| | | | The most important race of 2017 is getting very close | | If you're looking for one race this fall to tell you what people make of the first year of the Trump presidency, your best bet is the Virginia governor's race where, in exactly one week, voters will choose between Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie.
The race has long looked like Northam's to lose. He's better known than Gillespie (Northam is the sitting lieutenant governor) and Virginia has been moving to the left, rapidly, over the last few elections; Hillary Clinton won it in 2016 and Barack Obama won it in 2008 and 2012.)
But, a new Washington Post poll shows Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee closing a 13-point gap earlier this month to just 5 points with seven days of campaigning left.
Gillespie has tightened the race despite the fact that President Trump's popularity is in the tank in Virginia, with almost 6 in 10 Virginians (59%) disapproving of the way Trump is handling the presidency. A majority of voters -- 57% -- say that Trump is an "important" factor in their votes, with 38% saying the President is a "very" important factor in deciding their vote.
Those numbers -- Gillespie's and Trump's -- suggest voters aren't blaming the former for their negative views of the latter. Which is interesting given that Gillespie is closing the contest with a pair of Trump-like messages: Expressing his support for keeping Confederate statues in place and warning of the threat posed by the MS-13 gang.
If Gillespie is able to win -- and while he has the momentum, he's still behind -- it will go a very long way to calming Republicans nervous about the potential of an unpopular President costing them their seats in 2018.
Of course, if Gillespie does win it will be by riding a very Trumpian message. So....
-- Chris | |  | | Photo courtesy: Screenshot/Taylor Lorenz/Twitter | | | BEST IDEA EVER: Sen. Thom Tillis hosted a Senate dog costume celebration on Halloween (!). The North Carolina Republican first tweeted about the party last week, when he wrote: "Rumors circulating that I'm hosting a bipartisan Senate Halloween dog costume celebration. Not rumors. It's happening. #bipawtisanship." | | Speaking of Halloween, Hillary Clinton had a costume in mind. During her book tour stop in Chicago on Monday night, author Cheryl Strayed asked the former Democratic presidential nominee what she may dress as for the holiday.
"Oh well, I have to start thinking about it ... I think I will maybe come as the president," Clinton joked.
"I think that's a great idea," Strayed replied. | | CALLING ALL POINT READERS | | | Did you rep a political costume this year? If yes, tell us about it! Email us: chris.cillizza@cnn.com and saba.hamedy@cnn.com. | | The White House released the official portraits of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday, CNN's Elizabeth Landers and Kate Bennett reported.
"The portraits, in which both men are smiling, were commissioned by the US Government Publishing Office and will be distributed throughout the country to federal buildings, according to a release from the White House," per Liz and Kate's article. | | NOT MUCH MORE FROM ROY MOORE | | Roy Moore -- the Republican nominee in Alabama's Senate election -- attended the Senate GOP lunch on Tuesday. After leaving, he did a brief off-camera gaggle with reporters.
Here's a transcript of some of what he said, per CNN's Ted Barrett:
Question: Do you still think Keith Ellison shouldn't be a member of Congress?
Moore: "I'm going to address that later."
When?
Moore: "When I have time. … I'll address that with the people I'm talking to now."
Are you addressing that with your colleagues because some have raised concerns about those comments?
Moore: "Then I'm addressing them, yes."
Do you still believe that homosexual actions should be illegal?
Moore: "I'm not answering any questions on the issues right now."
How was your meeting in there?
Moore: "It was very fine. Oh, I'm going the wrong way."
Do you still want McConnell removed as majority leader?
Moore: "We didn't talk about that."
You still support him as majority leader?
Moore: "I'm not going to give you an opinion on that right now."
Read more in CNN's article by Ted, Eli Watkins and Sunlen Serfaty. | | | Halloween festivities at the White House on Monday produced many GIF-worthy moments, including the one above. Happy Halloween! Don't ghost us -- tell your friends and family members to subscribe to The Point. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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