People kept saying these bland centrists are unelectable. Perriello was the better & stronger candidate.
Primaries in Virginia are open -- independents can vote. Given how strongly the Virginia Democrats rejected Perriello, and since that vote was open to independents (if it was closed, then Perriello might be less popular with Dems but more popular than Northam overall), I have doubts about that.
Plus, if Gillespie is making inroads based on MS-13 against Ralph "Eastern Shore native, VMI graduate, Army veteran, and pediatric neurologist" Northam, I can't imagine Perriello responding better.
