Staff Reports
The circus is back in town, and by circus, one means the never-dull saga involving Donald Trump’s potential running mate. This month’s rumors suggest a list brimming with the usual suspects: North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, Ohio’s J.D. Vance, Florida’s Marco Rubio, and South Carolina’s Tim Scott. These names pop up so frequently that one could almost call them the usual suspects. Of course, the man himself maintains the ultimate suspense, keeping his cards close to the chest.
Astoundingly, missing from this list, but not from Trump’s favorable mentions is Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. Fox News dropped the bombshell when Trump casually hinted that “I think I could consider that,” when it comes to Youngkin as a potential VP. Political pundits and the mainstream media may not have seen it coming, but should they have?
Town Hall: Is There Another Trump VP Name Not on the List? https://t.co/c0KesfJaKs
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) June 18, 2024
Youngkin is intriguing, especially given that he and Trump recently met without discussing the second-in-command gig. It seems Trump “sort of has a pretty good idea” of his VP pick but prefers to play this drama until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Political gossip mills have included Youngkin’s name plenty of times, even though he doesn’t always make the prime lists. With 2024 breathing down our necks, the criteria for a running mate have evolved. Whispers of needing a diversity ticker on the ticket materialize with mentions of Tim Scott or Elise Stefanik, but ultimately, Trump might take a page from his own playbook and opt for a surprise.
Considering Youngkin’s electoral track record, it’s hardly a flight of fancy to think Trump would consider him. Virginia, a state that leaned Democrat since 2008, practically turned purple thanks to Youngkin. His 2021 victory marked the first Republican gubernatorial win since 2009, flipping the state like a pancake at a Sunday breakfast. Trump snagging a state like Virginia could be crucial, given its recent trend towards Democrat nominees.
Trump’s razor-thin leads in Virginia (+0.2%) and Minnesota (+1.6%) have pundits fidgeting with excitement. Despite these fragile leads, the prospects for Team Trump remain promising, especially if Youngkin brings his campaigning prowess to the fore. While some see Trump elevating conventional battleground states, the old dog might be eyeing new fields to plow.
Looking at Youngkin’s own election in 2021, the man pulled off a masterclass in momentum. Parental rights and pushing back against the Democrats’ obsession with abortion and Trump-bashing gave him a cutting edge. Meanwhile, his opponent ran a lackluster campaign focused more on polarizing issues like Critical Race Theory and less on the quality of education.
Picking Youngkin seems like a dream scenario, particularly when faced with the dire realities of the Joe Biden administration. Despite losing the House of Delegates in the last elections, Youngkin can boast of securing crucial wins in historically blue districts. This win record should give the leftist Hollywood screenwriters some real-life inspiration when they dream up their next unlikely hero story.
As an ardent conservative governor, Youngkin has thrown a wrench into various far-left schemes, pulling Virginia out of California’s high-handed Electric Vehicle mandates, amongst other things. His name brings a formidable record of standing up to leftist agendas, making him a natural fit as a Trump sidekick.
The left-wing media’s attempts to cover Youngkin’s recent political maneuvers fail to hide his clear potential. Even in adversity, with Biden’s abysmal 37 percent approval rating in Virginia, Youngkin’s steady 53 percent approval keeps him relevant. Virginia could indeed be Trump’s mystery weapon, whether Youngkin lands the VP nod or not.
With 2024 on the horizon, who knows what mix of drama and politics awaits? One can be sure Trump’s final VP decision will have the left chasing shadows while conservatives sit tight for another exciting chapter in the Make America Great Again saga.
