Trump stooge Glenn Youngkin is dangerous in the Virginia Governor’s race

Republican candidate for Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, is a dangerous man.
Youngkin claimed at the last candidate’s debate that what matters is action, not just promises. Well, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe has a proven track record on jobs, healthcare, and women’s rights when he was governor, even with a Republican legislature.
Youngkin has no track record of any accomplishments in government. None. He has zero experience. He only has Trumpian delusions of grandeur of what he could do by bringing a “businessman’s perspective” to government.

Haven’t we had enough of would-be governmental leaders who “know” what’s best, even though they have no experience whatsoever? Didn’t the Trump experiment teach us how dangerous it is to put in power guys that have no knowledge of how government works, but nonetheless think they know best about everything? Even Elvis Presley warned us years ago against “A Youngkin Youngkin burnin’ Trumpkin.”

Virginia now is a very fine place to live. It is progressive, yet business friendly, with a diverse economy. Youngkin sees this and is disturbed. He wants to follow the “lead” of Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, and other Republican Governors and plunge Virginia back into the dark ages.

Don’t take my word for it. Youngkin was asked in a secretly recorded exchange at a campaign event, “Can we defund Planned Parenthood and take it to the abortionists?” He replied, “I’m going to be really honest with you. The short answer is, in this campaign, I can’t. When I’m governor and I have a majority in the House we can start going on offense. But as a campaign topic, sadly, that in fact won’t win my independent votes that I have to get.” 

And if you think backsliding on women’s issues can’t happen in Virginia, consider that it was not long ago — just 2012 — when the then-Republican Virginia legislature passed a bill that would have forced women seeking an abortion in the early stages of a pregnancy to undergo an ultrasound, via transvaginal wanding – a very intrusive procedure.

Public outcry forced even Republican Governor Bob McDonnell to oppose this most draconian aspect of the bill, and ultimately, he signed into law a revised version that did not contain this provision. Do you think that Youngkin, who is itching to “start going on offense” and would love to outdo Abbott & DeSantis in trampling on women’s rights, would back off if presented with this type of opportunity?

This relatively recent experience also underscores the need for Virginians to keep – and preferably expand – the Democratic majorities in the House of Delegates and the Senate, so the Virginia legislature doesn’t start emulating legislatures in Texas and Florida in their zeal to thwart women’s rights, and also stamp out local initiatives to promote public health and eradicate COVID.

On the latter front, Youngkin has tried to walk a line between anti-vax lunacy and reality by saying he believes in vaccines and has been vaccinated himself, but believes it is a personal choice that shouldn’t be mandated by the government.

Unlike Youngkin, who wants to lead Virginia backward, Terry McAuliffe looks to the future, to build on Virginia’s economy to become a leader in clean energy and the jobs this growing industry promises. He wants to make education and healthcare more accessible for everyone. He supports reasonable gun reform. And first and foremost, he wants to lead Virginia out of the COVID pandemic, not cause its people to continue to be mired in it, both socially and economically, for the foreseeable future.

Virginia is at a crossroads. It can work to put COVID behind it and move ahead to give the Commonwealth an even brighter future, or it can regress and backslide into the abyss of neanderthal Republican thinking. This is no time for Virginia Democrats and progressive independents to sit on the sidelines. The polls are very tight, and the Democratic slate of Terry McAuliffe, Hala Ayala, and Mark Herring, for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General needs every possible vote.