The views expressed in this article belong to the reporter, and do not reflect the views held by Rockbridge County High School, the Prowler Staff, and its members.

Ben Haskett wrote an opinion article opposing Glenn Youngkin, which can be found here.

On Nov. 2, 2021 Glenn Youngkin beat Terry McAuliffe in the race for Virginia Governor. Youngkin’s campaign hit the mark for voters’ concerns. He heavily focused on education and public safety which gave him a leg up against McAullife, whose campaign revolved around national controversies. 

One of Youngkin’s most impressive accomplishments was his ability to keep former president Donald Trump at an arm’s length during his campaign while still keeping Trump’s supporters interested. Youngkin started with a two percent favorability rating among Virginia Republicans which made his comeback even more impressive. Youngkin avoided alienating Trump’s strong supporter base in rural Virginia and kept his distance by not attending rallies or participating in events with Trump. This distancing in addition to his promises to focus on education helped bring the suburban voters he needed to his side.

The contentious school board meetings and angry parents greatly impacted Youngkin’s campaign. Youngkin’s opponent, Terry McAuliffe, stated in a gubernatorial debate that parents should not have any involvement in what schools choose to teach their children. Youngkin firmly took a stance against this statement and promised to address issues within the school system. Youngkin mainly stood up against the teaching of Critical Race Theory and proclaimed his support for parents’ involvement in education. 

Glenn Youngkin is a political newcomer who took down a seasoned politician who had also previously been governor. Youngkin supporters are eagerly waiting to see if he can fulfill his campaign promises. The office of the Governor has been Democratic for the last seven years and in 2020 the Democratic Party controlled both the Senate and House in Virginia. The 2021 election swung the tide for the Republican party.  It will be interesting to see if Youngkin will unify the political parties and if the state will remain Republican in the next election in four years.