Republicans to test power of ‘parents’ rights’ movement in Virginia

From pandemic to book bans and school bathrooms, parents' rights' are playing a key role - but its electoral potency is being questioned

It was a career-ending gaffe, or at least has come to be seen that way. I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach," said Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe during a 2021 Virginia gubernatorial debate with his Republican rival, Glenn Youngkin.

The line was replayed endlessly in attack ads, and handed Youngkin a gift for the central plank of his election campaign: Parents matter." He prevailed in a state that Joe Biden had won a year earlier. Now Youngkin is seeking to repeat the trick on 7 November on behalf of Republicans in elections for Virginia's state assembly.