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2019 Virginia State Elections Closely Watched for 2020

Don Rush

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's 2017 elections were an early warning signal that an anti-Trump blue wave was headed for the 2018 U.S. midterms. This year's legislative elections could offer strong clues about national trends in 2020.

Primary elections are a few days away and both Republicans and Democrats are in the midst of ugly battles over their respective parties' identities and values.

The Virginia Senate's top Democrat said his opponent is telling voters "we need to get all of these old white men out of office" as an unusually high number of Democratic incumbents are being challenged by newcomers in the mold of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

On the Republican side, lingering resentment over last year's vote to expand Medicaid is helping fuel unusually divisive primary contests.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.