In his final pitch ahead of Election Day, Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin promised Virginians in Loudoun County that he ...
In his final pitch ahead of Election Day, Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin promised Virginians in Loudoun County that he would ban critical race theory teachings in schools and give parents back the power over their children's educations.
Youngkin, who holds less than a one percent lead over Democrat Terry McAuliffe, took the stage Monday night in the battleground county, which has been the state's epicenter of anger regarding school curricula and policies - in particular, the teaching of critical race theory and rules regarding transgender students.
'We decide that we're going to take the power of our children's education,' he told the crowd of rally goers.
'This is a defining moment to the future of our commonwealth. A defining moment where we can stand up and say no to this progressive liberal agenda taking over.'
Meanwhile, McAuliffe held his own rally Monday, criticizing Youngkin for his unsolicited endorsement from former president Donald Trump.
'Guess how Glenn Youngkin is finishing his campaign? He is doing an event with Donald Trump here in Virginia. I'm here with you and they've got Trump over there,' he said.
'Donald Trump wants to win here tomorrow night so he can next day announce for president of the United States of America. Well, we're going to put an end to Donald Trump's future plans right here in Virginia. I've beaten Trump twice in Virginia, tomorrow we go 3 and 0.'
Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin (pictured at a Monday night rally in Loudoun County) promised Virginians that he would ban critical race theory teachings in schools and that parents would have power over their children's educations
His opponent, Terry McAuliffe (pictured at his own campaign rally Monday night) has denied the existence of critical race theory in the state's education system and argued that he doesn't 'think parents should be telling schools what they should teach'
Youngkin held his rally in the battleground area of Loudoun County where residents have protested against the teaching of critical race theory and rules regarding transgender students
Youngkin, who did not mention the former president during his Monday night rally, remained focused on the issues that polls show to be of high importance amongst Virginia's voters.
'We have to have a moment where the power shifts away from the marble halls of Richmond to the kitchen tables,' Youngkin told his supporters.
'What can happen tomorrow can be a statement, a statement that can be heard across this country because America needs us to vote tomorrow as well.'
He continued: 'America's watching. Why? Because all across this country families are having the same discussions that you all have.
'I get notes all day long, 'Glenn stand up for our kids too. Stand up for the rights of our children because we can't vote this year.'
Youngkin took the stage Monday night in Loudoun County, which has been the state's epicenter of anger regarding school curricula and policies
'We decide that we're going to take the power of our children's education,' he told the crowd of rally goers. 'This is a defining moment to the future of our commonwealth'
Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin, left, is pictured with his family: son Grant, wife Suzanne, and daughter Anna, at a campaign rally in Loudoun County
Youngkin promised his supporters that Virginia's schools would not be faucets for political agendas and that he would ban critical race theory
He promised that the state's schools would not be faucets for political agendas.
'What we won't do is teach our children to view everything through a lens of race where we divide them into buckets and one group is an oppressor and the other is a victim and we pit them against each other and we steal their dreams,' Youngkin said.
Youngkin also argued that Tuesday's election was the 'moment for Virginians to push back on this left, liberal, progressive agenda,' citing alleged McAuliffe agenda items that would put increase taxes and put the government between schools and families.
McAuliffe - who has repeatedly accused his opponent of using Virginia's children 'as pawns' in his campaign - has denied the existence of critical race theory in the state's education system and argued that he doesn't 'think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.'
McAuliffe and Youngkin have less than a 1 percent polling gap from each other as Tuesday's Virginia gubernatorial race comes down to the wire
McAuliffe, pictured at his campaign rally in Fairfax on Monday, criticized Youngkin for his unsolicited endorsement from former president Donald Trump
'Guess how Glenn Youngkin is finishing his campaign? He is doing an event with Donald Trump here in Virginia. I'm here with you and they've got Trump over there,' McAuliffe told the crowd
McAuliffe's rally came one day after he alleged that the state needed more minority educators and promised to start a program to pay for their college tuition and housing
However, at a campaign rally Sunday, the Democrat did address the hotbed topic of education, alleging that there were too many white educators in the state.
'We've got to diversify our teacher base here in Virginia. Fifty percent of students at Virginia schools — K-12 — 50 percent are students of color, and yet 80 percent of the teachers are white,' he said.
McAuliffe promised to diversify the state's teacher base and become the first state to pay college tuition and housing for minority educators.
'We all know what we have to do in a school to make everybody feel comfortable in school,' he argued.
'So, here's what I'm going to do. We'll be the first state in America — if you'll teach for five years here in Virginia in a high-demand area, whether that be geographic or course work, we will pay room, board, tuition, at any college, any university, any HBCU [historically black colleges and universities] here in the commonwealth of Virginia.'
McAuliffe and Youngkin have less than a 1 percent polling gap from each other as Tuesday's Virginia gubernatorial race comes down to the wire.
Youngkin pulled ahead of his Democratic challenger and former Virginia governor on Saturday in a FiveThirtyEight polling average.
On October 28, the two were tied at 47 percent, then on October 29, Youngkin pulled ahead of McAuliffe in a 47.5 to 46.9 percent split.
On Sunday, Youngkin raised to 47.6 percent to McAuliffe's 47 percent.
According to the latest Fox News poll, conducted by Democratic pollster Chris Anderson and Republican Daron Shaw, the majority of Virginians polled also indicated that they trusted Youngkin over McAuliffe when it comes to addressing educational issues.
'It's scary to see things so close,' Brooke Hall-Ewell, a 50-year-old nurse who attended McAuliffe's Monday event, told the Associated Press. 'We've got to keep Virginia blue.'
According to the latest Fox News poll, the majority of Virginians polled also indicated that they trusted Youngkin over McAuliffe when it comes to addressing educational issues
Youngkin pulled ahead of his Democratic challenger and former Virginia governor on Saturday in a FiveThirtyEight polling average
On October 28, the two were tied at 47 percent, then on October 29, Youngkin pulled ahead of McAuliffe in a 47.5 to 46.9 percent split. On Sunday, Youngkin raised to 47.6 percent to McAuliffe's 47 percent
However, Youngkin supporters argued that it was time for change.
'He's a straight shooter,' Dan Maloy, a 53-year-old small business owner, said Monday.
'He cares about the issues that we care about. You know, it's food on the table. What's the cost of groceries? What's the cost of gas? What do we need to do to move Virginia forward?'
If Youngkin win's election, he would be the first Republican to be elected as Virginia's governor in more than a decade.
Meanwhile, Democrats are fearful of losing their stronghold in Virginia.
A loss in the Virginia governor's race, long considered a bellwether for midterm elections, would trigger all-out panic among Democrats far beyond Virginia.
The party is already wary about their chances in elections that will decide control of the House and Senate and statehouses next year.
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