First, the Latino Victory Fund ad backfired spectacularly, and it appears to have unified and energized Republican voters, who understandably don’t appreciate being called racist for supporting Gillespie or the most basic immigration-enforcement measures (e.g., a ban on sanctuary cities).

Second, Northam has buckled on the sanctuary-city ban, a remarkable turn-about on a signature issue in the race; it suggests Northam has belatedly realized that the Left’s extremism on immigration — the view that any enforcement is tantamount to racism — is electorally risky, even in a race where Democrats should have all the structural advantages (an inflamed base and an unpopular president of the other party in the White House).