According to reports, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has come to a decision about whether he will run for president in 2024. The field of Republican candidates is slowly starting to take shape for a race that is drawing ever closer. The New York Times has now reported that Youngkin is telling his donors and advisors that he will not run in 2024 and is focused on state legislative elections this fall. Youngkin told reporters this week, “Listen, I didn’t write a book, and I’m not in Iowa or New Hampshire or South Carolina. I am wholly focused on the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I’m looking forward to these elections.’’
Youngkin saying that he is focused on state elections in November is a clear indication that he is not planning a presidential run. Any announcement of a campaign after November would put him far behind other candidates. The New York Times writes that, “very few presidential hopefuls waited past summer and none went on to win their party nomination.” Youngkin has yet to crack 1% in presidential polls and his top two political advisers, Jeff Roe and Matt Wolking, have joined Never Back Down, a Super PAC for Ron DeSantis. The top two Republican presidential candidates remain Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis and the move by Youngkin’s advisers could be a sign that prominent Republicans a starting to take sides between the two.
Another Republican who took his name off the presidential list recently is former secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Pompeo, like Youngkin, had seen little improvement to his poll numbers and last week stated, “Susan and I have concluded, after much consideration and prayer, that I will not present myself as a candidate to become President of the United States in the 2024 election.”
“It is simplest, and most accurate, to say that this decision is personal. The time is not right for me and my family,” he added.
DeSantis has continued his fundraising events across the country, with his latest stop breaking a New Hampshire Republican Party’s all-time fundraising record.
