Why Trump’s Richmond rally is politically tricky for Youngkin
The leading Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, will be in Richmond, Virginia, Saturday night to rally voters ahead of the state’s primary election on Tuesday. Virginia’s top Republican leader will not be in attendance.
According to a spokesperson, Gov. Glenn Youngkin won’t be at the rally due to a previously scheduled family commitment.
The whole scenario presents a politically tricky situation for Youngkin, who has become a national figure over the last couple of years and is seen by many as a potential future candidate for the White House.
“Keep in mind that when Governor Youngkin was a candidate for governor, there was a determined effort — and a successful one — to prevent the two from occupying the same stage,” said Jeff Schapiro, a political columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Trump has historically been unpopular in Virginia, losing the state in the 2020 presidential race by 10%.
“Youngkin clearly appreciated the potentially destructive effects of the optics of video or still photography of the two standing together,” said Schapiro.
This time around, another sensitive political issue is the legislative session currently underway in Richmond.
Youngkin is working to make deals with Democratic lawmakers regarding a proposed arena in Alexandria, among other things.
“What I think you see here in the governor’s apparent scheduling conflict is a chance to resist the opportunity to needlessly create a lot of unnecessary partisan static, particularly while in the thick of a legislative session,” Schapiro said.
“I think a hyperpartisan act could aggravate the Democrats who control the General Assembly.”
While Youngkin choosing to skip the rally may give him a level of political protection in Virginia, it also opens him up to potential public criticism by Trump on the national stage.
“Trump has made it very clear in some very pointed terms that he considers Youngkin unappreciative,” Schapiro said.
In 2021, Trump publicly called on Youngkin to “embrace the MAGA movement,” suggesting that Youngkin was damaging himself politically by keeping his distance when asked Trump-related questions.
Additionally, in 2022, Trump suggested that Youngkin was not adequately grateful, saying that Youngkin “couldn’t have won without me” in Virginia.
The Trump campaign released a statement Friday evening naming a list of more than 40 “Republican leaders across the Commonwealth of Virginia” who have announced their endorsement of Trump ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.
Included on the list were state and congressional lawmakers and even former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore.
Youngkin’s name, however, was nowhere to be found.
Ahead of Trump’s rally in Richmond, the Trump campaign released this list of Republicans in the state who have endorsed him. It does not include the state’s top Republican…. More evidence that Trump may not be very kind to @GlennYoungkin during his speech. pic.twitter.com/dFyeYMFp42
— Nick Iannelli (@NickWTOP) March 1, 2024