In the aftermath of Tuesday’s off-off year election, Democrats today may party like it’s 2018, because it kind of is. The gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey were an abridged rerun of the disappointing off-year congressional election defeat Republicans suffered in the president’s first term.

Same top issue — the economy. Same GOP messaging — immigration and social issues. Same results among independents and women — a bad night for Republicans.

Just as in 2018, the economy and kitchen-table issues drove the vote, and not in the direction of Republicans.

The conventional wisdom going in was that Democrats would win both governorships given their blue-state status, the candidates’ anti-Trump strategy, and the new “it” word, “affordability,” dominating the Democrats’ messagin

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