Trump plans huge rally in Virginia as his support grows in state Biden won by 10 points… and sparks VP rumors with Republican guest once pushed to be his replacement
Former President Donald Trump is expected to hold a major rally in Virginia on Friday, the day after he meets President Joe Biden on the debate stage for the first time in the 2024 cycle.
The move is intended to convey confidence, as Biden defeated Trump in Virginia in 2020 by 10.2 points, while Trump now appears to be within striking distance.
It also fuels the VP rumors, as Trump will reportedly be joined by Virginia’s popular Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin – who was once pressured by some Republican donors to run against Trump during the Republican Party primaries in 2024 – an opportunity the first-term governor turned down.
CBS News first reported this the Friday rally, as the Trump campaign aims to hold it in the Virginia Beach or Chesapeake area, which has a large military population.
Trump held a successful rally on the sand in a blue-leaning state last month, bringing tens of thousands of people to the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey.
Former President Donald Trump is expected to hold a large rally in Virginia next Friday after his first general election debate against President Joe Biden.
He is expected to bring along Virginia’s popular Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin. Some Republican donors wanted Youngkin to run against Trump in the 2024 Republican primaries
Biden defeated Trump in New Jersey by nearly 16 points — but Wildwood is also in the all-important Philadelphia media market.
Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick as part of next month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He’s been teasing potential candidates to the MAGA crowd for weeks.
In Wildwood, Trump brought along North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who is reportedly on the shortlist.
Last Friday, Florida Senator Marco Rubio opened up to Trump at his birthday event in West Palm Beach, where another vice presidential hopeful, Representative Byron Donalds, also spoke.
Politico reported this earlier this month that the Trump campaign vetted eight VP candidates — Rubio, Donalds, Burgum and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, New York Representative Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton and former HUD Director, Dr. Ben Carson.
But Trump’s reported participation of Youngkin at next Friday’s rally suggests the Virginia governor may also be in the running.
The Trump campaign is considering holding a rally in Virginia Beach. Trump held a successful oceanfront rally last month — also in a blue-leaning state — in Wildwood, New Jersey
The two Republicans met for the first time last week Trump National Golf Club in Loudon County, Virginia.
DailyMail.com was told by a source in the know that Trump and Youngkin were not discussing the veepstakes, but instead how Trump could swing Virginia toward the Republican column.
Youngkin successfully won the governorship of Virginia in 2021 over the state’s former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
Trump and Youngkin are likely to meet again on Saturday, when they will both appear at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Conference 2024, taking place at the Washington Hilton.
The former president was confirmed as speaker on Thursday.
Youngkin has a first as the final speaker of the Saturday morning program.
The conference is a large gathering of evangelical Christian voters.
Although Trump’s post-debate rally in Virginia has not yet been officially announced, President Joe Biden has signaled what he plans to do after the contenders face off on the debate stage in Atlanta on Thursday evening.
The White House said Friday that the president and first lady will go to New York City next Friday for a campaign event and fundraiser.
On Saturday they’ll head to the Hamptons for more fundraising, and to Red Bank, New Jersey.