L. Douglas Wilder | Wilder Visions

It would be a mistake to believe that last week’s election was a temporary, aberrant blip.

Virginians sent a message to the nation that our state is not ideologically bound to a party, but to the people, ALL of its people.

Since this seismic occurrence, I have had people ask me how this could have happened in this “blue” state. I, long ago, described VA as being “purple”. In answer to present inquiries, I have posed the return question; what has fealty to blue meant for ALL of the adherents to loyalty?

Should the chief concern of Democrats be “who controls the Congress in the Senate and the House in 2022?” rather than the cost of food, gasoline and the cost of living NOW?

Governor-elect Youngkin has pledged his administration to definite and significant improvements for all; education being top among them, particularly HBCUs, including reducing taxes, improving public safety and addressing the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

This election showed that many people were so disappointed in what their party had not delivered upon and addressed that they were willing to give a newcomer to elective office a chance.

I share that view and remember another of my aphorisms, “We should never be afraid to give chance a chance”.

Stay tuned.

L. Douglas Wilder, a Democrat, served as Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. To learn more, visit his website, WilderVisions.com.