The fight over Confederate statues may cost Ed Gillespie the governor's race

“Gillespie is cornered by the inherent contradictions of the current GOP coalition,” Sabato explained. “The Trump base wants red meat, preferably Trump steaks cooked rare. They buy all this malarkey. Corey Stewart’s followers, who nearly upset Gillespie in the primary, still have to be won over.

“At the same time, Gillespie has to appear moderate and polished enough to cut into the growing Democratic margins in Northern Virginia and other urban-suburban parts of the state. Very, very tough to do.”