Governor Glenn Youngkin declared in an interview that “Virginia is in play” for former President Donald Trump, following President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance on Thursday.
Youngkin said of the Thursday debate during his Friday morning “Fox & Friends” appearance, “America saw, it was on display, strength versus weakness.”
The governor explained, “The president coming to Virginia today, I think, is reflective of the fact that Virginia is in play. Just four years ago, Joe Biden did win Virginia by 10 points, and again, Virginians are ready for strength. I’m so happy [President Trump] ] is coming.”
“The president coming to Virginia today, I think, is reflective of the fact that Virginia is in play. Just four years ago, Joe Biden did win Virginia by 10 points, and again, Virginians are ready for strength. I’m so happy [President Trump] ] is coming.” — Governor @GlennYoungkin pic.twitter.com/CF9ZjUQ8lX
— Team Youngkin – Spirit of Virginia (@TeamYoungkin) June 28, 2024
The governor argued, “I think this is why Virginia’s in play. This is why the president’s here today, because Virginia’s in play.”
He explained, “I hear it all over Virginia. People want strength back in the White House. They want a strong America, and that’s what Donald Trump displayed last night.”
Youngkin later spoke at a Trump rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, where the governor made the case that Trump represents strength.
The governor said, “We want a strong America, not a weak America, and Virginians know what a strong America looks like.”
Youngkin continued, “A strong America has the world’s strongest economy, a strong America has energy independence; we use our American resources to have energy dominance around the globe; a strong America understands that we back the blue and we stand for law enforcement; a strong America knows that we must have President Trump stand up to the Chinese Communist Party and be respected around the world — that is a strong America.”
Governor @GlennYoungkin: “We want a strong America, not a weak America, and Virginians know what a strong America looks like. A strong America has the world’s strongest economy, a strong America has energy independence; we use our American resources to have energy dominance… pic.twitter.com/UWmVvseSPb
— Team Youngkin – Spirit of Virginia (@TeamYoungkin) June 28, 2024
The governor also said Virginia could be crucial to securing an electoral victory over Biden in November.
“All roads do lead through Hampton Roads, and Joe Biden’s road to retirement is going right through Hampton Roads,” said Youngkin. “It is time to elect strength back into the White House.”
Virginia Gov. @GlennYoungkin: "All roads do lead through Hampton Roads, and Joe Biden's road to retirement is going right through Hampton Roads…it is time to elect strength back into the White House…let's join together and welcome the next President…Donald J. Trump." pic.twitter.com/Fro6dwErF9
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) June 28, 2024
Youngkin was previously reticent to support Trump until he became the Republican Party nominee, stating last December that there were “a lot of good candidates in the race” and he intended “to let Virginians choose their candidate.”
Trump and Youngkin met for the first time on June 13 and reportedly spoke about the possibility of Virginia voting Republican in November for the first time since 2004. The Real Clear Polling average shows Trump and Biden were tied in two recent polls, and Biden enjoys only a 2.2 percent advantage in its polling average despite Biden winning the commonwealth by more than 450,000 votes in 2020.
Youngkin endorsed Trump on March 6, after Trump became the presumptive Republican Party nominee.
More recently, there have been conflicting reports about whether Youngkin is being considered to run as Trump’s vice president.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Glenn Youngkin” by Glenn Youngkin.
