VIENNA, Virginia — Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has tried to take full advantage of the monthslong head start he had over his still yet to be determined Democratic opponent to define who he is and what his campaign is about.
Since late January, the Youngkin campaign broadcast two separate political ads introducing the first-time candidate to Old Dominion voters.
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS TOUT DIVERSE TICKET AHEAD OF STATEWIDE ELECTIONS
While the first ad, which still airs in the commonwealth, has Youngkin describing his upbringing, his job “flipping eggs” to help his father following a job loss, as well his business background, his post-primary ad that launched on May 13 is far more aggressive.
Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic front-runner in the yet to be decided Democratic primary race, gets a mention in the Youngkin campaign ad along with outgoing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
“For eight years, we all watched the McAuliffe-Northam political machine drive Virginia into the ditch. My mission as your governor is simple. Make Virginia the best place to secure a job, the best place to start a business, the best place to dream a dream, and then go get it. Over the next few months, we will all come together,” Youngkin says in a voice-over.
Youngkin, who won the Virginia GOP nomination on May 10, introduced himself to commonwealth voters long before he became the Republican nominee.
McAuliffe served as governor before Northam. Virginia law prohibits the state’s governors from serving consecutive terms.
Democrats found themselves shifting campaign strategy after expectations the Virginia Republican Party’s “un-assembled convention” ending in bitter party infighting failed to come to fruition. Instead, Youngkin had a united Republican Party behind him after his nomination, a luxury other recent nominees did not have.
As a result, Virginia Democrats are seeking to attach Youngkin to former President Donald Trump as much as possible. Trump lost the state to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and again to President Joe Biden in 2020.
Calling their campaign the “Where Trump Leads, Glenn Follows” Tour, Democrats such as Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn say that Youngkin “first secured the nomination of Donald Trump. He is just like Donald Trump. He will stand for the same policies and same initiatives that Donald Trump has stood for.”
McAuliffe himself tweets attacks on Youngkin, often referring to Trump.
“No surprise Glenn Youngkin is silent on the January 6 Commission vote today. Glenn will protect his seditionist pals Donald Trump & Ted Cruz at all costs. I called for Trump to be removed from office over the Capitol riots. Meanwhile, Glenn is ‘honored’ to have his endorsement,” McAuliffe tweeted on May 28.
Youngkin shrugged off the criticism, telling the Washington Examiner during an interview, “[McAuliffe] started going after me the day I won the nomination. Virginia Democrats are going to do what the Democrats are doing.”
Youngkin added, “But I think what we’ve been able to do over the course of the last four months is describe a different vision for Virginia than what the Democrats, and, in particular, Terry McAuliffe, stand for.”
The Virginia Republican, who greeted fair-goers at a Memorial Day weekend event on Monday in Vienna, stood before his campaign box truck emblazoned with his name and image. One woman who passed by shouted, “Go, Youngkin!” Immediately thereafter, a young man bellowed, “Go, Trump!”
Trump endorsed Youngkin one day after his nomination, a point Democrats hope Virginia voters unhappy with Trump will hang on to.
Dan, a voter from Alexandria that Youngkin spoke to at his Vienna campaign stop, told the Washington Examiner he is no fan of Trump himself, and if Youngkin ties himself to the former president too much, he could lose independents like him.
“His best thing is that he’s different. He’s a new guy and a new face that no one’s familiar with,” Dan said. “He came across as a regular guy.”
Youngkin, however, said that Trump’s endorsement is simply a sign of party unity.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“What’s happened over the course of the last many months is the Republican Party has come together like never before, and that includes President Trump, and that includes lots of other people who have endorsed me and jumped on board saying, ‘What is a different vision for Virginia?’” Youngkin said.
