VIRGINIA, USA — It’s a new kind of suburbanization sweeping through politics, and in Virginia, it’s more evident than ever.
Over the course of the last 15 years, the Commonwealth has gone from solid red to battleground purple, to blue.
On election night, the Associated Press declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner in Virginia less than an hour after the polls closed.
Quentin Kidd, a political analyst for 13News Now said there was a big reason behind the decision.
“Just to give you a sense of why the AP did that, the city of Lynchburg voted for Joe Biden this year. It’s the first time Lynchburg has voted democratic in decades. Chesterfield County voted democratic for the first time in decades, Virginia Beach became more solidly blue at a democratic level,” said Kidd.
“All of the suburban Hampton Roads cities that have historically been competitive went blue. Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach."
It’s a clear signal that bigger challenges lie ahead for the Republican Party of Virginia.
Kidd said if Republicans want to compete again and regain voters the Commonwealth, they’ll have to get back to the bread and butter concerns of suburban voters.
“Republicans need those votes if they’re gonna be competitive statewide. Voters in those suburban areas are not concerned about call fringe-related issues," said Kidd.
"They’re not interested in Tea Party, QAnon, or more extreme Trump-type issues. They’re concerned about things like good schools, safe streets, good roads to drive on."