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That strong breeze you’re feeling today comes from the collective sigh of relief that this year’s campaign season has finally come to a close. Few residents of the Old Dominion will miss the sometimes nasty tone of the statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

The mud-wrestling made for an even more lamentable spectacle in light of the candidates’ otherwise strong qualifications. That holds particularly true in the race for governor. Both Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie have the experience and knowledge to take the helm of state government. Northam comes across as gentle and kind, which is only fitting given his private-sector job as a pediatric neurologist. Gillespie has mastered public policy in both range and depth, to a degree few other candidates in recent memory — except perhaps Sen. Tim Kaine — have.

The contest for lieutenant governor pits a sharp but not-yet-ready Democrat, Justin Fairfax, against a seasoned Republican maverick, Jill Vogel. Fairfax’s down-the-line support for liberal positions contrasts poorly with Vogel’s less reflexive approach; she has broken with the GOP on several issues, from gay rights to redistricting.