Virginia votes as poll expert says ‘white backlash’ could power Republican win

Glenn Youngkin and Democrat Terry McAuliffe make final pitch for governor as polls show unexpectedly close race

Virginians on Tuesday headed to the polls to elect a new governor, in a closely contested race between the Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin widely seen as a referendum on Joe Biden's presidency.

They did so as a leading Virginia polling expert warned that Youngkin may be riding a wave of white backlash" all the way to the governor's mansion, having successfully focused on controversy over the place of race in education.