Debate takeaways: Virginia candidates on attack from start

It was a testy commencement to the second and last statement successful Virginia's high-stakes governor's contention betwixt erstwhile Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin connected Tuesday night.

With polls showing a adjacent contention conscionable 5 weeks earlier Election Day, the statement centered connected acquainted nationalist issues: the pandemic, termination rights and erstwhile President Donald Trump. The candidates besides tried to people points connected a big of little salient topics, including transgression rates, Youngkin's inheritance successful backstage equity and labour law.

Here are cardinal takeaways from the last gubernatorial statement earlier Election Day connected Nov. 2:

THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY

It took little than 90 seconds for Youngkin to telephone McAuliffe a liar.

“In the archetypal debate, helium lied to you. That's what politicians do," the Republican campaigner said during his opening statement.

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The onslaught acceptable the code for the debate, with each campaigner taking connected the different successful idiosyncratic terms, adjacent if Youngkin was often the aggressor. Youngkin intelligibly got nether McAuliffe's tegument astatine times.

“I conscionable can't recognize however you tin truthful comfortably prevarication to everybody,” Youngkin said during 1 speech connected abortion.

McAuliffe retorted, “That's what you've been doing each night, buddy.”

Things got peculiarly nasty erstwhile the candidates were talking astir the authorities budget.

“Revenue and expenses, I cognize were hard for you. I cognize they’re hard for you,” Youngkin said. “Terry, you person nary thought what you’re talking about.”

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PANDEMIC RULES

McAuliffe repeatedly seized connected Youngkin's absorption to disguise and vaccine mandates. It's an contented McAuliffe's squad believes is simply a governmental winner, particularly arsenic the pandemic remains a superior menace successful Virginia and beyond.

Youngkin came prepared with a connection outlining his presumption — “Everyone should get the vaccine ... but I don't judge we should mandate it” — but stumbled concisely erstwhile asked by moderator Chuck Todd whether helium supports mandating vaccines for diseases similar measles and mumps, which person been required successful U.S. schools for generations.

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He yet said helium did enactment mandating measles and mumps vaccines, explaining that much information was disposable connected those inoculations.

McAuliffe described Youngkin's presumption arsenic dangerous.

He “says if you don’t privation to get it, don’t get it. You can’t beryllium politician and accidental things similar that,” McAuliffe charged. ”That is disqualifying."

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TRUMP ON THE BALLOT?

McAuliffe repeatedly tried to nexus Youngkin to the erstwhile president, calling Youngkin “a Trump wannabe.” Youngkin, who has been endorsed by Trump, didn't similar it.

“There’s an over/under connected however galore times you’d accidental Donald Trump,” Youngkin said. “You’re moving against me. It’s Terry McAuliffe against Glenn Youngkin.”

He added, “The lone idiosyncratic invoking Trump is you.”

Youngkin has declined to clasp Trump arsenic heartily arsenic immoderate of his Republican superior challengers did successful a authorities Democrat Joe Biden won implicit Trump by 10 percent points successful 2020. And portion helium tried to sidestep the taxable onstage Tuesday, Youngkin made quality successful the last minutes of the statement erstwhile asked whether he’d enactment Trump if helium runs again successful the adjacent statesmanlike election.

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Initially, Youngkin tried to dodge: “Who knows who’s going to beryllium moving for president successful 2024?”

When pressed, helium clarified, “If he’s the Republican nominee, I’ll enactment him.”

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ABORTION FIGHT COMES TO VIRGINIA

The candidates exchanged peculiarly heated rhetoric connected abortion, which has emerged arsenic a cardinal contented aft the Supreme Court scheduled arguments successful a lawsuit that could situation Roe v. Wade.

Youngkin, who has downplayed his anti-abortion policies connected the run trail, confirmed that helium does enactment a “pain threshold bill,” which would prohibition astir abortions aft the 20-week mark. The Republican past pivoted to his opponent, calling McAuliffe “the astir utmost termination campaigner successful the country.”

“You privation to beryllium the termination governor,” Youngkin charged.

The Democrat seemed to invited the attack.

“I privation each pistillate successful Virginia to perceive to maine closely. I was a ceramic partition to support women’s rights,” McAuliffe said. He aboriginal added, “Women are bushed of radical similar Glenn Youngkin telling them what to bash with their bodies.”

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The combat is simply a apt preview of midterm elections crossed the country. Democrats judge the menace of caller termination restrictions volition assistance rally women down them. Female voters, peculiarly successful the suburbs, person played a cardinal relation successful helping Democrats prehend power of Congress — and Virginia — successful the Trump era.

It remains to beryllium seen if Democrats volition bash arsenic good without Trump arsenic a foil successful the Oval Office.

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