Until Gov.-elect Ralph Northam (D) won Chesterfield County three weeks ago, the stretch of suburban and rural communities southwest of Richmond had been considered reliably Republican. “That’s a huge red flag for Republicans and an opportunity for Democrats,” said Jesse Ferguson, a national Democratic strategist. The Liberal Women of Chesterfield County is an example of a new breed of Democratic activism in the Richmond suburbs. “A lot of this is driven by women voters, but can Democrats translate that to a more permanent voter? Adams, who was raised in Chesterfield County and still lives there, said the fact that he and Vogel carried the county but Gillespie lost should not be interpreted to contain any profound lesson.

Source: Washington Post November 25, 2017 22:04 UTC