Gov. Glenn Youngkin offered a vision of “hope and optimism” when he was sworn in as the 74th governor of Virginia on Saturday.
While acknowledging the state has struggled with the fallout from inflation, COVID-19 lockdowns, remote learning, attacks on the police, and bitter political divisions, Youngkin said that he is committed to tackling these problems and serving all Virginians as the dawn of “a new and better day” crests over the commonwealth.
“My fellow Virginians, the spirit of Virginia is alive and well. And together, we will strengthen it,” he said. “Together, we’ll renew the promise of Virginia so it will be the best place to live, work, and raise a family. No matter who you voted for, I pledge to be your advocate, your voice, your governor.”
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Youngkin, 55, analogized Virginians as being on a boat together in charting a path for the commonwealth to “set sail to.” His vision focused on expanding opportunities and personal freedoms in the state while applauding healthcare workers, truckers, grocery workers, and others who stepped up to meet the challenges the state faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our politics have become too toxic. Sound bites have replaced solutions — taking precedence over good-faith problem-solving. … Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the ability to show respect to one another. To disagree without being disagreeable,” he said. “We are one Virginia. We are all sailing in the same boat. … What we can do together is truly limitless.”
But the new governor argued the state had many obstacles to tackle in order to realize his vision. He took aim at local officials who attempted to “silence” and ignore the wishes of parents, saying that parents should have a say in what is taught in their children’s schools. Despite some schools throughout the country retreating to online instruction, Youngkin committed to ensuring that children would be able to stay in school five days a week, saying that parents should not have to juggle “their homes becoming job sites and virtual classrooms overnight.”
Youngkin also pledged to address the rising cost of living in the state, suggesting that the combination of COVID-19 education concerns and rising inflation has squeezed middle-class families during recent months.
“This moment of hardship has been compounded by economic factors. Inflation and supply chain failures. Rising grocery, gas, and utility bills. As well, higher taxes and stagnant growth,” he said.
Youngkin said he would eliminate the state’s grocery tax, double the standard deduction on income taxes, rein in property taxes, and put a yearlong suspension on a recent gasoline tax increase in the state. The former private equity executive added that he would enact business-friendly reforms, such as regulatory reductions and new job training investments to boost middle-class incomes in the state.
The governor argued the diversity of the commonwealth’s new slate of leadership made himself, the lieutenant governor, and the attorney general well positioned to tackle these obstacles, applauding the inaugurations of Winsome Sears as the first black female lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares as the first Hispanic attorney general in the history of Virginia.
“The people of Virginia just elected the most diverse leadership in commonwealth history. Sending a message that Virginia is big enough for the hopes and dreams of a diverse people,” Youngkin said in his speech. “If someone tells you there are no heroes anymore — tell them to come to Virginia.”
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Republicans achieved significant victories in the Virginia election last November, winning the governor’s office, the lieutenant governor’s office, and the attorney general’s office in history-making contests, all offices that had been controlled by the Democrats. They also flipped the House of Delegates, where Democrats had enjoyed a majority.
Youngkin, previously the co-CEO of the Carlyle Group private equity firm, is the first Republican to be sworn in as the governor of the commonwealth since 2010, succeeding Democrat Ralph Northam after winning an upset victory against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe last November.
