Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) has been criticized by former President Donald Trump, as the governor continues to throw elbows with other Republicans. Despite Republican’s underwhelming performance in the midterm elections, Trump confirmed that he would make a major announcement at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has yet to launch his 2024 presidential campaign.
On his social media site, Truth Social, this is what the former president wrote: “Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me.”
“I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him — or he couldn’t have come close to winning,” Trump added. Trump then continued by saying that Youngkin knows that, and that he admits it. “Besides, having a hard time with the Dems in Virginia – But he’ll get it done!” Trump concluded, as the Washington Examiner reported as part of two stories.
Youngkin and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), to an even greater extent, are frequently floated as possible 2024 alternatives to Trump. Republicans were called to dump Trump ahead of the next election, by Youngkin’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
Earle-Sears said in an interview: “What we saw was, even though he wasn’t on the ballot, he was.” “Because he stepped in and endorsed candidates. And yet, it turns out that those he did not endorse on the same ticket did better than the ones he did endorse. That gives you a clue that the voters want to move on, and a true leader knows when they have become a liability to the mission,” Earle-Sears said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was also a target for Donald Trump as the former president posted a statement criticizing the governor who triumphed in his reelection campaign and is increasingly seen as a strong candidate to challenge Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The former president belittled DeSantis as an “average” Republican governor with “great Public Relations,” in a statement sent by Trump’s Save America PAC to his supporters.
Trump criticized DeSantis’s response to the pandemic, while he also took credit for DeSantis’s 2018 victory that earned him his first term as governor, and revived the nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious” in what appears the most extreme escalation between the two Florida Republicans to date.
Here is what Trump said in a statement: “Now, Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games! The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future.’ Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer.”
While Trump said that he voted for DeSantis, the governor has not declared any intention to run for president, but he did sidestep a question during a recent debate about serving a full second term.
Trump’s statement was concluded by him comparing the governor to his predecessor, “Low Energy Jeb Bush,” a reference to the 2016 election.
He concluded by saying: “We’re in exactly the same position now. They will keep coming after us, MAGA, but ultimately, we will win. Put America First and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”