Later this month, some of Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top donors will gather at a “Red Vest” retreat in Virginia Beach where they plan to “shove” Youngkin into the 2024 presidential race, according to a CBS on-air personality.
CBS's Bob Costa claimed on Thursday that billionaire GOP megadonor Thomas Peterffy is calling allies to assure Youngkin he would have the financial backing if he wanted to jump into the race.
Youngkin has insisted he isn't interested, but he has not completely shut the door on a 2024 presidential run.
Related: Post-election reality check: Glenn Youngkin, the Carlyle Group and Dominion Voting Systems, November 4, 2021
“I told you I'm totally focused on Virginia elections and that's what we're gonna get done,” Youngkin told Fox News on Thursday.
Asked if he felt a responsibility for his party and country to jump in the race, he talked about how he felt surprised by his rapid political rise.
“Well, let me begin with how humbling this is,” Youngkin said. “40 years ago, I'm washing dishes and taking out trash in the Belvedere hotel. And today people are throwing my name around in a national context.”
“I've been governor for 21 months. I think we have really moved things in Virginia. It's encouraging that people are watching and like what we're doing,” Youngkin added.
The never-Trumpers are said to be growing increasingly frustrated with the GOP candidates challenging Trump in the primary, particularly following Wednesday night’s debate.
Polling after the debate showed Trump was the winner even though he did not even participate.
James Johnson, co-founder of JLP, said: “In the absence of anyone landing a knockout blow, Trump was the big winner of last night's debate. This is a Trump-dominated electorate and a nominal Vivek Ramaswamy win in our debate poll is more a reflection of that than anything else.”
Johnson added: “Ron DeSantis can claim something of a win, having come across as the most presidential and competent, but he did not shine through in the way he needed to either. Christie and Burgum were the definitive losers, written off by Republicans as annoying and boring respectively.”
Meanwhile, the deadline for Youngkin to enter his name into the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire GOP primary is Oct. 27, which is before the Virginia election on Nov. 7. Youngkin would have to run as a write-in candidate in New Hampshire if he misses that deadline.
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