| After Glenn Youngkin's victory in the Virginia gubernatorial election, pundits offered many reasons for his victory. His opponent, Terry McAuliffe, was too liberal — or not liberal enough. President Biden and Democrats in Congress have done too little — or too much. Trumpism is back — or Youngkin has shown other Republicans a new path. The truth, four members of Youngkin's campaign team write in a new op-ed, is far more straightforward. "First things first: Candidate quality matters," say campaign advisers Jeff Roe, Kristin Davison, Chris Wilson and Amanda Iovino. "The most important factor is not easily replicable: an outstanding candidate who works hard and connects with people." "Second, take your message to the dinner table. Republicans have to address the anxiety of voters whose wages simply cannot keep up with rising prices," they write. "Third, invest in data and go after every vote. ... Fourth, while every candidate will be pulled into national issues, don't do so at the expense of local problems." A good candidate, good data and a good message. As the authors acknowledge, that explanation says less about the country's political future than some might like. But in politics, as in much of life, the simplest answer is often the correct one.  (Craig Hudson for the Washington Post) We beat Terry McAuliffe with data, relentless appeals to voters and frank talk about the economy. By Jeff Roe, Kristin Davison, Chris Wilson and Amanda Iovino ● Read more » | | | | This might be the only way to make sure at least some elected policymakers ever return to making policy again. By Catherine Rampell ● Read more » | | | | An acceptable CBO "score" of the president's Build Back Better plan will help everyone sleep more peacefully. By Karen Tumulty ● Read more » | | | | Discarding or violating rules of self-governance while they are still in effect is corrosive of the trust on which all depends. By Mitch Daniels ● Read more » | | | In exchange for convenience, we are losing our communities. By Brian Broome ● Read more » | | | | Charges against the primary source for Christopher Steele's dossier show just how shabby the whole production was. By Erik Wemple ● Read more » | | | | This is what Democratic presidencies are like: A hard slog, partial victories, and inevitable setbacks. By Paul Waldman ● Read more » | | | | Republicans wield the term as a bludgeon against Democrats in general and progressives in particular. By Eugene Robinson ● Read more » | | | A genius on the football field, Rodgers has revealed himself to be a pandemic ignoramus. By Max Boot ● Read more » | | | | The recent student protest is part of a long tradition of student activism at historically Black colleges and universities. By Don Calloway ● Read more » | | | | If the GOP's gains in last week's elections continue into the next two election cycles, the Democrats could be in deep trouble. By Henry Olsen ● Read more » | | | | His fight for an anti-slavery Constitution can be our guide. By Michael Gerson ● Read more » | | | |
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