The last time McAuliffe ran, his opponent (Ken Cuccinelli, who was at the time a darling of the Tea Party movement) came within 2% of winning. McAuliffe ran a pretty bad campaign, insulting voters with a drumbeat “war on women” message rehashed from Obama’s reelection, but the GOP didn’t put effort into turnout because Cuccinelli wasn’t establishment enough.
I don’t really believe the party worked on turnout for Youngkin much either, but nowadays, it appears like that effect can be blunted with grassroots activism and social media.
The get out the vote this time was way better than previous elections.
In Cuccinelli’s race the Cantor wing of the VA GOP was actively sabotaging him.