Debate takeaways: Virginia governor candidates go on attack

It was a testy second and final debate Tuesday night in Virginia’s high-stakes governor’s race between Democratic former Gov. “Terry, you have no idea what you’re talking about.” ___ PANDEMIC RULES McAuliffe repeatedly seized on Youngkin’s opposition to mask and vaccine mandates. McAuliffe often tried to link Youngkin to the former president, calling Youngkin “a Trump wannabe.” Youngkin, who has been endorsed by Trump, didn’t like it. Initially, Youngkin tried to dodge: “Who knows who’s going to be running for president in 2024?” When pressed, he clarified, “If he’s the Republican nominee, I’ll support him.” ___ ABORTION FIGHT COMES TO VIRGINIA The candidates exchanged particularly heated rhetoric on abortion, which has emerged as a central issue after the Supreme Court scheduled arguments in a case that could challenge Roe v. Wade. “I think we recognize that America and Virginia has chapters that are abhorrent,” Youngkin said, adding, “We don’t need to teach our children to view everything through the lens of race and then pit them against one another.” And when the conversation shifted to “election integrity” — code for Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud costing him the 2020 election — Youngkin declined to embrace his party’s harshest rhetoric as well, instead trying to put McAuliffe on the defensive.