Voters cast ballots for new governors in Virginia, New Jersey

Voters in New Jersey and Virginia head to the polls Tuesday to choose new governors, and President Donald Trump is watching closely. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, reach the end of their term limits this year, leaving both gubernatorial races without an incumbent. The GOP candidates, Ed Gillespie in Virginia and Kim Guadagno in New Jersey, have tied their campaigns to Trump, signaling their support for the president and echoing many of his talking points. On the other side, Democrats Ralph Northam in Virginia and Phil Murphy in New Jersey have also sought to tie the race to Trump, hoping the president’s poor approval ratings will boost their campaigns. Polls show Murphy with a comfortable lead in New Jersey but it’s still anyone’s race in Virginia. In recent days, Trump tweeted several messages of support for Gillespie, a former lobbyist and White House adviser to President George W. Bush who has vowed to protect Confederate statues in Virginia, if elected. Northam is Virginia’s current lieutenant governor. Pro-life groups such as the Susan B. Anthony List campaigned for Gillespie and ran ads criticizing Northam’s pro-abortion record.