Will GOP's post-Trump election strategy lead to Virginia gubernatorial race win?

In 2020, Virginians rejected President Donald Trump and his toxic brand of white supremacy by a decisive 10 percentage points. A once reliably red state, Virginia has had a political reckoning throughout the previous decade aligning with mainstream progressive values. Virginia voters have continued to show support for gun control, the expansion of reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights, as well as aggressive policies to protect the right to vote.

Virginia has become the most progressive Southern state, yet protecting this trajectory of progress is a perpetual struggle against the Republican Party. While Trumpism was perfected by its namesake, its proponents know that delivered through a more palatable messenger, it’s much easier to build support for its core tenets.

In this year’s gubernatorial race, Republican Glenn Youngkin is a test case for how the GOP plans to metastasize Trumpism elsewhere across the nation. There’s an endless supply of Youngkins in states and districts across the country who have enough self-control not to say the quiet parts out loud but whose vision entails keeping white men at the pinnacle of our society.

There have been ample comparisons of Youngkin and Trump made by the pundit class, but what strikes me most about his campaign is how little detail he gives about the type of future he envisions for Virginia and how he might achieve this.

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His policy positions are scant, which is a telltale sign of a politician who cares far more about gaining power than the business of governing. For instance, Youngkin entirely lacks a climate plan. While this would be a staggering oversight for any gubernatorial candidate in any state, Virginia Beach, Youngkin’s hometown, is also the home to some of the East Coast’s fastest-rising sea levels that progressively threaten lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands.

A lack of substance, vision and ideas is a key trait of Trump acolytes. We saw this in the House of Representatives as MAGA faithful Madison Cawthorn made it clear he would prioritize communications staff over those who could help him craft legislation and deliver policy wins for his constituents.

While Youngkin isn’t a MAGA firebrand like Cawthorn, his lack of substance and adherence to propaganda are notably similar.

Youngkin uses a MAGA strategy

Youngkin’s hope for victory next week lies in angering parents about the “radicalization” of education in Virginia. His hope is that critical race theory – which isn’t even being taught in public schools – can anger enough white parents and encourage them to turn out for Republicans and MAGAism. The worst part is that Youngkin could be successful if enough unmotivated Democrats stay home.

Who Virginia sends to the governor’s mansion will set the tone for a series of crucial elections in 2022 and 2024. It will help the GOP test its theory on what type of MAGA candidate could be popular in purple and light-blue states. Most crucial of all, a Youngkin win will give a Republican Party controlled by Trump renewed momentum, fundraising dollars and significant electoral victory that it can leverage to win key midterm races.

I know that voters are exhausted from a contentious presidential race and disheartened by the violence that the losing party has encouraged as a result. Yet, as Virginians, we can set the tone for the next two years of elections. Our gubernatorial election is a bellwether and a signal that we send to the rest of the country about what sort of a future we want. It’s a privilege and responsibility for Virginia voters. In this point in history where every single election is absolutely crucial, will we show the nation that we’re committed to a more just future or that Virginia’s progress is not merely a fad?

Speaking as a Virginia voter, I want to see this state continue to grow into a place that’s home to the jobs of the future, where voting becomes easier and more accessible, and where people of color, like myself, continue to see the expansion of legal protections for our communities. The bottom line is we cannot allow this election to be the first step in Trump’s comeback. Whatever mask the Republicans want to put on Trumpism, it is a veneer that needs to be resoundingly rejected in this election and all subsequent ones.

Kurt Bardella is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors and is a consultant for the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Follow him on Twitter: @KurtBardella

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will GOP post-Trump strategy lead to win in Virginia governor race?