Losing the Virginia’s governor’s race may help to trigger a shift towards the center for the Republican party

On the 5th of November, Virginia goes to the polls to elect a new governor. Victory now seems almost certain for the Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe, who holds a significant polling lead over his Republican rival, Ken Cuccinelli. Samuel Blyth argues that this likely election outcome, in what had previously been a state with Republican leanings, illustrates the importance of the demographic changes currently underway in America that are likely to leave the Republican party increasingly out of touch with mainstream voters. A heavy defeat for Cuccinelli may be enough of a wakeup call for the GOP for it to begin a move back towards the political centre.