By Shawn Nowlin
In less than 75 days, Virginians will head to the polls to select either businessman Glenn Youngkin or former Gov. Terry McAuliffe as the Commonwealth’s next Governor. State residents will also decide the next Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and House of Delegates.
A Salem political rally featuring former Va. Governor George Allen, GOP nominee for Attorney General Jason Miyares and GOP nominee for Governor, Glenn Youngkin, occurred on August 26 at CommUNITY Church on East Main Street. All three politicians took the opportunity to passionately explain to local voters why it’s important to nominate Republicans on November 2.
“Virginians are coming together and saying enough is enough. Everywhere we go, Jason and I find ourselves overwhelmed by the support. It’s no longer Republicans versus Democrats. It’s actually Virginians standing up and saying ‘no.’ This left liberal agenda has actually been at work trying to make Virginia the California east,” Youngkin said. “That has no place here. This thing is neck and neck. Two weeks ago, there was an article saying that this was the most important election in America. Why? Because we are not only voting on behalf of Virginia, but on behalf of the country.”
Added Miyares, “Our murder rate has skyrocketed. It’s the highest it’s been in decades. People often ask, ‘how did we get here?’ It’s because we have a far-left monopoly in Richmond with a criminal first, victim last mindset. And they are pushing policy after policy that is making Virginians less safe. The 14th amendment is one of the GOP’s greatest legacies. The only way that we can change things is by electing a new General Assembly and a new Governor.”
Republicans currently are the minority in both the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. Additionally, just four of the 11 U.S. House seats are held by Republicans. The last Republican elected as Governor was Bob McDonnell in 2010.
Youngkin fervently rejects the actions of his opponent McAuliffe and Gov. Ralph Northam. While he doesn’t support mandates, Youngkin does advocate for having the choice to get the vaccine. McAuliffe has publicly said that vaccines and mandates are the best way to prevent disease and help reopen the economy.
A recent poll from the Wason Center for Politics shows Youngkin polling well in Southwest Virginia while McAuliffe is doing well in Northern Virginia.
Delegate Joe McNamara and Delegate David Suetterlein were both present at the event to show their support. They, as well as everyone else in attendance, gave Governor Allen a standing ovation when he was introduced.
“I like Ronald Reagan a great deal. He’s one of the main ones who motivated me to get into organized politics. President Reagan talked about his election being a rendezvous with destiny. That’s what we have here in Virginia, a rendezvous of the destiny of our Commonwealth. What vision do we want for our state? I think that it’s one that exemplifies the ideas by Glenn, Jason and our party,” he said.
