By Eric Bradner, Eva McKend, CNNChantilly, Virginia (CNN) — The federal government shutdown — and the escalating battle over which party bears the most blame — has injected a major new question mark into the governor’s race in Virginia, home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Along with the New Jersey governor’s race, it represents a critical gauge of the nation’s political mood one year into Donald Trump’s presidency. The state is home to more than 300,000 federal workers — more than any other state but Maryland. Once a Republican-leaning state, Virginia now favors Democrats in presidential elections but remains competitive, as Republican Gov. However, he said, the shutdown didn’t change his opinion on the governor’s race.