JF in the News: Trump is a Complication for Republican Hopes in Virginia

Former President Trump is threatening to complicate Republican Glenn Youngkin’s bid for governor in Virginia, where the ex-businessman is trying to extend his support to the very suburban voters who fled from Trump in 2020.

Youngkin has said he is “honored” to receive Trump’s endorsement, noting the former president “represents so much of why I’m running.”

But in a sign of how unpopular the former president is in the commonwealth, Youngkin’s campaign also recently cut an ad tying his Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, to Trump, highlighting a 2009 campaign donation the former governor had received from him.

The contrast highlights the tightrope Youngkin must walk in a state that has turned bluer over the years — and it underscores why Trump’s insistence on weighing in on the race could prove frustrating to Youngkin and his allies. 

“They’re dancing on the edge of a knife, and so far they have no cuts. So very deftly and astutely they have navigated their way through this,” said John Fredericks, a conservative Virginia talk show host who chaired both Trump’s presidential campaigns in the state.  

Youngkin has established a presence on Virginia airwaves through an aggressive advertising campaign introducing himself as a unifying force who will stand up to the commonwealth’s political establishment. The Republican candidate has also made a number of appearances on Fox News in an effort to introduce himself to conservatives.

Read the full report from The Hill.