Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin refused to rule out throwing his hat into the ring for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination on Sunday.
Youngkin appeared on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream and repeatedly dodged questions about whether he had shut the door on a presidential run. Youngkin deflected by saying he was focused on the Virginia state assembly election slated for this fall.
“You can’t run again for governor in Virginia. What are you thinking about in 2024? Are you definitively ruling it in or out?” Bream asked.
“Shannon, I’ve been really clear. I’ve been so focused on 2023. It’s the most important election in the nation in my view,” Youngkin responded. “We have a chance to demonstrate that common sense conservative policies can, in fact, result in great outcomes.”
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Youngkin went on to tout his administration’s accomplishments, highlighting his education policies and Virginia’s strong economy.
“That sounds like a stump speech,” Bream said. “Any chance you would take those skills toward running in 2024 for the presidency?”
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“As I’ve said, I’m not in Iowa at the state fair, I was actually at the Rockingham County fair,” Youngkin said. “I’m campaigning in Virginia for Virginians, not around the country.”
“Ok, I will leave that as the door still seems like there might be a little crack open there,” Bream finished.
If Youngkin does announce a presidential campaign, he would be joining an already stacked field of candidates trailing distantly behind former President Donald Trump.
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Trump has maintained a commanding lead in polls throughout the Republican primary. While the criminal indictments against him threaten to tank his campaign, they also have resulted in major support from Republicans. Trump received a surge in donations after each indictment announcement this year.
Earlier in his “Fox News Sunday” appearance, Youngkin emphasized the importance of his education policies as children across the country recover from the “catastrophic learning loss” of the pandemic.
The governor also stated that parents must remain the ultimate authority when it comes to their children’s education.
Youngkin’s administration is currently cracking down on Virginia public schools that refuse to adequately enforce reforms requiring that parents be informed if their child expresses any gender confusion at school.