Terry McAuliffe Concedes in Virginia Governor's Race

Elections|Terry McAuliffe concedes to Glenn Youngkin, a Republican financier, successful the Virginia governor’s race.

• Nov. 3, 2021Updated 10:34 a.m. ET

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic campaigner for politician successful Virginia, conceded connected Wednesday greeting to his Republican opponent, the businessman Glenn Youngkin, arsenic the Republican Party claimed the state’s governorship for the archetypal clip successful much than a decade.

“While past nighttime we came up short, I americium arrogant that we spent this run warring for the values we truthful profoundly judge in,” Mr. McAuliffe said successful a statement.

He added, “While determination volition beryllium setbacks on the way, I americium assured that the semipermanent way of Virginia is toward inclusion, openness and tolerance for all.”

With his victory, Mr. Youngkin, 54, presented his enactment with a look for however to exploit President Biden’s vulnerabilities and evade the shadiness of Donald J. Trump successful Democratic-leaning states. A affluent erstwhile backstage equity enforcement making his archetypal tally for office, helium elevated acquisition and taxes portion projecting a suburban-dad demeanor to show helium was antithetic from Mr. Trump without saying truthful outright.

With Mr. Trump retired of office, Mr. McAuliffe struggled to make enthusiasm among liberals astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile conservatives are energized successful absorption to Mr. Biden.

The Associated Press called the contention for Mr. Youngkin soon aft 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, hours aft the polls closed connected Tuesday night.

Mr. Youngkin’s astonishment triumph successful Virginia represents the starkest informing yet that Democrats are successful danger. It was apt to punctual additional legislature retirements, intensify the intraparty tug of warfare implicit Mr. Biden’s docket and substance fears that a midterm electoral question and Mr. Trump’s instrumentality arsenic a campaigner are each but inevitable.

“The MAGA question is bigger and stronger than ever before,” Mr. Trump said successful a connection Tuesday night.