Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is reportedly stepping back from considering a 2024 presidential campaign as the Republican Party’s field of potential nominees begins to take shape.
According to The New York Times, Youngkin has informed his advisers and donors that his primary focus is on helping Republicans win in the state’s legislative elections in November, even as the party’s primary debates begin in August.
Youngkin recently dismissed the idea of a 2024 timeline, saying, “Listen, I didn’t write a book, and I’m not in Iowa or New Hampshire or South Carolina. I am wholly focused on the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I’m looking forward to these elections.”
If Youngkin were to wait until after the November elections to announce his candidacy, he would fall significantly behind his rivals.
The Times highlighted that very few presidential hopefuls have waited past summer to announce their candidacies, and none of them have gone on to win their party’s nomination.
The report also noted that Youngkin has yet to reach 1% in the polls, suggesting that his decision to step back from presidential speculation is “a bow to political reality.”
Additionally, Youngkin’s top two political advisers, Jeff Roe and Matt Wolking, who helped him win in the blue state of Virginia, have both joined Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s potential presidential run.
Several other notable Republicans have already removed their names from the 2024 presidential race, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.
The top two contenders in the Republican Party’s primary are former President Donald Trump and DeSantis, who has not yet announced whether he will run for president in 2024.
DeSantis made headlines recently during a visit to New Hampshire, where he broke the state’s Republican Party fundraising record after his event quickly sold out.
NHGOP Chairman Chris Ager told NH Journal on Friday morning, “Record-breaking fundraiser for the state party. Largest fundraiser in the history of the NHGOP, raising more than a quarter of a million dollars. Ticket sales were halted earlier this week after we exceeded planned capacity.”