Later this month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) will visit key states a candidate needs to secure a major party nomination. 

Youngkin will visit Iowa for an event with the state Republican Party and South Carolina next month for a fundraising dinner. 

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Both states are key primary states as Iowa is traditionally home to an early primary caucus, and South Carolina is typically the third state to vote in presidential primaries. The states are viewed as crucial for candidates to measure early support and gain campaign momentum. 

Candidates typically register with the Federal Election Commission to run for president in the spring before an election year, just after the midterm elections. Before that, they often visit swing states to shore up support among state party leaders.

Youngkin has enjoyed stable popularity throughout his term as governor. Though the state has not elected a Republican candidate for president in two decades, Youngkin won the governorship in 2021, beating Terry McAuliffe by just under 2%. Previously, a Republican hadn’t won the governorship since 2009. A January poll from Virginia Commonwealth University found around 51% of Virginia residents approve of his performance, and 38% disapprove.

Youngkin, who is term-limited and will leave office early next year, has not outright indicated presidential ambitions. When previously asked about any further aspirations, he did not give a direct answer.

Youngkin is viewed as a staunch conservative but has a broader appeal that could reach beyond Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

“The sky is the limit for Glenn Youngkin,” Brian Kirwin, a Republican operative in the state, said. “He won Virginia when people were very seriously putting Virginia in the blue column. There are quite a few whispers that there might be a U.S. Senate seat in his future.”

President Donald Trump has alluded that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be his possible successors; they are additionally viewed as early favorites for the 2028 GOP nomination. Vance is an early frontrunner in the GOP race, per polling.

Trump has publicly slammed the governor, most notably when Youngkin briefly considered a presidential bid in the early stages of the 2024 campaign cycle. The pair seems to have reconciled, as Youngkin was considered in the running to be Trump’s vice president and was given a prime speaking opportunity at the Republican National Convention.

‘VERY SANE, VERY SOLID’ GLENN YOUNGKIN’S NEXT ACT IS STILL BEING WRITTEN

Some Democrats who are thought to be planning a run for president in 2028 have made similar stops in early swing states, such as Youngkin. Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) visited South Carolina for the Blue Palmetto state dinner, hosted by heavyweight Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), and headlined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s 70th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund in swing-state Michigan.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is also headed to South Carolina this week to speak with voters about the “urgent need for federal support and investment,” after Hurricane Helene.