Early voting begins Friday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

Political pundits will be reading the tea leaves to determine whether Democrats are gaining momentum, one year removed from their overwhelming defeat in last year’s presidential election and one year ahead of the midterms they hope to win to regain control in Congress.

The main event is the race for governor, which has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The other major statewide offices of lieutenant governor and attorney general are also up for grabs.

All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not conte

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