Democrats benefited from voters who don’t like either party
Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).
Anna Money Maker | Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Democrats in Virginia’s closely watched gubernatorial race appear to have benefited from a small but determined bloc of voters with negative views of both major political parties, according to NBC News exit polls.
The Democratic advantage among disaffected voters mirrors trends seen in other contests Tuesday, including the New Jersey governor’s race and the New York City mayoral election, NBC reported.
According to the NBC poll, 41 percent of voters in Virginia said they had a positive view only of the Democratic Party, while another 41 percent had a positive view only of the Republican Party.
However, 10 percent said they did not view any party favorably.
Of that group, 72 percent supported Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, while Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears received only 23 percent, NBC found.
The findings come despite recent data showing a decline in Democratic voter registration and a drop in the party’s favorable ratings nationwide.
