RICHMOND, Va. — In his quest for a second term as Virginia governor, Terry McAuliffe is heading into next week's five-way Democratic primary with an undeniable lead in public polling, name recognition, endorsements and money.
But the question facing voters in the primary election is whether the political veteran with decades of experience is the right man for the moment in a state and nation deeply divided and in the throes of unsettling change.
McAuliffe's two leading primary opponents are a well-respected veteran state senator and an energetic former state delegate both looking for a shot to become the nation's first Black woman governor who has made the argument McAuliffe won't inspire in the fall.