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Youngkin is more popular in Virginia than Trump, and Trump knows it.

This election wasn't about Youngkin. Nobody in Virginia knows anything about him. Down-ballot did as well or better than Youngkin, which means this was a huge Republican turnout, for which Trump can take much credit. Had he calmly walked away from the 2020 Steal there'd be less anger, less motivation driving voters to the right and the Republican Party itself would be less invigorated.

Check out how in Fairfax County the top of the ticket (Gov, Lt. Gov & AG) performed lower in 2021 from 2017 than did the bottom, at least as measured in a House of Delegates votes, which speaks for a general rebellion, not Youngkin himself:

Year	Gov	Lt Gov	AG	Delegate Dist 34	Delegate Dist 38
2017	31.15%	32.64%	32.68%	39.53%	26.26%
2021	34.79%	34.75%	34.45%	43.49%	31.12%

In 2017, Republicans didn't even challenge 9 Fairfax districts. In 2021, they had a candidate in every race.

Certainly Youngkin ran the right campaign, but the election wasn't about him, it's about an re-engaged Republican party, which has everything to do with Trump.

In 2017, Republicans didn't even challenge 9 Fairfax districts. In 2021, they had a candidate in every race.

This is very important. You gotta give the locals something to engage. It helps up-ballot, and sometimes lightning strikes.

In 1994, we had challengers to Dan Rostenkowski and Speaker Tom Foley... and they both won. Likewise, I remember a New Orleans congressional district... same thing.

All these races were long shots, but when given an choice, sometimes the electorate can surprise us.

Certainly Youngkin ran the right campaign, but the election wasn't about him, it's about an re-engaged Republican party, which has everything to do with Trump.

Youngkin made a point of keeping Donald Trump at arms length, at one point saying that McCauliffe was the only one talking about Trump.