Glenn Youngkin, who won Virginia’s gubernatorial election earlier this week, said in an interview with Fox Business on Thursday that his victory shows the importance that "kitchen table issues" hold in the state.
The Republican told "Mornings with Maria" that the GOP winning control of the state’s House of Delegates is a "big statement," adding, "What this election really demonstrated is that education is not a political issue, it is a fundamental concern of parents from all parts of the political spectrum."
He went on to say, "We brought together Democrats, Republicans, and independents, folks from all walks of life around this fundamental desire for their children to have a great education."
Youngkin said that over the last few years, "kitchen table issues had been pushed to the background and voters in Virginia said, 'No, no, no, these are the most important topics for us.'"
He said, "I do believe that folks have gotten distracted about how to deliver for those that elect us to go serve them. And so we’re going to get our taxes down. We’re going to make sure our schools are going to be excellent. We’re going to make sure our communities are safe and [that] we have a growing economy with great jobs for people.
"And that doesn’t sound so difficult, but this is what voters in Virginia and I think voters around the nation are speaking very loudly about, which is what we want from our government and please stop getting distracted on all of these other topics."
Youngkin said "one of the big opportunities" the position provides "is to identify industries that Virginia should be incredibly competitive in and can provide opportunities for outsized growth.
"When we think about the opportunity in high tech and technology and healthcare and logistics, in pharmaceuticals, in the marine industry, we’ve got great, great foundational capabilities, but we have to press forward and turn them into [a] competitive advantage," he said.
"That requires us to have an education system that’s fully engaged, that requires us to have a government that’s fully engaged and business and so here we are going to bring together all the things that I have spent 30 years doing in our leadership team next year," Youngkin continued.
When asked if he could see himself running for the White House one day, Youngkin said, "I’ve got a big job ahead of me, which is to get Virginia moving. That’s where I’m focused."
"I haven’t even thought about any of that and I am 100% committed to serving Virginians as governor for the next four years and we are going to make a big difference in the future of Virginia," he continued.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.