Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Wednesday that he’s “not going anywhere” and remains focused on the state, indicating that he will not be a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
Youngkin has long left wiggle room in his answers to questions about the 2024 election, even as filing deadlines and other logistical hurdles made the idea of a late presidential bid seem unlikely. Even so, some supporters have long remained interested in the idea of him joining the GOP primary field.
But jumping in now would mean going back on his statement that he’s staying focused on his state.
Youngkin brushed off a direct question about the 2024 race by noting that he’s not on the ballot in the early primary states as he spoke at a post-election press conference. Youngkin said he was “disappointed” in the state legislative results that saw Democrats keep the state Senate and flip the state House on Tuesday, despite a big Republican push for complete control of Virginia state government.
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“This was a razor-thin set of decisions on both sides in a number of these races, and it underpins the fact that Virginia is a state that has historically moved back and forth,” Youngkin said.
Virginia Republicans, led by Youngkin, competed to take over the legislature for the final two years of Youngkin’s term and win the ability to push their legislative proposals. That included a proposed restriction on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. But Democrats campaigned hard against the plan and won key swing seats using that message.
“Abortion is potentially one of the most difficult topics in Virginia and the nation,” Youngkin said, adding: “I do believe there is a place we can come together, common ground. This is difficult. I’m hopeful that the dialogue we’ve started can continue.”
