Now that businessman Glenn Youngkin has secured the Republican nomination for governor, Democrats and Republicans are both trying to create a narrative around a candidate many voters have never heard of.
Democrats want Donald Trump to be on the ballot again this year, and they're doing everything they can to tie the former president to the newly minted Republican nominee for governor, Glenn Youngkin. The Democratic Party has even launched a tour of the commonwealth. They're calling it the “Where Trump Leads, Glenn Follows” Tour.
House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn launched the strategy a stop in Alexandria. “The first thing that he did was he secured, Glenn Youngkin secured the nomination of Donald Trump. He is just like Donald Trump. He will stand for the same policies and same initiatives that Donald Trump has stood for."
Because Republicans have already selected their candidate while Democrats are still fighting each other ahead of a June primary, they'll get a one-month head start in crafting general election strategy.
But labor leader David Broder predicts it won't help Youngkin. "I think they could have an extra year and still not be able to convince voters. They're wrong on the issues, raising the minimum wage, expanding health care, ensuring everyone can vote. These are overwhelmingly supported by Virginia voters, and it doesn't matter that Glenn Youngkin's got an extra month.”
Trump lost Virginia twice, and the era of Trump helped Democrats win control of all statewide offices and the General Assembly. Clearly Democrats want to tie Trump and Younkin together in the minds of voters, but with Trump no longer in office, that might be harder to do.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.