Virginia governor’s race: Key takeaways from the 1st debate

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin have met in southwest Virginia for the commonwealth’s first gubernatorial debate of the general election season. Much of the exchange between McAuliffe, a longtime Democratic Party fundraiser who is seeking a rare second term as governor, and Youngkin, a former business executive and political newcomer, dealt with vaccine mandates and abortion policy. They also touched on election integrity, state agency controversies, renewable energy and the removal of a historic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond.