Last Updated on September 8, 2022
Virginia GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin was out-of-state at a campaign event as the General Assembly convened for a special session yesterday, where protections for unborn children were not on the agenda. Youngkin said after the fall of Roe that Virginia would move to “protect life,” but his office tells National File that he’s delegated that duty to the legislature. Planned Parenthood celebrated Youngkin’s decision, claiming on Twitter that they “scared” him out of challenging Democrats on abortion.
Pro-abortion demonstrators gathered outside of both the Virginia Capitol Building and the Lewiston, Maine campaign event where Governor Glenn Youngkin traveled as legislators convened in Richmond. Despite the fanfare, the Governor had chosen not to send any legislation to the General Assembly to ban or even limit abortion in Virginia during the special session.
The decision has dismayed pro-life conservatives who expected quick action from their Republican governor after the Supreme Court’s decision striking down Roe v. Wade and handing jurisdiction over abortion back to the states.
Though Youngkin said after the court’s ruling that Virginia would “protect life,” he’s refused to go toe-to-toe with Democrats and won’t support an abortion ban, instead pushing for a 15-week cut-off. Furthermore, his office tells National File that he’s actually delegated responsibility for protecting unborn children entirely to the legislature.
“Governor Youngkin tasked legislators with coming together with the most successful path forward on abortion,” Press Secretary Macaulay Porter told National File.
Jamie Lockhart, of Planned Parenthood Action Virginia, a pro-abortion Democrat political machine, boasted on Twitter that Democrats and the pro-abortion left had “scared” Youngkin out of defending life.
“We made our voices heard today and scared Governor Youngkin out of introducing an abortion ban during today’s special session,” Lockhart tweeted.
“The planned parenthood and pro-abortion claims are completely false,” Porter told National File when asked whether or not Planned Parenthood and the pro-abortion left had “scared” Youngkin out of filing pro-life legislation.
WaPo, GOP ‘Megadonors’ Push Glenn Youngkin for President in 2024 as ‘Alternative’ to Trump
Youngkin’s inaction and delegation on abortion come as the GOP establishment and their “megadonors” push him as an “alternative” to 45th President Trump on the party’s 2024 national ticket. In recent months, he’s been riding the GOP circuit around the country, catching flack for his frequent out-of-state fundraiser and rally appearances and fueling speculation that he may run against Trump.
Shortly after Youngkin met with the “megadonors” in Manhattan, his Lt. Governor, Winsome Sears, refused to come out in support of a Trump 2024 candidacy during a New York Post interview.
“I’m going to hold my fire,” Sears told The Post. “I want to see what he says, what he does, and who else is out there.”
Youngkin himself has refused to provide a straight answer on whether or not he will run in 2024 and, when asked by National File if he’s planning to take on Trump, his office directed National File to a non-answer he gave DC’s ABC 7.
“I’m so excited to be supporting Republican gubernatorial candidates across the country,” Youngkin told ABC, explaining away his frequent out-of-state trips, later saying that “2024 will happen when 2024 gets here.”
Though the GOP ruling class may be pushing Glenn Youngkin in ’24, recent polling data indicates that he’d be blown out by President Trump in his home state’s GOP Presidential Primary.
According to a recent Roanoke College poll, the 45th President crushes Youngkin by a 34-point margin in a hypothetical primary match-up. Even worse for Youngkin, a 54% majority of the poll’s respondents oppose the idea of him running for President.
President Trump shared the polling data in a post made to his Truth Social Network and tossed even more cold water on a Youngkin presidential campaign.
“Helped him get elected – Big time,” posted President Trump. “Press refused to acknowledge, but that’s OK – the people know!”
Youngkin’s office didn’t provide an answer to National File when asked if Youngkin agrees that Trump’s coveted endorsement solidified his 2021 Virginia victory.
