Hours after Decision Desk called the Virginia gubernatorial race for Republican Glenn Youngkin in a come-from-behind upset Tuesday, CNN finally got around early Wednesday to admitting to the writing on the wall as the GOP swept the races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and took the majority in the House of Delegates. CNN’s response? Declaring the country “incredibly divided” and suggesting Republicans couldn’t use the Youngkin model for more victories in other states.
Cutting away from Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s speech, CNN host Jake Tapper broke the news CNN viewers were dreading. “CNN is projecting that Republican Glenn Youngkin has been elected governor of Virginia, defeating Democrat Terry McAuliffe,” he announced.
“Youngkin pulling off a critical victory for his party in the highest-stakes election of the night. This is the first time Republicans have won an election for Virginia's top office in 12 years,” he noted before giving his grim analysis of the country:
Again, CNN projecting Glenn Youngkin has been elected governor of Virginia. And Dana Bash, this is the announcement that Joe Biden will not be happy to hear, and it also shows how incredibly divided this country is.
“Incredibly divided,” parroted chief political correspondent Dana Bash. “Joe Biden isn’t happy to hear because he and other very high profile Democrats went to try to help Terry McAuliffe.”
And after noting how Democrat Terry McAuliffe whiffed on trying to nationalize the race as Youngkin made it about local issues, Bash suggested Republicans would have a hard time using that method in other states:
But I think that what you saw in Glenn Youngkin is going to be, for sure, the playbook that Republicans are going to try to emulate going forward in 2022, and then also in 2024. The question is whether it is possible to emulate, because he is a very unique person. He's never been in public office before.
“And I saw him on the stump. He was really and is a very good candidate for what he was trying to do,” she conceded in a sort of backhanded compliment since they were portraying him as a racist.
CNN senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson agreed with Bash by asserting that other Republicans had too much baggage to pull off a victory like Youngkin: “Didn't sort of have the kind of baggage that a lot of Republicans serving as Trump was in office. He didn't have that baggage, because he's sort of a blank slate and new to politics.”
“Can Republicans find similar candidates in all of these races we're going to see in 2022,” she wondered in a skeptical tone.
They quickly moved on to discussing what Democrats could learn from their loss.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Election Night in America
November 3, 2021
12:29:44 p.m. EasternJAKE TAPPER: We interrupt the governor of New Jersey to now make a major projection in the Virginia governor's race. CNN is projecting that Republican Glenn Youngkin has been elected governor of Virginia, defeating Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
Youngkin pulling off a critical victory for his party in the highest-stakes election of the night. This is the first time Republicans have won an election for Virginia's top office in 12 years.
Again, CNN projecting Glenn Youngkin has been elected governor of Virginia. And Dana bash, this is the announcement that Joe Biden will not be happy to hear, and it also shows how incredibly divided this country is.
DANA BASH: Incredibly divided. Joe Biden isn’t happy to hear because he and other very high profile Democrats went to try to help Terry McAuliffe.
Terry McAuliffe tried to nationalize this race by bringing in help from national Democrats, while Glenn Youngkin made it incredibly Virginia focused. He said this is about me and the people in Virginia. That gave him the added benefit of being able to say no, Mr. former president, Donald Trump, you can't come here. I don't want you to come here. So that strategy worked for him.
But I think that what you saw in Glenn Youngkin is going to be, for sure, the playbook that Republicans are going to try to emulate going forward in 2022, and then also in 2024. The question is whether it is possible to emulate, because he is a very unique person. He's never been in public office before.
And I saw him on the stump. He was really and is a very good candidate for what he was trying to do.
NIA MALIKA-HENDERSON: And didn’t – David [Chalian], you made this point earlier – Didn't sort of have the kind of baggage that a lot of Republicans serving as Trump was in office. He didn't have that baggage, because he's sort of a blank slate and new to politics. Can Republicans find similar candidates in all of these races we're going to see in 2022?
(…)
