Glenn Youngkin is buttoned-up, sly Trumpism. That's why it's so terrifying if he wins.

by Zeeshan Aleem

Virginia voters haven’t elected a Republican to a statewide office since 2009, but voters in the state go to the polls today with Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin slightly ahead in the polls and looking to end the GOP’s 12-year losing streak.

But what happens in Virginia today could have implications for electoral politics across the country, Zeeshan Aleem writes. A Youngkin victory would serve as a “new playbook,” Aleem writes, because it “would signal the uncomfortable truth that Republican candidates can find ways to make Trumpism appear more moderate and respectable even in states that turned their back on Trump.”

Read Zeeshan Aleem's full analysis here and don't forget to check out the rest of your Monday MSNBC Daily.

Election Night is hours away. Steve Kornacki will break down live results of key races happening across the country, including the close Virginia governor's race.

Watch MSNBC's special coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET. And stream the Kornacki Cam nonstop at MSNBC.com.

How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this all happening? Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night every week on his podcast, aptly titled, "Why Is This Happening?"

In the newest episode, Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton joins Chris to talk about how she went from being a registered nurse and local activist to a politician. She was thrust into the national spotlight when she defeated four-term incumbent Byron Brown in the June primary. It was an unusual win: Walton had never held elected office, and Brown isn’t letting go of his seat without a fight. Listen to the new episode now.

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