Youngkin adviser swats new report of governor considering 2024 bid: ‘Focused on Virginia’
Julia Johnson
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A senior adviser to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) swatted down speculation on Tuesday that the governor was reconsidering a presidential run in 2024.
A report on Monday indicated that the Virginia Republican was thinking about joining the race after he initially planned to stay out of it.
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However, Dave Rexrode, a senior adviser to Youngkin and the chairman of the pro-Youngkin Spirit of Virginia PAC, steered readers away from the report on Tuesday.
“Governor @GlennYoungkin is focused on Virginia. Anyone who anonymously says otherwise probably isn’t as close to the Governor as they want people to think,” he tweeted.
https://twitter.com/DRexrode/status/1660988020596588547
Rexrode didn’t say that Youngkin wouldn’t be running in 2024. Instead, he claimed the governor was “focused on Virginia.”
In the report from Axios alleging Youngkin’s renewed interest, donors, GOP strategists, an aide, and a source “close to Youngkin” are cited.
“He’s reconsidering,” a source close to the governor reportedly said. “He’d be in his own lane: He’s not never-Trump, and he’s not Trump-light.”
Youngkin supposedly did not plan to enter the race at first due to former President Donald Trump’s strong poll numbers. Now, as some Republican donors are showing concern over Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) ability to defeat Trump, Youngkin is reportedly reconsidering a bid.
The Virginia governor has left many confused as he claims to be focused on the state but avoids outright denying reports that he will be running in 2024.
Asked earlier this month if he would be hitting the campaign trail this year, Youngkin said, “No.”
“I’m going to be working in Virginia this year,” he added. He didn’t say anything about next year, though.
The governor also sparked speculation when he released a new ad last week that referenced former President Ronald Reagan and his famous “A Time for Choosing” speech.
https://twitter.com/GlennYoungkin/status/1659167200316407808?s=20
The campaign-style video came after Youngkin delivered an early May speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, seized on the Monday report as an opportunity to take a shot at DeSantis.
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“Ron DeSantis’s failed shadow campaign has opened the floodgates for career politicians looking to seize an opportunity to raise their profile ahead of the 2028 race,” CEO Taylor Budowich said. “Tim Scott’s entrance, and aggressive media purchase, doesn’t only kneecap DeSantis, but Scott sees the same thing as Youngkin, Sununu, Burgum, Christie, and others: The path to 2nd place is wide open.”
“They smell Ron DeSantis’s blood in the water and no longer see him as an obstacle,” Budowich continued.