The Democratic nominee in the Virginia gubernatorial race Terry McAuliffe has accused his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin of “want[ing] to ban books by prominent Black authors from Virginia schools.”

And how are you this morning? Here in Virginia, the sun is shining a little brighter, the birds are chirping sweetly, the leaves are turning vibrant colors, and Republicans just stomped the bejeebers out of Democrats up and down the ballot. A “bloodbath,” as University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato told Rachel Maddow last night. “A five-alarm fire,” as Van Jones declared on CNN.

Tuesday night was a disaster for Democrats nationally. Period.

Losing the Virginia governor's race in a state that President Joe Biden had won by 10 percentage points just a year earlier was bad enough. But the surprising closeness of the New Jersey governor's race -- coupled with the rejection of a ballot measure to replace the police department in Minneapolis -- suggests that there is broad dissatisfaction in the country for how Democrats have handled the power given to them in 2020.

J​​oe Biden's presidency was meant to be defined by calm, experienced competence. Yet just nine months into his term, he has been teetering on the brink of failure. Vicious infighting within his own party has threatened to torpedo his ambitious domestic agenda, encapsulated in two sprawling pieces of legislation that Democrats have not yet been able to vote out of Congress.

Virginians headed to the polls Tuesday to elect a new governor in a tight race that is being closely watched as a gauge of the national political mood.

Polls show former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin, a former private-equity executive, are running neck-and-neck to succeed Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam. Virginia governors are barred from serving consecutive four-year terms.

Whoever wins Virginia's tight gubernatorial race Tuesday, the commonwealth will offer a fascinating read on where the country's stormy politics stand a year after Joe Biden beat Donald Trump, and may point to what happens next.

In the closing days of the race, both nominees in Virginia -- as well as the current and former Presidents -- have pointed to how the race has national significance and could set the tone for next year's midterm elections and beyond.

All eyes are on Virginia this election day as a last-minute surge in the polls for Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has his party hoping for an upset — and his rival scrambling to avoid one. 

For months, polls showed Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate and former governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018, in the lead. When early voting began on September 17, Terry McAuliffe was up five points in the RealClearPolitics average.

One of the most accurate pollsters from the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections has Virginia GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin with a 2.3-point lead over Democrat Terry McAuliffe on the eve of Election Day.

Trafalgar Group pollster Robert Cahaly tweeted Monday:

"FINAL @trafalgar_group #VAGov race #Poll #Youngkin has 2.3% lead which could grow by capturing most late deciders.

49.4% @GlennYoungkin.

47.1% @TerryMcAuliffe.

1.9% Third Party/Write-In.

1.6% Undecided

"Conducted 10/29-31 #vapol See Report."