RICHMOND, Va. (AP) ā Glenn Youngkin was waving off talk about running for the White House back in 2021, before heād even made it to the Virginia governorās mansion.
Brad Hobbs, a childhood friend, told The Associated Press at the time that his ultimate goal was to see the Harvard-educated run for president. Hobbs said he brought it up nonstop, even in front of others, which irked Youngkin.
āHe doesnāt commit to that. He looks at me like, āStop saying it; I donāt want to hear that,āā Hobbs said.
Conjecture that Youngkin, who is set to host a major donor retreat Tuesday and Wednesday, might make a late entry into the 2024 presidential race has only grown since nearly two years ago. It could further escalate after next monthās high-stakes legislative elections, where heās aiming for a GOP sweep.
At least some of the recent talk is coming from Republican donors still casting about for yet another alternative to former President .
But the 56-year-old Youngkin, who in public remarks has to a bid, would face logistical campaign difficulties, ballot access hurdles and ā according to interviews around the country over the past week ā skepticism from some Republican voters, who either donāt know him well or are locked in on Trump.
āI think itās ill-conceived and a really horrible idea,ā Eric Levine, a New York-based attorney and Republican donor who has urged his party to back someone other than Trump, said of a potential Youngkin candidacy. āIt is doomed to failure and will only damage his brand.ā
Youngkin, who answers questions about his presidential prospects by saying heās flattered to be in the conversation but focused on Virginia, is currently in the midst of the hectic final push to the stateās Nov. 7 election, with .
Every seat in the General Assembly is on the ballot, and both parties see a possible path to a legislative majority in a state that but now hangs in the balance. If Republicans manage to hold the House of Delegates and flip the Senate, that would give Youngkin broad leeway to enact more of what he calls his common sense conservative priorities ā including additional , and a ā over the final two years of his time in the governorās mansion. Virginia uniquely prohibits its chief executives from serving consecutive terms.
Youngkin, known for his folksy, high-energy style, launched , shattered previous governors' fundraising records, campaigned with candidates and is in the weeds on the specifics of battleground races, according to his advisers.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne Youngkin, will host a second annual āRed Vest Retreat,ā a nod to the governor's signature campaign attire, at an elegant hotel in Virginia Beach, according to an invitation obtained by the AP. Details of the retreat were first reported in .
āObviously there are a lot of folks that are encouraging him ... who like what he has done in Virginia, what heās been able to accomplish, and would love to have him do that on the national level. But again, his focus is going to continue to be on Virginia and these elections,ā said Dave Rexrode, a senior adviser to Youngkin, in an interview.
The retreat is for individuals who are financial supporters of the governor's Spirit of Virginia PAC, said Rexrode, who is chairman of the organization. No presidential candidates were invited, and Rexrode declined to share details of the agenda ahead of the event.
The speculation around a Youngkin run has been driven not only by his upstart win but also his , frequent conservative media appearances, highly-produced public events, and his refusal to shut down the prospect.
Should he decide to make the leap after next month's elections, a potential campaign would face significant logistical hurdles.
With less than 100 days until voting starts with Iowaās leadoff caucuses, Youngkin does not have the kind of campaign organization that a presidential hopeful needs to recruit supporters for caucuses or get voters to turn out in January. Most of the presidential campaigns have been organizing since early 2023. Trump also has enormous name recognition, years of organizing experience and established supporters nationwide.
Before Youngkin could even worry about turning out supporters, heād be up against crucial deadlines.
While thereās no deadline to become a candidate for Iowaās caucuses, competing there takes months of securing supporters who will agree to show up at a certain time and place. The deadline to file for the second contest, New Hampshireās primary, is Oct. 27. Other states' deadlines start rolling in soon after, with Alabama and Arkansas requiring candidates to collect signatures from voters and file their candidacy days after this Novemberās election.
His are also currently working on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisā presidential campaign, though Rexrode and others working for Youngkin's PAC have years of national political experience.
People in Trump's orbit have been publicly of a potential Youngkin candidacy and are quick to lump his potential late entry in with some of the supposed Trump alternatives already in the race, including other prominent officeholders such as DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of Ā鶹“«Ć½AV Carolina.
Asked for comment, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded: āThat must really suck for Ron DeSantis.ā
Republican and independent voters around the country who spoke with the AP also voiced skepticism about Youngkin's potential impact on the race.
Renate Plitzko, an independent voter from Dover, New Hampshire, said sheās looking for a candidate who can boost the economy. She said Youngkin should get in if he wants to.
But is she familiar with him?
āNo, not at all,ā she said Friday at a New Hampshire Republican Party summit.
Several other voters there said they were familiar with Youngkin and praised the job heās done but said he shouldnāt run.
In Virginia, Republican voters and legislators praised his performance as governor so far, but many said they want Youngkin to finish the job he signed up for.
āIt's too soon for him,ā said Margaret Garland, a 77-year-old Trump supporter, in an interview at an early voting site in Stafford County. "Let him get some more experience as governor.ā
But Hobbs, the childhood friend and a self-described moderate, said he's more convinced than ever that a divided country needs the unity and fresh leadership he thinks Youngkin could offer. Hobbs, who planned to attend the retreat, said he's āoverextendedā himself trying to push Youngkin in, but thinks the governor has given it real thought.
Ultimately, though, he isn't sure what Youngkin will do.
āWill he announce?" Hobbs said. āI have no idea.ā
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Price reported from New York. AP writers Matthew Barakat in Stafford County and Holly Ramer in Nashua, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
Sarah Rankin And Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press
