(RepublicanReport.org) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) appeared to be headed toward becoming a potential presidential candidate, but a failed high-stakes gamble appears to have slammed the doors on his plans. He promised voters in his state that he would see to a 15-week abortion ban if they helped him shift control in the state legislature. Not only did Republicans fail to take over control in the House of Delegates, but the November 7 election results also flipped the state Senate blue.
The Washington Post reports that Youngkin had hoped to bring Virginia into the fold of southern states that have laws significantly restricting abortions, setting an example for other areas that still allowed full access. The right to govern the controversial procedure now falls to the states, thanks to the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Shifting the political makeup of its leaders in Congress was vital to Youngkin’s hopes of creating new abortion laws. He had planned in his proposed 15-week limit to allow exceptions in cases of incest, rape, or where the mother faced a physical threat to her life.
Youngkin expressed disappointment over the results of the race, according to NBC News, which noted that the Virginia governor abruptly decided against making a last-minute presidential run in light of the setback. He and other Republicans had made a notable effort to make their plans a reality, with Youngkin personally raising and spending large sums of money in the hopes of pushing forward his agenda — and possibly his profile along with it. Democrats fought for their stance just as hard, shelling out big bucks to spread their message and possibly fueling enough fears of losing abortion access among their camp to trigger a voter surge.
As per the Virginia Constitution, Youngkin cannot run for a second consecutive term as governor, so he only has until January 2026 to realize his plans before he has to give up the seat for at least another four years.
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