Brian Ler on WNYC, Virginia, where voters are choosing their governor and attorney general today.

Democratic nominee and former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger has maintained

a lead in the polls since very early in that race over Republican nominee, Lieutenant Governor

Winsome Earl Sears. As in New Jersey, the governor's race has become somewhat of a referendum

on President Trump's first year so far in his second presidential term, but it's also

become a referendum on some bigger national topics like political violence, redistricting, and

parental rights. Voters' top concerns, though, we are told, are energy prices, housing affordability,

and jobs. Joining us now to break down the latest on the races and the issues in Virginia on this

election day is Marcus Schmidt, senior Virginia politics reporter and deputy editor at the Virginia

Mercury.

Marcus, thanks for some time.

Welcome to WNYC.

Hey, thanks, Brian, for having me.

Appreciate it.

And listeners, anybody in Virginia or with ties to Virginia, welcome to call in.

We'll have time for a few or text us.

What are you hearing, seeing, or talking about with friends and family, 212, 433.

WNYC, 212, 433, 966, 92. So how much is this a referendum on Donald Trump? I'm just going to go right there.

Well, it's a pretty massive referendum on Donald Trump. Virginia, we have a history of usually when you have one party in the White House, the following years, the gubernatorial election, and usually the opposing party then wins.

There was one exception when President Obama was elected to the second term.

Republican Ken Cuccinelli lost against Terry McAuliffe in the governor's race, but that was really the sole case when that happened in the last 30-plus years.

And both former President Obama, who you just mentioned and President Trump, have weighed in on

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