RICHMOND, Va. -- Keen political observers pointed out over the weekend that one of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s first major political speeches outside the state came at the Nebraska GOP Convention. The deep red state borders Iowa, with their first in the Presidential race caucuses.
The speech and Youngkin’s growing national GOP profile have many political observers speculating Youngkin may attempt to seek the 2024 GOP Presidential nomination. Youngkin has denied it.
During his speech, Youngkin expressed his support for the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, what he called federal government overreach into American life and his election victory in 2021. The Republican won Virginia’s governorship after eight years of gains made by Democrats in the Commonwealth.
“Friends, the cradle of democracy had moved a long way. But Virginians stood up and said ‘no!’” Youngkin told Nebraska Republicans.
On Face the Nation on CBS Sunday morning, host Robert Costa directly asked Youngkin if he’s open to exploring the presidential path in 2024.
“My job is to be a great governor in Virginia,” Youngkin said.
“But are you open to considering, along with your family, the idea of a presidential run in 2024?” Costs asked.
“That’s not a decision that we have even begun to undertake,” Youngkin said while also speaking about some of the early accomplishments he sees during his six months in office.
Longtime political analysts said it would make sense that Youngkin explore national prospects, even though he just took office in January.
“His election, by ending eight years of Democratic dominance in Virginia, was seen as a huge victory for Republicans not only here in the Commonwealth but nationwide he was seen as a model for how Republicans might run in an era after Donald Trump,” said CBS 6 Political Analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth.
“He’s a new face, he’s an outsider, he’s a new model. He can appeal to the Trump base but still can win suburbanites over that’s what I think his consultants and Youngkin himself probably are looking at to say that might be lane I might be able to run in,” Holsworth continued.
Youngkin’s critics have pounced upon at least one of Youngkin’s perceived weaknesses during the nomination process: the timing of when he would have to announce his candidacy during the course of his gubernatorial term.
“He’s going to be forced by the GOP’s timetable to announce that would really terrible for him in Virginia. He would have to do it during maybe a legislative session. He would have before he was in office even two years,” Holsworth said.
If Youngkin does not in fact throw his name in the GOP nomination field, Holsworth said he expects the eventual winner would consider Youngkin as a potential running mate if Youngkin continues growing his national political footprint.
In recent political history, sitting Governors from Doug Wilder to Bob McDonnell and beyond have flirted with the national office.
“Virginia has been a very competitive state in a number of national elections. And then beyond that, so much of the national media live around here. So, they’re watching the Virginia Governor probably even more carefully than they are some governors out in the heartland,” Holsworth said.
