Nobody had a better night than Glenn Youngkin
Tiana Lowe Doescher
Video Embed
After a disappointing turnout for national Republicans in the last election, Glenn Youngkin led the Virginia GOP to a clean sweep on Tuesday night. That’s a sentence that was as true in the state primaries tonight as it was when Youngkin shocked the state with his gubernatorial nomination and then when he shocked the nation with his victory.
Of the 19 candidates Youngkin nominated in the state’s legislative races, every single one, including those in the ten tightest primaries, won. Crucially, the kookiest conservatives in swing Senate districts lost to Youngkin’s picks. The odds have never been better that Youngkin will secure a second term of House of Delegates control and flip the state Senate.
SWEETHEART HUNTER PLEA IS A GIFT TO BIDEN AND TRUMP
Meanwhile, the Democrats expelled their last remaining pro-life state senator and reelected their most pro-crime prosecutors. Although it would have seemed impossible just five years ago, when the Virginia GOP was in tatters, Republicans are close to capturing complete control of the state government.
And it’s mostly, if not all, because of Youngkin.
Through sheer competence and positivity of vision, Youngkin has expanded his two-point victory over Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe in 2021 into a 24-point net approval rating. While the commentariat widely assumed Youngkin was using glossy advertisements and his freshly-fueled PAC to pump up his presidential prospects, the governor decided against a White House run, instead using the publicity and momentum to shape his state’s Republican Party.
Youngkin didn’t just select the candidates most likely to secure GOP control of the state government. He also chose foot soldiers who will be loyal to his agenda. While Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has been able to boast his record, he inherited a state under Republican control and progress for years. A ruby red state government will have the opportunity to achieve a legislative revolution should Youngkin succeed come November.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Politico seems to believe that Youngkin’s careful rhetoric that he won’t run for the presidency this year means that the former private equity manager will simply use his state successes to mount an eleventh-hour POTUS run, should frontrunners Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis immolate themselves and the rest of the debate stage.
But Youngkin, who is only 56, may have a more precise target than a longshot bid for maybe four years as president: that is, challenging incumbent Tim Kaine to score six years in the U.S. Senate.