Virginia has had Democrats as Governor’s before and NJ has had Republicans for quite a while over the years. Christine Todd Whitman was Governor for at least two terms. It doesn’t really surprise me much. New Jersey must be getting the conservatives now and Virginia getting the liberals. The states ALWAYS have changed political parties. California used to be Republican and deep red and Texas used to be deep blue and today they are opposite. States seem to go back and forth every now and again.
Don’t just look at party affiliation. Look at the political philosophies of the leadership. Texas was a heavily Democratic state when Democrats were much more conservative. It was “blue” in name but “light red” in its politics. It will turn back to “blue” in both name and politics once it gets filled with all the people who relocate there from the places they’ve ruined already (like California).
Political parties change stripes as well dear
Southern democrats...vile as I’m sure you consider them.....were never cultural liberals.....not till after the grand switch
John Stennis .....Strom......Eastland...... all culture righties
Whereas northern GOP was mostly moderate to liberal
Reagan...Goldwater and Buckley were all ostracized as too conservative for mainstream GOP
Much like tea party is now by GOPe and FOX
New Jersey is not going conservative....Christie is a triangulating moderate
Virginia is....alas...going blue..... govt workers and northerners have killed it
The new Florida