Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin responded to speculation about whether he may run for president in 2024 amid rumors that he is being encouraged by donors to do so.
During an event in Manassas to campaign for down-ballot Republicans for November’s election, Mr. Youngkin told reporters that he is only “focused on 2023,” referring to those races. He was asked about whether he is considering running for president and didn’t respond directly to the question.
“We have demonstrated that you can take a state that was really so much headed in the wrong direction and redirect with commonsense, conservative principles and leadership and policies,” he continued. “We can take a state that was near the bottom, and put it near the top. Folks, this is so important for us to do and that is why I have nothing else in my mind other than 2023.”
When he was asked about who might be encouraging him to run for president, Mr. Youngkin demurred. Instead, he said that he’s happy Republicans have recognized what he described as accomplishments in Virginia.
“I meet lots of people and I’m always so humbled by the fact that people are encouraging us to do what we’re doing in Virginia outside Virginia,” Mr. Youngkin said. “But we’re focused on Virginia, and what is so nice is that people appreciate what’s happening here. And what we are doing is exactly what we said we’re going to do. We have lowered the cost of living, we have backed the blue, we have re-established excellence in education. It works, it works,” he added.
For months, there has been speculation that the Republican governor, who won his election in November 2021, could enter the 2024 presidential race. That speculation has only intensified as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign has struggled to gain traction.
In May, when he was asked by the Wall Street Journal about entering the presidential race this year, Mr. Youngkin said he would not. “I’m going to be working in Virginia this year,” Mr. Youngkin told the paper.
Mr. Youngkin has not publicly commented on those reports.
The governor is “doing town halls in Fredericksburg and Prince William, Loudoun and Roanoke, not in Des Moines, Manchester, and Charleston,” he said, referring to cities in Virginia and the capital cities of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, respectively.
However, if Mr. Youngkin does decide to enter the race, he would be at a disadvantage, as all the other major GOP candidates have already declared their candidacies—months ago. The first Republican presidential debate will also be held on Wednesday.
The debate will include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and Mr. DeSantis, the Florida governor.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also made the cut. However, Burgum may not be able to participate in Wednesday’s debate after he injured himself this week playing basketball and was taken to the emergency room.
Campaign spokesman Lance Trover said Wednesday that it was “unclear if he will be able to stand at the debate.” The injury, which occurred Tuesday while Mr. Burgum was playing with campaign staff, was first reported by CNN.
Former President Donald Trump won’t be attending the debate, he has announced. Polls have shown that the former commander-in-chief is far ahead of the fray.
The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, had set polling and donor thresholds and required participants to sign a loyalty pledge in order to qualify for the debate, which will be moderated by Fox’s Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
President Trump had long said he felt it would be foolish to participate, given his dominant lead in the race. But his decision to boycott is nonetheless a blow to the network, which had wooed him privately and publicly on air to appear. Instead, the former president has pre-recorded an interview with ex-Fox host Tucker Carlson that is expected to be broadcast on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as the debate takes place.
