Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ekes out win over GOP challenger: LIVE UPDATES - Fox News
NJ's Ed Durr vows to be Republican 'voice' in state senate
Republican New Jersey state Senate candidate and truck driver Ed Durr is on the verge of defeating longtime Senate President Steve Sweeney in a sweeping victory that would upend Democratic Party leadership in the Garden State.
The 62-year-old Raymour & Flanagan truck driver holds a lead of more than 2,000 votes in a tight race for the state's Third District Senate seat.
"I didn't beat him. We beat him," Durr said on "Fox News Primetime" late Wednesday. "The state of New Jersey, the people of New Jersey beat him. They listened to what I had to say and I listened to what they had to say, and it's a repudiation of Governor Murphy [who] went and locked us down and ignored the people's voice and senator Sweeney chose to do nothing for those 18 months," he said.
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Ciattarelli campaign communications director responds to NJ race being called for Gov. Murphy
Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ekes out win over GOP challenger Ciattarelli
Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will hang onto his job by a thread Wednesday after a nail-biter of an election against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
The Associated Press called the race for the incumbent Wednesday after Ciattarelli carried a lead of just over 1,000 votes overnight. But the remaining ballots allowed Murphy to close that gap and remain the governor of the Garden State, despite a political environment that led to several major upsets for Republicans Tuesday, including in the Virginia governor's race.
"For almost four years now, our focus has not been on trying to do more for those who already have much, but to do much for those in the middle and at the bottom so that they have more opportunity," Murphy said in his election night remarks. "Our mission has been simple to build a state where every child, regardless of race or gender, creed or zip code, has the opportunity to live out their hopes and achieve their American dream."
New Jersey continuing to count ballots in tight race for governor
New Jersey is counting ballots very slowly. A handful of counties have released small batches of vote this afternoon, but reporting is stagnant in Camden, Essex, and Union counties, where tens of thousands of ballots potentially remain. These counties are critical to the outcome of the race.
House GOP teases 'Parents' Bill of Rights' after Youngkin victory in campaign focused on schools
House Republicans will be pushing a "Parents' Bill of Rights," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Wednesday after Republican Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin won an upset against Democrat Terry McAuliffe in a campaign where schools were a major issue.
"We will soon unroll a 'Parents' Bill of Rights' It doesn't matter your wealth, the color of your skin. Once you have a child, it is no longer what you become. It is now what opportunity your children will have," McCarthy said. "You have a right to know what's being taught in in school. You have a right to participate. Education is the great equalizer. We are all created equal and we're going to make sure we make that happen across the country."
Among the major education issues in the Virginia election were critical race theory in schools and mask mandates. Loudoun County, Va., specifically became a hotbed of controversy and was one of several deep blue counties where Youngkin significantly outperformed former President Donald Trump, who lost the state by 10 percentage points.
Education and Labor Committee Ranking Member Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.,
"Last night's victory in Virginia proves that the voices of parents matter. It proves that parents will not and cannot be silenced," she said.
"Education is at the forefront of voters' minds because it matters," she added. "It matters what our kids learn in school. It matters what books are in our school libraries. It matters what kids believe about their country. Most importantly, it matters what our kids believe they are capable of achieving."
Foxx slammed teachers unions and added that state and local governments should control education, and not the federal government. She also said Republicans plan to reject "leftist indoctrination" and "critical race theory." Foxx also said, "the days of caving to powerful union bosses are over."
Virginia Sen. Warner says voters wanted infrastructure bill: 'Give this president wins'
In remarks to reporters after Republican Glenn Youngkin beat Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia gubernatorial race, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Democrats in Congress did little to help McAuliffe win.
Specifically, Warner said, Democrats should have passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill weeks ago.
"Only in Washington could people think that it is a smart strategy to take a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and prevent your president from signing that bill into law," Warner said.
Progressives have been holding the infrastructure bill hostage to ensure they get the level of spending and programs they want in Democrats massive reconciliation spending bill. They argue they're merely ensuring that President Biden's full agenda gets passed and that untrustworthy moderates don't tank reconciliation.
But Warner said Wednesday they may have also been annoying voters who want their roads and bridges fixed.
"The last couple months I've been appealing to my Democratic colleagues: Let's get the president the infrastructure bill," he said. "Not only in terms of the substance but also in terms of showing that we can govern in a pragmatic practical way."
On the campaign trail for McAuliffe, Warner said, "What I heard was... 'You guys got the White House, the Senate, the House, when are you going to get more things done?'"
Warner also made clear he supports also passing reconciliation, which is currently expected to cost at least $1.75 trillion. He said that despite spending concerns from some, the content of the bill should be popular.
"We also need to finish the second item on the agenda," Warner said. "I don't know Virginia voters of any stripe.. that don't think we ought to lower the cost of childcare, that don't believe that it's not fair that Americans pay five and ten times more for their drugs like insulin than folks in any other country."
But, the senator said, Democrats will also have to govern from the middle, and the strategy of some progressives in Congress has not been helping in states like Virginia.
"You can't win in Virginia if you only appeal to very liberal voters. That can work in certain other states, it doesn't work there," Warner said.
Democrat blame game begins after major Virginia loss, Biden, progressives, moderates take heat
After a crushing defeat for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia governor's race and a New Jersey gubernatorial election that is far too close for comfort for Democrats, it took only hours for different factions of the party to start hurling blame at one another.
"Hopefully progressives will get the wake-up call," a moderate Democratic source told Fox News Wednesday morning. As it became clear the Virginia race was closer than anticipated, there was mumbling among moderate Democrats that the left wing of the party may be going too far on issues from massive government spending to wokeism in education and other institutions, driving away suburban voters.
The Virginia victory was so jarring for Democrats because it's a state that President Biden won by 10 percentage points in 2020 and that they believed shifted to become safely blue with the explosion of the northern Virginia suburbs.
The New Jersey gubernatorial race, where incumbent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy was winning by under 2,000 votes Wednesday morning, also was a major regression for Democrats. Biden won there by 15 percentage points.
Colin Strother, a Democratic strategist who was a longtime aide for moderate Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said both progressives and moderates deserve criticism – but it's the Biden administration that needs to get into gear for Democrats to hold onto their majorities in 2022.
"We need to end the circular firing squad and get to work. Our biggest obstacle to success is members of our own Democratic Party," Strother told Fox News. "We have one or two senators holding up big ticket items that we need to pass. We have a handful of the far left in the House who have never done anything acting like they dictate the agenda and the timeline for bills passing."
"Having said that, this all goes back to a lack of effective communication from the White House," Strother added. "We are not going to win this thing with the president in Delaware, the vice president missing in action, and our secretaries on personal leave… The Biden Administration and all those associated with it need to understand the election is going on right now. Everything they are doing or not doing is impacting our chances in 2022."
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Murphy takes narrow lead over Ciattarelli in New Jersey as more votes trickle in
Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey took a narrow lead over Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli late Wednesday morning as more votes started to trickle in.
The GOP candidate carried a miniscule lead overnight, but Murphy took a lead of just over 1,700 votes when more votes were reported shortly before 10:30 ET. 88% of the expected votes have been counted.
The race is still too close to call with significant votes remaining in Camden, Essex, and Union counties, and in particular, significant mail and provisional vote left in Essex County, Fox News' Rémy Numa reports. These are expected to heavily favor the Democrat.
Pelosi: Virginia loss won't change Democrats' path on reconciliation, infrastructure
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Wednesday morning the upset win by Republican Glenn Youngkin in Virginia's governor's race isn't going to affect Democrats' plans to pass their massive reconciliation spending bill and the bipartisan infrastructure bill in Congress, Fox News' Kelly Phares reported.
"No," Pelosi said when asked if the election will change the House's agenda.
Some moderates were warning that a failure to pass the infrastructure bill might be hurting McAuliffe, while progressives argued that Democrats needed to go big to energize their base to get out and vote.
Those debates are likely to continue with even more intensity with not only a GOP win in Virginia, but the outcome of the New Jersey gubernatorial race still in doubt.
Breaking News
McAuliffe concedes, congratulates Youngkin after governor election upset
Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe conceded the race to Republican Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday morning, after news organizations called the result overnight.
"While last night we came up short, I am proud that we spent this campaign fighting for the values we so deeply believe in," McAuliffe said.
"Congratulations to Governor-Elect Glenn Youngkin on his victory. I hope Virginians will join me in wishing the best to him and his family," McAuliffe added.
Republicans win Virginia governor race, lead in New Jersey, in shocking results just 10 months into
In Tuesday's New Jersey and Virginia governor races, Republicans massively outperformed nearly all expectations in results that would have been dismissed as nearly impossible by most observers just a few months ago.
Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin beat former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, after President Biden won there by more than 10 percentage points in 2020.
GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli early Wednesday morning was leading incumbent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy by about 1,000 votes with 88% reporting. Biden won that state by nearly 16 percentage points.
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New Jersey Republican makes it a race against favored Dem: 'Too close to call'
The race for governor in New Jersey remained too close to call early Wednesday as Gov. Phil Murphy's Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli clings on to a slight lead.
The two waged tense campaigns and Murphy presented himself as a solid progressive. Ciattarelli tried to paint Murphy as out of touch with the average voter and was critical of his leadership during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The campaigns ended their Election Night parties without either claiming victory, NJ.com reported. Both struck optimistic tones with their supporters.
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Youngkin hails win as 'defining moment' for Virginia
Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin steps out onto the stage and declares victory in the race.
"We stand here this morning at this defining moment, a defining moment that yes started with two people on a walk, and a defining moment that is million of Virginians walking together," he said.
"Together we will change the trajectory of the commonwealth and friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one," he said.
He focuses on schools, a key issue in the campaign, promising to 'embrace parents, not ignore them' and "re-establish excellence" in schools.
He also says he will grow the economy with new jobs, he will cut taxes on gas, retirement, fund law enforcement and keep communities safe.
He promises Virginia will "no longer be a commonwealth of low expectations, we will be a commonwealth of high expectations."
"My fellow Virginians, this is our moment," he says.
Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears speaking ahead of Youngkin
Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears is now addressing the crowd, and cites her immigrant background, and says she is living proof of how the country has moved forward since the Civil Rights movement when her father first came to the country.
"What you are looking at is the American dream, the American dream," she says.
Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin is expected to speak momentarily.
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Breaking News
Glenn Youngkin will win the Virginia governor's race, Fox News projects
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Republican Glenn Youngkin will win the Gubernatorial race in Virginia, defeating Terry McAuliffe in a contest that was widely expected to go to the Democrat.
Youngkin ran a disciplined campaign, focusing on taxes, crime, and holding public schools accountable to parents, while McAuliffe largely campaigned on trying to tie Youngkin to former President Trump.
McAuliffe also called on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and former President Barack Obama to boost his fortunes in an effort that clearly fell short.
New Jersey gubernatorial race too close to call
New Jersey's gubernatorial race is still too close to call late Tuesday night, a potential stunner in a state that was thought to easily lean towards incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli is outperforming expectations as results come in close to midnight Tuesday, despite most polls showing Murphy with a comfortable lead as election day neared.
The close race in New Jersey comes as the nation's other gubernatorial race in Virginia is also too close to call late into Tuesday, though Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin continued to hold a commanding lead in the race for most of the evening.
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McAuliffe camp shell-shocked as Youngkin takes commanding lead in Virginia
From Fox News' Houston Keene: Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe's camp was left shell-shocked as Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin surged to a commanding lead in a state that President Biden won by 10 points just one year ago.
Youngkin emerged with a slim lead in the polls over McAuliffe heading into Election Day, foreshadowing his strong performance on Tuesday.
McAuliffe's election night party was initially buzzing with enthusiasm as supporters waited for polls to close. But that enthusiasm gradually shifted over the course of the night, as Democratic hopes for a swift victory melted away.
The room had largely emptied out even before Youngkin had addressed supporters at his own party.
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VA Dept. of Elections commissioner says election 'about as smooth as we could ask for'
Virginia Department of Elections Commissioner Chris Piper said Tuesday that the statewide election between former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin ran smoothly.
Piper said, "Today was an overwhelmingly good day for Virginia," and that the election was "about as smooth as we could ask for," according to Richmond-based The Virginia Mercury.
Piper, who said 88,000 ballots had yet to be returned, said there was no update on that number as of Election Night, but assured that they would be counted if they arrive Friday by noon.
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Breaking News
NJ gubernatorial race closer than expected, with GOP candidate outperforming in key counties
The New Jersey gubernatorial race is much closer than expected late into the evening. Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli is outperforming his expected vote in key counties, though a significant amount of Democratic leaning vote remains to be counted.
While Phil Murphy was expected to easily win a second term, this race may be a cliffhanger.
Youngkin now has commanding lead in Virginia gubernatorial race
Glenn Youngkin now has a commanding lead in the Virginia gubernatorial race. There is still a significant amount of outstanding vote in highly populated counties.
The Fox News Decision Desk is not yet ready to make a projection.
McAuliffe does not concede, says 'a lot of votes to count'
McAuliffe comes out but does not concede the race, instead thanking his family and his campaign staff.
"We still got a lot of votes to count...we're going to count all of the votes because every Virginian has a right to have their vote counted," he says.
Kamala Harris said Va Gov. race 'will in large part determine what happens' in 2022, 2024
With Glenn Youngkin holding a clear advantage over Democrat Terry McAuliffe, some outlets are drawing attention to this quote from Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday.
"What happens in Virginia will in large part determine what happens in 2022, 2024, and on," she said.
McAuliffe camp says race still to close to call
From a McAuliffe campaign aide to Fox News' Rich Edson:
"This race is still too close to call -- there is a substantial amount of early vote left to be counted, along with large numbers from places like Fairfax and Richmond & other urban areas where we have outperformed the rest of the state. We're still monitoring what's coming in. Only 7,000 Richmond votes have been reported so far. We are expecting 71,000+ votes overall to come in."
Youngkin has clear advantage in Va gubernatorial race
With more than two thirds of the vote counted, Youngkin now has a clear advantage in the Virginia gubernatorial race.
McAuliffe needs to win roughly two thirds of the outstanding vote, but it is not clear that he will reach that goal. The Fox News Decision Desk is not yet ready to make a projection.
Breaking News
In NYC, Democrat Eric Adams wins to become next mayor
Democratic candidate Eric Adams won New York City's mayoral election on Tuesday night, soundly defeating Republican challenger and "Guardian Angels" founder Curtis Sliwa in a race to determine who will lead the nation's most populous city.
Adams, the current Brooklyn borough president, was overwhelmingly favored to win the election since defeating 12 other Democratic candidates in a primary election over the summer. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by approximately seven-to-one in New York City.
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GOP not seen win in Virginia statewide race in 12 years, could sweep all three tonight
The Republican Party has not seen a win in a Virginia statewide race in 12 years, but could potentially sweep all three races tonight.
Republicans are looking favorable in not only the gubernatorial race, but also the lieutenant governor's race and the attorney general race.
Breaking News
Youngkin holds advantage in Va gubernatorial race as votes come in
As votes continue to come in, Youngkin now has an advantage in the Virginia gubernatorial race. He has maintained his edge in statewide election day vote and in key rural counties.
The Fox News Decision Desk is not yet ready to project a winner.
Fox News Voter Analysis: McAuliffe vs Youngkin on strength among voter groups
From Fox News' Margaret Ann Campbell: Here's the latest from our Fox News Voter Analysis election survey on McAuliffe and Youngkin's strengths among Virginia voters.
A majority of voters under age 45 support McAuliffe. He has a 16-point edge there. There's even stronger support for McAuliffe among women under age 45 – they give him a 27-point lead.
The middle-ground moderates give McAuliffe a similar lead -- 25 points there. Black voters always go solidly for the Democrat.
A large majority here supports McAuliffe, giving him a huge 74-point advantage. It is important to note that while McAuliffe has advantages among these groups, he's running behind the support levels these groups had for the Democrat in the last governor's race.That's how Youngkin is making it a closer race than initially expected.
Let's look at Youngkin's strengths. Seniors were more likely than any other age group to vote early (prior to Election Day) -- more than half report voting in advance. Youngkin holds a 14-point advantage with that group.
This is a big increase in support from seniors since the 2017 gubernatorial contest. Another strong group for Youngkin is white men: he's getting six-in-ten of them. About one-third of the electorate are white voters without a college degree.
Youngkin has a strong, 34-point lead among these working class voters.Finally, even stronger is Youngkin's support from white evangelical Christians, a small, but cohesive group -- eight in ten are with him.
There is a battle going on for the fully one-half of voters who live in the suburbs. The hard-fought-for group gives a slight edge to McAuliffe.
Breaking News
Youngkin ahead in Virginia governor's race
It's the eight o'clock hour on the East Coast, and while the Fox News Decision Desk says it's too early to call this race, Republican Glenn Youngkin has a slight advantage over Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia gubernatorial race.
He is outperforming expectations on statewide election day vote and in key rural counties.Two months ago, McAuliffe was expected to handily win the contest in a state that President Biden won by 10 points, but Youngkin has gained momentum in recent weeks.
We are reviewing Virginia results with our Fox News Voter Analysis, and we'll update you as learn more. We are also watching results in New Jersey, where polls don't close for another hour. That contest, between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, has also tightened in the last month.
The state's closely watched gubernatorial showdown is a key bellwether ahead of next year's midterms elections, has drawn national attention.
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Election Betting odds site favoring Youngkin
Per Fox News' Maxim Lott: Bettors are all but calling it! 88% for Youngkin:
https://twitter.com/maximlott/status/1455689210451615750
Breaking News
Polls close in New Jersey gubernatorial race
It's 8 pm on the East Coast, which means polls have just closed in the state of New Jersey.
It is too early to call this race between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
Last summer, Murphy enjoyed a lead of almost 20 points, but that gap has narrowed to the single digits in recent weeks, as Murphy leaned on both President Biden and former President Barack Obama to help campaign for him in the final weeks.
We are watching this contest along with Virginia, where polls closed an hour ago, but which is also too early to call right now. We are reviewing Virginia results with our Fox News Voter Analysis, and we'll update you as we learn more.
Breaking News
Polls to close at 8pm in NJ after ACLU lawsuit turned down
Polls will close in moments in New Jersey after a lawsuit by the ACLU to extend voting hours was denied.
ACLU sues to extend voting hours in New Jersey
Polls are due to close soon in New Jersey, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of Women Voters are suing to extend voting hours in New Jersey.
"We're hearing reports of some polling locations turning away voters due to technical issues and delays," ACLU's New Jersey branch says in a statement.
"Delays caused by technical issues aren't an excuse to deny voters their right to vote."
Fairfax County to release partial county of early in-person ballot count
Fairfax County, which was on track to miss a self-imposed 8pm deadline for reporting its early vote ballots, will release a partial county of their early voter in-person ballot count, a state party official tells Fox News' Rich Edson.
They have to re-scan a portion of them and will release the portion of what they have completed soon.
Fox News Voter Analysis: 49% says Youngkin supports Trump too much
While McAuliffe campaigned with Joe Biden, Youngkin held no events with former President Donald Trump and really didn't talk about him.
Yet 49 percent of Virginia voters think he supports the former president too much. 45% said the right amount, and 6% said too little.
For McAuliffe, 44% said he is too close to President Biden, 52% said the right amount and 5% said too little.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE FOX NEWS VOTER ANALYSIS
Votes delayed in Fairfax county, won't meet 8pm deadline
Per Fox News' Houston Keene: Fairfax county votes are delayed and won't meet the self-imposed 8 p.m. deadline.
Breaking News
Polls close in Virginia governor's race, seen as the most pivotal Election Day contest
It's 7 p.m. on the East Coast, which means polls have just closed in the state of Virginia.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it's too early to call this race, between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Two months ago, McAuliffe was expected to handily win the contest in a state that President Biden won by 10 points, but Youngkin has gained momentum in recent weeks.
We are reviewing Virginia results with our Fox News Voter Analysis, and we'll update as we learn more.
We are also watching results in New Jersey, where polls don't close for another hour. That contest, between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, has also tightened in the last month.
Majority of Va. voters say McAuliffe attacks on Youngkin were unfair
As the voting in Virginia continues, our Fox News Voter Analysis election survey gives us an early look at what voters are thinking about the governor's race. This is based on interviews with over 2500 voters in Virginia.
Just more than half -- 51 percent -- say McAuliffe's attacks on Youngkin were unfair.
For Youngkin, that number is 43 percent. A majority (57%) thinks his campaigning was fair.
McAuliffe, Youngkin pledge to jump-start state economy as Va gov race comes to a close
Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin and Democratic opponent former Governor Terry McAuliffe laid out substantially different visions for the future of the state's economy as the state's competitive race enters its final hours on Tuesday.
Both Youngkin and McAuliffe have positioned themselves as job creators who will lead Virginia to successfully rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, though each has struggled to separate themselves as the clear choice from an economic perspective.
A Fox News poll published Oct. 14 found Virginia voters were split 43-43% on which candidate was better equipped to handle the economy.
Click here for more from Fox Business on how their economic policies differ
Polls closing in Virginia at 7pm ET: Here's what to know
Polls will close at 7pm ET in the Virginia gubernatorial race between former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin.
The face-off is seen as a key bellwether ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, when the GOP aims to win back majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.
Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states in the nation to hold races for governor in the year after a presidential election. And that guarantees they both receive outsized attention across the country. Since New Jersey is a solidly blue state, Virginia – which remains competitive between the two major parties - grabs the lion's share of the national spotlight.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE VIRGINIA CONTEST
Virginia counties can start counting absentee ballots at 3pm
Virginia counties can start counting absentee ballots beginning today at 3pm ET, meaning that counting is likely underway already across the state, according to the Associated Press.
It means that mail ballots can be counted and released on Election Night soon after the polls close at 7pm, meaning that we will have our first indication at that point of how the night might turn out.
Counties are expected to release the results of their mail ballots first, followed by early in-person votes and then the votes cast at polling places on Election Day.
Voters in Arlington predict Virginia election results as they exit polls
Virginia voters at an Arlington polling site shared their thoughts and predictions on how Tuesday's gubernatorial race will end and why it's so close.
"I don't think McAulliffe will lose – period," Takis Karantonis, a Democratic incumbent running for reelection on the Arlington County Board, told Fox News.
"We have delivered as a party here in Virginia." "We have a thriving commonwealth, excellent economy and we managed the COVID crisis very, very well," Karantonis continued. "I think we're in good shape."
Republican Glenn Youngkin and Democrat Terry McAuliffe headed into Tuesday's election at a near deadlock. Youngkin began the campaign polling far behind the former governor, but slowly closed the gap and edged into a slight lead in recent polls.
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Virginia Dept. of Elections says masks not required to vote
The Virginia Department of Elections announced Tuesday afternoon that people are not required to wear face masks at polling stations after some voters said otherwise.
"All voters to are encouraged to wear a mask when they go to their polling place, but you CANNOT be turned away because you don't wear one," the department tweeted several hours after the polls opened.
In a tweet shared by Republican gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin, the Virginia Republican Party said there were "several reports" from voters who said they were told by poll workers that they had to wear a mask.
"To be clear, if someone is not wearing a face covering they may NOT be turned away or refused their right to vote," the Virginia GOP tweeted.
American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said he was personally instructed to wear a mask at his polling station.
Biden says 'we're gonna win' in Virginia and New Jersey, but attempts to distance himself
President Biden declared Tuesday that Democrats are going to win the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey but that his performance will have little to do with the outcome.
"We're gonna win. I think we're gonna win in Virginia," the president said during a press conference in Glasgow, where he attended the COP26 climate change conference.
"I think we're going to win New Jersey as well," he continued. "But look, you know, the off year is always unpredictable, especially when we don't have a general election going on at the same time. That's been the case up and down, you know, for a long time, especially as Virginia has turned more and more blue.
"But having said that, I don't believe and I've not seen any evidence that whether or not I am doing well or poorly, whether or not I've got my agenda passed or not, is going to have any real impact on winning or losing," he added. "Even if we had passed my agenda, I wouldn't claim we won because Biden's agenda passed. But I think it's I think it's going to be very close."
Youngkin campaign thinks it'll win Virginia governor race if it tops Trump numbers in key areas
The campaign for Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin believes the results in a handful of high-population areas that could decide which way the state falls in Tuesday's election, and will be watching those returns closely after polls close 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Fox News is told the Youngkin campaign believes that if it improves on former President Donald Trump's numbers by 5% in Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Virginia Beach and Richmond, it will have the votes it needs to win statewide. All of those are largely urban or suburban areas where Youngkin has tried to woo voters by distancing himself from Trump's style of politics.
Further, Loudoun County specifically is a hotbed of debate over parents' role in schools and debates over critical race theory in classrooms. Youngkin centered his campaign on parents' rights in schools and promised to ban critical race theory in schools.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Phil Murphy hopes to make history as first Democratic N.J. governor to win reelection in 44 years
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is hoping to make history as the first Democratic governor in the state to win reelection in 44 years after voters cast their ballots Tuesday.
Murphy, a progressive, is running against former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, a moderate. If Murphy wins, it will be the first time a Democratic governor in the state has won reelection since Brendan Byrne in 1977.
New Jersey has 1 million more registered Democrats than Republicans, but the state's off-year gubernatorial cycle has often served as a referendum on the sitting president. In fact, the incumbent president's party hasn't won the New Jersey gubernatorial race since 1985.
Tuesday's election, as well as the Virginia gubernatorial race between Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin, is expected to serve as a barometer for both parties heading into the 2022 midterm elections.
McAuliffe, Youngkin make final social media pitch to get out the vote
Virginia gubernatorial candidates Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin posted dueling campaign videos on social media in their final pitch to get out the vote before the polls close Tuesday evening.
"This election is about the direction of our Commonwealth and the nation," McAuliffe tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "Don't sit this one out. VOTE."
McAuliffe included a vid...
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