaign, which exposed divisions not only in the country as a to their core voters.
