MILWAUKEE — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday night.
Other politicians including Republican Senate candidate Hung Cao of Virginia, who has received Trump’s endorsement, will take the stage at the convention, on the heels of an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.
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Virginia Wesleyan University political professor Leslie Caughell said stepping on the national stage could be a turning point in Youngkin’s political career.
“This is a very clear indicator that Gov. Youngkin has national political ambition and is very much interested in staying on the national stage, staying on everybody’s radar even after he can no longer run for governor," Caughell said.
At times during his speech, the governor compared himself to Trump.
“After 12 years only electing Democrats statewide, in November 2021, Virginians elected a Republican outside businessman as their 74th governor," Gov. Youngkin said. "And I believe this year, Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as president of the United States.”
Youngkin also touched on what’s on many Americans minds: the attempted assassination of Trump just two days ago.
In a recent statement, Youngkin said, “Donald J. Trump showed us strength and courage, and he showed us compassion and gratitude. I thank God for protecting him.” He shared that same sentiment to the crowd of thousands.
“We ask for God’s grace to be on innocent victims… and we thank him for protecting our next president, Donald J. Trump," the governor said.
During his roughly 10-minute speech, Youngkin criticized the economy under President Joe Biden’s leadership. Meanwhile, he praised Trump’s time in the oval office, sending him his full support.
"Joe must go!" Gov. Youngkin said to the crowd.
On social media, Gov. Youngkin voiced his support of Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, saying his "...conservative values are what we need for a stronger America.”
Political experts say although Youngkin didn't end up being Trump’s pick for vice president, his invitation to the RNC stage still holds weight. Questions of whether he would run for president tempered after GOP candidates failed to take full control of the Virginia General Assembly in November’s legislative elections.
However, Youngkin could still make himself a standout this week.
“Youngkin is a rising star in the Republican Party and his polling is still strong,” George Mason University Associate Professor Jeremy Mayer told our sister station WUSA9. “Youngkin looks like a vice president. Youngkin's job is to position himself as a natural heir to the Trump movement."
Virginia Democrats released a statement about Youngkin's appearance at the Convention. Noting the Democratic Party controls both chambers in the General Assembly, the party's chairwoman, Susan Swecker, said, in part: "...it is clear that Virginians want a change and reject Republican policies that push us back by generations."