RICHMOND, Va — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has used his first two weeks in office to push Virginia firmly to the right.
He's attempting a dramatic political shift deep in once reliably Democratic territory and potentially blazing a trail other conservatives could follow in similarly blue-leaning states.
Virginia's state’s whiplash has been acute. Republicans hadn’t won statewide office since 2009 before Youngkin’s upset victory, which was only by two percentage points.
Democrats argue Virginians don’t want Youngkin hustling to impose a broad conservative agenda on a state that is far from deeply red.
They say that's especially given that its population growth has been driven by heavily Democratic suburbs around Washington.
