Democrats, Eyeing Midterms, Score Wins in Key Governor Races
- Ralph Northam, Phil Murphy win battles in Virginia, New Jersey
- Trump distances himself from Ed Gillespie’s loss in Virginia
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The only two governors’ races in the U.S. this year ended in victory for Democrats, as voters turned away Republican candidates aligned with President Donald Trump and telegraphed a fight for his party’s hold on Congress in 2018 midterm races.
New Jersey’s election of Democrat Phil Murphy was never much in doubt, given the unpopularity of incumbent Republican Chris Christie. But the decisive win in Virginia of Democratic Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam over former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie serves as a barometer for Trump’s potential impact on congressional elections next year in key states.