Youngkin wins the Republican nomination for governor
An update on Virginia politics
After months of deliberations and anonymous attacks on candidates, Virginia Republicans have a nominee for governor. Glenn Youngkin, a former chief executive at the Carlyle Group will be running as the Republican nominee in a year that has many party strategists hopeful they will be able to win statewide in Virginia for the first time since 2009.
The final decision comes after an entire day of counting votes in order to narrow the field down from seven candidates to one. Former Roanoke Sheriff Octavia Johnson and Peter Doran were eliminated in the first two rounds with the two combining for half of one point.
Former Trump administration official Sergio de la Pena was eliminated in the third round which left the four candidates that were widely considered to be competitive for the nomination.
The first of the four to fall off the ballot was Kirk Cox, the former Speaker of the House that served as a state delegate for over 31 years representing Colonial Heights. Cox had the inside track and framed his campaign around the fact that he could actually win in November. But campaigning for November may have been Cox’s downfall in this nomination race. Recent polling shows that nearly all Virginia Republicans have a favorable opinion of Trump.
Youngkin, Snyder and Chase all embraced Trump on the campaign trail — though in different degrees. Snyder and Youngkin tried to run on issues like opposing virtual schools, but anonymous attacks from shadow PACs painting the candidates as never-Trumpers essentially forced both candidates to embrace the scandal-ridden former president.
Chase, on the other hand, attended the rally in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 and traveled down to Florida in April to attend an event with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. She calls herself “Trump in Heels” and she has never stated that she believes Joe Biden won the election. Her support throughout the entire campaign process, however, remained steadfast.
Snyder and Chase received the most from de la Pena’s redistributed votes during the fourth round but Youngkin still held a commanding seven-point lead at that point.
Cox was then removed from the ballot for the fifth round and his votes were distributed among the other candidates. Chase was then eliminated in the following round, leaving just Snyder and Youngkin to compete for the nomination.
Snyder was never able to catch up to Youngkin and conceded before the count was finished. “While certainly would have preferred a W, I send my heartfelt congratulations to Glenn Youngkin on a tremendous race + deserved win,” Snyder tweeted. “He + the ticket have my 100% support. Grateful to Burson Snyder + entire team. Love you all + our big family that is the VA GOP.”
Youngkin released a statement shortly after Snyder conceded. “I am prepared to lead, excited to serve and profoundly humbled by the trust the people have placed in me. Virginians have made it clear that they are ready for a political outsider with proven business experience to bring real change in Richmond,” Youngkin said in a tweet. “Let me convey my appreciation to and respect for the other candidates who courageously stepped forward to seek this nomination. Every Republican should be proud that our party inspired such a spirited, diverse and talented field of candidates.”
Rich Anderson, the chair of the Republican Party of Virginia congratulated Youngkin in a statement Sunday night. “Glenn ran a fantastic and flawless campaign, and I look forward to throwing my full support and the full force of the Republican Party of Virginia behind him in the coming months. I eagerly await his election on November 2, 2021, and his inauguration on January 15, 2022.”
The convention process is not over for the party as they still have to count votes for the lieutenant governor race. That will begin Tuesday morning.
Jason Miyares already secured the attorney general nomination on Sunday.
Democrats respond to Youngkin earning the nomination
In response to Glenn Youngkin’s nomination for governor, the Democratic Party of Virginia released the following statement from Chairwoman Susan Swecker:
“In Glenn Youngkin, the Virginia GOP has nominated a far-right extremist who has demonstrated total allegiance to Donald Trump. Throughout this campaign, Youngkin has advanced Trump’s dangerous election conspiracy theories, opposed critical COVID-19 relief for working families and small businesses, and threatened to gut Virginians’ health care.
Virginians have repeatedly rejected Trump’s dangerous extremism — and this November, they will reject Glenn Youngkin too.”
Jennifer Carroll Foy Campaign Statement on Nomination of Glenn Youngkin
“With the nomination of Glenn Youngkin, it’s clear that the Virginia Republican Party has doubled down on the kind of extremism and divisiveness that Virginians reject. The only way to stop the GOP from seizing the Governor’s mansion is to elect a candidate who understands Virginia’s challenges, has a plan to solve them, and will move the Commonwealth into the future. The GOP knows this, which is why they would love nothing more than for Terry McAuliffe to be the Democratic nominee – someone they consider ‘a well-defined candidate who won’t animate the Democratic base.’
“Del. Carroll Foy is the inspiring candidate for Governor who animates the base and will shake up the status quo. Her positive, fresh vision is energizing and exciting the broad, diverse coalition that will help Democrats win the Governor’s mansion and protect and expand the majority in the legislature so that Democrats can deliver real wins for working families. She has won big against Republicans before, and she’s ready to do it again against Glenn Youngkin in November.”
Terry McAuliffe released a statement on the nomination of Glenn Youngkin
“For the past year, Virginians have witnessed Republican candidates fawn all over Donald Trump, parrot his dangerous and racist rhetoric, and fully embrace his extreme, right-wing agenda. Now, Glenn Youngkin has paid enough to purchase the Republican gubernatorial nomination so he can run Donald Trump's dangerous playbook here in Virginia.
"Glenn Youngkin has gone all in on Trump's most dangerous, divisive conspiracy theories, and his extreme social agenda is clear: he wants to make it harder to vote, restrict access to reproductive health care, attack LGBTQ+ rights, and put more dangerous guns on our streets. He opposes President Biden's critical efforts to recover from this pandemic and support working families, and if Glenn had his way, middle class Virginians would face higher taxes and health care costs while he hands giveaways to wealthy Wall Street executives like himself.
"Virginians deserve a governor who will continue to build on the incredible progress our Commonwealth has made over the past eight years. In the face of this COVID crisis, we've got to create good-paying jobs, expand access to health care, give every Virginia child a world-class education, and make it easier, not harder, for people to vote. We can't let an extreme Republican like Glenn Youngkin take us back. I've beaten extreme Republicans like Glenn before, and I'm ready to do it again."
Jennifer McClellan releases a statement about Youngkin earning the nomination
“It’s no surprise that a party that nominated their statewide candidates in a closed-door convention would nominate an candidate with a campaign built on attacking voting rights,” McClellan said. “Glenn Youngkin’s Trump-style politics have no place in the highest office in our Commonwealth. After the generational progress we’ve made in the General Assembly, Virginia cannot move backwards.
“I’m ready to contrast my 15-year record of delivering progress for Virginia with Glenn Youngkin’s plans to undo progress and bring Trumpism to Richmond. Virginia voters want a leader with the experience to build on the progress we’ve made on day one and the perspective to make sure that no community is left behind. That’s why my campaign’s grassroots momentum has grown over every corner of the Commonwealth. I bring the record, vision, and tenacity that will defeat Republican extremism at the ballot box this November.
“Since day one, I’ve spent my career fighting Republican-led efforts to restrict access to voting rights and health care. I’m proud to have carried some of the most consequential legislation reversing GOP-era policies that hurt communities across Virginia, like the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, the bill creating the state health exchange, the Reproductive Health Protection Act in more.
“As Governor, I will protect the progressive change we have achieved over the past few years and usher in a new chapter for Virginia. I’ll take historic action on fully funding Virginia’s education system, making comprehensive reforms to our justice system, rebuilding our economic system to make Virginia number one for both business and workers, and more. It’s time to build a Commonwealth where no community and no Virginian is left behind, and that’s exactly what I’ll do as governor.”
Snyder congratulates Youngkin, pledges 100% support and urges Republicans to unite
Pete Snyder released the following statement congratulating Glenn Youngkin and he urged Republicans to unify in November:
"Burson and I are thankful for the thousands of amazing Virginians we have met during these last few months. All across our Commonwealth, we met Virginians tired of the insanity and parents ready for open schools and for Virginia to lead again.
"While we certainly would have preferred a win tonight, I want to congratulate Glenn Youngkin, his family and his team on a tremendous race and a deserved win. He and the entire Republican ticket will have my full support. Now is the time for our party to unite to help Glenn, Jason and the rest of our ticket win in November.
"Our family is so grateful to our entire campaign team, the incredible friends and supporters who joined us on this adventure, and so many in our conservative movement who helped us along. Burson and I have been in the movement for 25 years, and Virginians can continue to count on us to help advance our cause and our values. Thank you all, and may God bless the Commonwealth of Virginia."
Clean Virginia launches new TV ad supporting Jennifer Carroll Foy
Clean Virginia has endorsed Carroll Foy in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Now they are paying for ads in the Roanoke and Charlottesville TV markets in support of the candidate.
Jay Jones Released a Justice Reform Plan
“I’m running for Attorney General because we’ve made progress in building a more fair and equitable Virginia, but we all know we have not come far enough,” said Delegate Jay Jones. “The vestiges of slavery and Jim Crow live on in our Commonwealth’s criminal code, in our judicial system, and in our policing. They criminalize Black and Brown communities and make every Virginian less safe. That’s why I’m proud to announce this comprehensive and forward looking plan to bring about true reform to the Attorney General’s Office. I believe we have a special moment in our country and in our Commonwealth. We must elect leaders who will rise to that moment and seize the opportunity to create real change in our justice system. The policies we have outlined are not a panacea, and they will not erase hundreds of years of inequality, but I believe they are a critical next step and I’m so proud to be highlighting them in this campaign.”
Virginia Voters Identify as Moderate, Despite Supporting Democrat Policies
By Katharine DeRosa
Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia universities in the former heart of the Confederacy are reckoning with their past as students, faculty and staff call for the removal of Confederate symbols. Richmond housed the capital of the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865. Over 150 years later, remnants of the commonwealth’s Confederate history remain, including in academia.
At least 71 symbols of the Confederacy were removed from public spaces in Virginia last year, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. That includes multiple renamings of public schools. Only one symbol was removed prior to the murder of George Floyd. Gov. Ralph Northam sent a letter to school board chairs in the commonwealth last July, urging public officials to change names and mascots that memorialized Confederate leaders.
“When our public schools are named after individuals who advanced slavery and systemic racism, and we allow those names to remain on school property, we tacitly endorse their values as our own,” Northam stated. “This is no longer acceptable.” Several months later, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville removed the name of Confederate soldier Henry Malcolm Withers from a law school building.
The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg approved the renaming of Trinkle and Maury halls. Trinkle Hall was named for former Virginia Gov. Elbert Lee Trinkle who signed Jim Crow legislation, according to the college’s board. Maury Hall was named for Matthew Fontaine Maury, who resigned his post as a U.S. Navy commander to join the Confederacy and helped it acquire ships.
The Virginia Military Institute in Lexington paid over $200,000 to remove a statue of Stonewall Jackson and relocate it to the Virginia Museum of the Civil War and New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.