After multiple key swing states in the northeast and midwest reverted to blue in the 2020 Presidential Election and the 2022 Mid-Term Election, former President Donald Trump’s path to victory in 2024 became more daunting, with much smaller margin for error. In order to avoid another loss in 2024, and with the prospects of Michigan and Pennsylvania diminishing, Trump can’t afford to lose Georgia, or any southeastern states, and he must flip a current blue state back to red.
Virginia is one swing state that has a Republican governor despite the fact that the majority of its voters supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. By selecting Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Trump could improve his odds of improving his electoral college count and the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
Youngkin has been mentioned as a potential 2024 Republican Primary candidate and potential rival to Trump. He hosted a retreat with mega donors back in October, and when he was asked about presidential aspirations, Youngkin told WABC: “I’m always humbled when folks have been asking me this. Forty years ago, I was washing dishes and taking out trash. And two years ago, I was stepping down from my dream job to go serve Virginians,’ the governor went on. It’s a remarkable honor and privilege when someone mentions my name in this context.”
Should Youngkin forego a 2024 bid, he could possibly win over Trump’s favor and earn a spot on the ticket as Trump’s VP choice. Youngkin would not only help Trump’s odds of winning a blue state, but could also broaden Trump’s appeal among suburban voters, who were a key factor in the ultimate outcome of the 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial election. Virginia Gubernatorial exit polls revealed that Youngkin won 53 percent of suburban voters across Virginia in 2021, which is roughly the opposite of what happened to Trump in Virginia in 2020 when Biden carried suburban voters in those areas with approximately 53 percent of the vote.
Despite the obvious advantages Youngkin would bring as a running mate, Trump has publicly mocked Youngkin in recent months, including a statement on Truth Social that compared Youngkin’s last name to a Chinese name. Virginia’s Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Sears said that she would never support Trump in the future.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.