Former President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Glenn Youngkin in the race for governor of Virginia.
"Congratulations to Glenn Youngkin for winning the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia," Trump said in a statement. "Glenn is pro-Business, pro-Second Amendment, pro-Veterans, pro-America, he knows how to make Virginia's economy rip-roaring, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"
Trump also blasted former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is the Democratic Party's frontrunner, according to The Hill. The Democrats' primary is scheduled for June 8.
"Glenn is running against Bill Clinton's longtime enabler, Terry McAuliffe," Trump said. "Terry McAuliffe was the Clintons' bagman in more ways than one, from the cover-ups to the get-rich-quick schemes, and his deals with Communist China look suspicious. He was responsible for many of the problems Virginia currently has. Virginia doesn't need the Clintons or the Communist Chinese running the state, so say no to Terry McAuliffe, and yes to Patriot Glenn Youngkin!"
McAuliffe fired back in a Tuesday tweet: "Donald – Virginia has rejected you, your hate, and your conspiracy theories every step of the way. Can't wait to do it again to your hand-picked guy Glenn this November."
And in a statement detailed by The Hill, he said: "Glenn Youngkin spent his campaign fawning all over Donald Trump, and now Trump has returned the favor by wholeheartedly endorsing him. Virginians have rejected Donald Trump's hate, conspiracy theories, and dangerous lies at every turn, and we're going to do it again to his hand-picked, extreme right-wing candidate Glenn Youngkin this November."
Youngkin's victory for the Republican nomination came over the weekend. According to The New York Times, GOP voters used the ranked-choice voting system, where delegates ranked candidates from their top choice to their last choice.
Roughly 30,000-voters cast ballots at 39 locations around the state. His last remaining opponent, Pete Snyder, conceded after more than 12 hours of counting votes.
"I send my heartfelt congratulations to @glennyoungkin on a tremendous race + deserved win," he tweeted. "He + the ticket have my 100% support."
In a Monday tweet, Youngkin said he is ready to take charge in Virginia:
"I am prepared to lead, excited to serve and profoundly humbled by the trust the people have placed in me. Virginians have made it clear that they are ready for a political outsider with proven business experience to bring real change in Richmond."
And the Times noted, Youngkin said at a recent Republican candidates' forum: "The last 8 years have been crushing" for Virginians. He warned, under McAuliffe, Democrats would end the state's right-to-work law that prohibits compulsory union membership. If that happens, "we can kiss our business environment away," he said.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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