If it wasn't for the blackface photo, Northam would be seen as one of the best governors in America.
Meh. Northam is simply picking the low hanging fruit that is available when your party has been locked out of the trifecta for a decade-plus (and the demands of your base have shifted rapidly). He has some good wins but his record is inflated here.
Besides, even if he didn't shred his reputation with the blackface story, his hostility to repealing RTW disqualifies him from being one of the elite Democratic governors.