It appears I’ve returned from my mini book leave just in time. Depending on which political team you’re on—and politics is a team sport more than ever these days—today really is worse than yesterday. Democrat Terry McAuliffe lost the race for governor of Virginia (a job he’s had once before) to Republican Glenn Youngkin. Republicans are also on track to flip Virginia’s House of Delegates, and won the races for lieutenant governor and attorney general. The governor’s race in New Jersey is, as of this writing, too close to call, with Democrat Phil Murphy leading by a whisper. But the fact that it’s this much of a squeaker isn’t great news for Democrats as they get ready for 2022 midterms, when the party in power traditionally gets walloped. 

It’s the day after an important Election Day and everyone has some exceedingly strong opinions. Twitter seems to be an even angrier place than usual today. But since you’re here, I’m going to assume that you’re electing to hear my opinions, so here are some thoughts. And because Virginia is just across the river from Washington, D.C. and is where many of the swampiest swamp creatures live, it’s all we Washingtonians really care about today. So apologies to all my New Jersey readers. I got nothin’.