Today, the Christie-McDonnell narrative has been revised in a way no one could have foreseen as recently as a year ago. Christie appears headed towards an easy re-election on Nov. 5, and he is among the best-known Republicans expected to run for president in 2016. But McDonnell, who under Virginia law cannot succeed himself, will leave office in January stained by a scandal that threatens to derail his 22-year political career. “It’s clear one is moving forward and one is going nowhere,” said Larry Sabato, a longtime political analyst and University of Virginia professor.