Virginia’s ambitious governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, is under fire from Democrats in that state for his plan to visit Lewiston next week to raise money for Paul LePage’s bid to reclaim Maine’s governorship for the GOP.
The possible presidential candidate, who has been traveling widely to share the stage with Republicans, “is once again ignoring his duties as governor to stump for extreme candidates across the country,” Democratic Party of Virginia Spokesperson Gianni Snidle said Monday.
A flyer advertising a campaign fundraising event for Paul LePage, with guest Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia. Committee to Elect Gov. Paul LePage
“If the GOP thinks sending Gov. Youngkin around the country will help them win the election, they’re dead wrong,” Snidle said. “He’s just another far-right cultural warrior who wears a sweater vest to hide his out-of-touch, outdated views.”
Youngkin is among the Republicans increasingly touted as a presidential possibility, especially if former President Donald Trump doesn’t run. Among the others often named are former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
In a Monday email to supporters, LePage announced the fundraiser as “great news” and hailed Youngkin for shocking the political world to defeat a “an entrenched, former Democrat governor and turning Virginia RED” in last year’s election in the Old Dominion.
“Youngkin gave a strong voice to thousands of parents frustrated by a broken school system which ignored scientific data, relied on political theater, and aggressively shut down in-school instruction,” LePage added.
“You won’t want to miss this incredible campaign fundraiser!” LePage told backers.
The $50-a-person meet-and-greet with Youngkin and LePage is slated for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at the Republican headquarters in the Peck Building, 184 Main St.
There is also an hourlong, $500-a-person private reception beforehand for high rollers.
Virginia Democrats on Twitter blasted Youngkin online for tying himself to LePage, a man “who has said blatantly racist things” they found in a collection of the former Maine governor’s commentary compiled by the Portland Press Herald.
Snidle said LePage is trying this year “to hide his anti-abortion extremism to trick voters” in the same way that Youngkin did last year.
“Like Youngkin, LePage is no moderate, and given the chance, he would ban abortion in Maine just like Youngkin is trying to do in Virginia,” Snidle said.
Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau said on Twitter that it is interesting to see Youngkin, “a guy who avoided Trump during his gubernatorial campaign” in Virginia, is now coming to campaign with Maine’s version of Trump.
LePage has said in the past that he was “Trump before Trump.”
Youngkin has plans to campaign with Republican candidates for governor in other states as well, including Oregon, Kansas and New Mexico.
Over the weekend, Youngkin campaigned in Michigan for Tudor Dixon, the GOP’s standard-bearer in its quest to unseat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“Helping extreme Republicans is now the governor’s full-time job,” the Arlington County Democrats in Virginia said in a statement on Twitter.
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