RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — On Thursday morning, Governor Glenn Youngkin suddenly dropped a video on his personal Twitter account that reignited speculation that he might soon run for President.
The video features videos of Youngkin and various American landmarks while Youngkin’s voice plays in the background, saying things like “the stakes are high, and the consequences couldn’t be greater” and “it’s our turn, a time to choose life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” while repeatedly emphasizing the importance of “a new era of American values.”
“It’s the kind of video you put out if you’re running for president, that’s very clear,” Rich Meagher, 8News political analyst, said.
Many on social media agreed with Meagher and said the video seemed like it could be hinting at a potential presidential bid.
But Youngkin told 8News the video was simply a summary of a recent speech.
“It focused on Virginia, and the tremendous progress that we’re making on in Virginia, with economic growth and opportunity, growth and investment in education and investment in law enforcement,” Youngkin said.
However, at no point in the video — which was paid for by the Spirit of Virginia PAC — did Youngkin mention the Commonwealth. Instead, he only referenced national concerns.
Clips in the video also drew from Youngkin’s recent visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute for the organization’s “A Time for Choosing Speaker Series,” leading some on social media to wonder if the governor was purposefully associating himself to a former President of the United States.
When 8News spoke with the governor on Thursday, Youngkin continued to deflect questions about a possible presidential run and never gave a yes or no answer.
“I am focused on Virginia elections this year, I’m focused on delivering a budget that that accomplishes the goals that we’ve got and keeping our momentum going because great things are going on in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Youngkin said.
But despite Youngkin’s words, Meagher is still wondering if the governor will end up making a bid for the White House.
“For a governor in Virginia, you’re always having to think about the next step, because there’s no reelection campaign for you, you only serve one term,” Meagher said.
Meagher also added that the video could be hinting at another type of political future for Youngkin, like running for Congress.
