If spending the most money on deceptive political ads were the sole qualification for being elected governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin would win by a landslide.
Over the past several months, Youngkin, the Republican nominee for governor, has used his massive private-equity fortune to blanket the airwaves with lies. Youngkin has spent a whopping $18 million on ads promoting his candidacy and viciously attacking his Democratic opponent, former governor Terry McAuliffe. Youngkin’s increasingly frequent attack ads have inundated voters with a 24/7 stream of false claims, including the absurd idea that McAuliffe is an anti-vaxxing supporter of Donald Trump.
Unfortunately for Youngkin, however, his tactic of obscuring his actual policies with personal attacks is not convincing. Over the course of the campaign, Youngkin has gradually been forced to reveal his stance on key issues such as abortion rights, election conspiracies and public health policy. What emerged is not the business friendly, sunny politician portrayed on TV, but a Trump acolyte intent on emulating deep-red, extremist governors like Ron DeSantis of Florida.
Youngkin’s extremism knows no bounds. He rejects a woman’s right to choose. He opposes common sense safety measures such as vaccine mandates and school mask requirements. He refuses to support background checks for firearm purchasers.
Moreover, Youngkin is more interested in culture wars than the well-being of the Commonwealth. Instead of focusing on improving Virginia schools, Youngkin fixates on stopping teachers from educating their students about racism. Instead of advancing a pro-science plan to combat COVID-19, Youngkin attacks CDC health guidelines. Instead of defending democracy, he fans the flames of election denialism.
By contrast, Terry McAuliffe has presented a pragmatic vision to improve Virginia. McAuliffe favors vaccine mandates and school mask requirements, which polls show are supported by over 55% of Virginians. Additionally, McAuliffe has presented a common-sense economic plan to balance Virginia’s budget and continue its unprecedented economic expansion.
On November 2, 2021, Virginian voters will face a choice. They can elect Terry McAuliffe, a moderate with a proven track record of gubernatorial success, or they can elect Glenn Youngkin, an extremist hiding beneath a slick facade. For the WIS seniors who can vote in this critical election, the correct choice is clear.
By Zachary S. Pan
