The gubernatorial races next week in Virginia and New Jersey will offer the best measure yet of whether the Democratic Party has begun to reverse its losses among two key groups: prosperous suburbanites and economically strained racial minorities. Both groups shifted enough toward President Donald Trump and the GOP last year to help propel Republicans to total control of the federal government.

Democratic gubernatorial nominees Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey appear on track to counter Trump’s inroads in upscale suburbs. That alone makes both women — especially Spanberger — the favorites in states that house large numbers of college graduates (and also usually elect governors from the party that’s out of the White House).

Less clear is whether either woman

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