The US Capitol building is seen in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images Chantilly, Virginia —

The federal government shutdown — and the escalating battle over which party bears the most blame — has injected a major new question mark into the governor’s race in Virginia, home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

Early voting is already underway in the race between Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Along with the New Jersey governor’s race, it represents a critical gauge of the nation’s political mood one year into Donald Trump’s presidency.

The state is home to more than 300,000 federal workers — more than any other state but Maryland. That reality means anxiety over government shutdowns and t

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