Democrats are buoyant about their Tuesday night election showing, and why not? They handed Republicans another drubbing with their twin issue set of abortion rights and fear and loathing of the MAGAGOP. Republicans have a brand perception problem.

Start in Virginia, where Democrats picked up the state House of Delegates and held control of the state Senate. GOP gains in the Legislature were always going to be a tall order two years into Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term when incumbent parties typically lose seats. President Biden won the state by 10 points and congressional Democrats in 2022 carried all seven of the state Senate’s swing districts.