Virginia’s GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin ‘considers re-entering 2024 race a month after quitting’

Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin changes his mind about running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination just three weeks after he claimed to have shelved plans for a presidential run.

The GOP lawman is seen as a rising star in the Republican party following his surprise gubernatorial victory in the formerly blue state in 2021.

However, following Donald Trump’s rise in the polls following his indictment as a New York bombshell, and an expected 2024 announcement from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the coming days, Youngkin had decided not to throw his hat in the ring. .

Early this month, Youngkin claimed he was pulling out of the race due to polls pointing to former President Trump’s growing popularity, but recent developments have prompted him to reassess his position.

The change of heart is significant because the 56-year-old Youngkin, who won Virginia governorship in 2021 by defeating Terry McAuliffe, could become a prominent figure in the Republican Party’s future.

While aligning himself with Christian and conservative values, Youngkin doesn’t embrace the same Trump-style approach as many current GOP leaders.

In April, he told advisers and fundraisers that he was taking the breaks to run for the White House, focusing instead on red-edging the Virginia legislature in the upcoming state election in the fall.

“Listen, I haven’t written a book and I’m not in Iowa or New Hampshire or South Carolina,” he said. “I’m completely focused on the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

But he now believes the situation has changed with recent challenges from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to announce his own presidential candidacy later this week.

Sources indicate that influential GOP donors, hesitant to support Trump but also concerned about DeSantis, are urging Youngkin to enter the 2024 race.

A source close to Youngkin has confirmed that he is reconsidering and will take a separate position in the field, as he is neither an ardent Trump supporter nor a Trump critic.

Discussions about Youngkin’s possible entry into the presidential race are reportedly taking place among reports from Virginia GOP strategists Avios.

‘He’s thinking. He would be in his own job: he’s not Trump never, and he’s not Trump light,” a source said.

Last week, Youngkin’s team released a video that hinted at a bigger announcement.

It’s time to usher in a new era of American values. It’s our turn to choose life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness.’

Youngkins’ entry into the race may be late because of the high stakes of the state’s legislative races in November, where all 140 seats in the legislature are up for grabs.

Youngkin said taking control of Virginia’s state congress “is all about this year.”

Complete control of the legislature, which is currently under Democratic control in the Senate, while Republicans hold a narrow four-seat majority in the House, would give Youngkin more opportunity to push through conservative policies and build a national profile, as DeSantis did in Florida.

However, he has previously expressed his intent to capitalize on issues underlying DeSantis’ potential campaign, including signing a bill that would give parents a veto over books placed in classrooms.

It could mean Youngkin’s official announcement won’t come until after those races are over.

“If the guy turns any chairs at all, that’s proof that his political machine is ready to go,” a source said.

As governor of Virginia, only a single four-year term is allowed, with consecutive terms prohibited.

It would mean Youngkin spent the last year of his term campaigning in primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire instead of serving the needs of Virginians.

The hedge fund manager-turned-Virginia governor stormed to a surprise victory over Terry McAuliffe two years ago after a fierce campaign focused on many of the “culture war” issues expected to dominate the upcoming presidential race.

But his championing of parents’ rights and education has since been co-opted by DeSantis, who boasts a more impressive record in Florida than Youngkin in Virginia.

Early in his gubernatorial race, Youngkin embraced the false allegations of election fraud.

He was endorsed by Trump after winning the gubernatorial nomination at the party convention and praised the ex-president. Youngkin mostly avoided references to the former president after that.

Since then, Trump has sporadically targeted Youngkin as he fends off a handful of 2024 challengers.

In November, Trump spelled the governor’s name “Young Kin” and added a racial slur.

“Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?”

Trump insisted that Youngkin won his gubernatorial race only because of his endorsement.

“I backed him, ran a really big Trump Rally for him over the phone, got MAGA to vote for him — otherwise he couldn’t have come close to winning,” the former president said. “But he knows and admits it.”

“Plus, he’s having a hard time with the Dems in Virginia—but he’ll pull it off!” Trump also said, seemingly still supporting Youngkin simply because he is a Republican.

Some Republican strategists have suggested that strategically, the 2028 race represents a better chance for Youngkin to enter.

In a heated race in which DeSantis is expected to be at the center of a political slugfest with Donald Trump, it appears several other potential candidates have decided to forego their own runs.

Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also announced he would not be participating in the race.

Following Donald Trump’s recent indictment over allegations related to a 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, he has seen a noticeable increase in support for his comeback bid for the White House.

According to Politico, Trump’s campaign and fundraising committees raised more than $15 million in the wake of the indictment.