The media loves to present Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin as a “moderate.” He is not. He has never been. And to prove that, he bragged on Fox News that he is coming for the freedom of women and girls.
On Fox, the Republican said he has been completely straightforward and clear, and that he will “protect life” – that is to say, he will endanger the lives of girl’ and women so men won’t have to take personal responsibility to stop unwanted pregnancies:
Glenn Youngkin on Fox: We have been completely straightforward and clear. I will back a bill to ban abortion pic.twitter.com/BPVz1hUsmD
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) November 7, 2023
And again, here he is last night promising to “progress” a bill to ban abortion, which will endanger the lives of young girls and women and so naturally he calls it “protecting life”, which is dangerously misleading:
Wow.
On the eve of Election Day in Virginia, Glenn Youngkin just promised he will “deliver” an abortion ban if Republicans take full control: “I just wanted to make sure people understand what we would deliver. All [Republicans] have agreed” to “progress” an abortion ban pic.twitter.com/Wk7GN87NkX
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) November 7, 2023
Banning abortion is a theft of a fundamental human right. It is an essential freedom, which we discussed in today’s newsletter, pointing out why the polling missed the pro-freedom movement in 2022 and could be missing it again now, “The issue of personal freedom over something as vital as control over your own body outweighs any noise that is going on in polling.”
Republicans know that their position on endangering and even killing women and girls so they can keep no personal accountability for men is not popular. It turns out a lot of men actually like their sisters, wives, daughters, friends, colleagues and mothers and they do not actually want a world in which they have to watch them be medically tortured.
And that is why Glenn Youngkin lied about his position before he won in 2021: “GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin saying that he has to limit his antiabortion comments on the campaign trail for fear of alienating Virginia’s independent voters but that he would go “on offense” if he wins office and Republicans take a majority in the House of Delegates.”
Spoiler alert: That’s where we are now. Youngkin won office by misrepresenting his attacks on “critical race theory” and trans fear-mongering as “parental choice” and hiding his true agenda on abortion. He won. Now he’s trying to get Republicans to take the majority so they can pass an abortion ban.
But they won’t stop there, and that is clear from the actions of Republicans around the country and also from whom they take instruction (Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán). They lie to get into power, use their power to legalize their theft of power and then grab more power so the will of the voters is meaningless. Legalizing democratic backsliding is the calling card of authoritarians.
The media is saying Virginia will be a bellwether on abortion, but we’ve already had a lot of bellwethers on abortion, as Rachel Maddow pointed out below. So far, there’s been Montana, Kentucky, Kansas, Vermont, California, Michigan and Kentucky. They all said BACK THE F UP to Republicans:
Rachel #Maddow on Issue 1 in Ohio, “Republicans are pretty sure they are going to lose a statewide Ohio vote tomorrow. Ohio voters are expected to vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.” pic.twitter.com/AJEN4xtOf7
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) November 7, 2023
Virginia won’t serve as an accurate bellwether on abortion because “moderate” Glenn Youngkin’s election team purged nearly 3,400 legal Virginia voters from voting rolls in the lead up to this election. (In Ohio, Republicans have gone down and dirty to lie to voters about Issue One, which is the amendment that a Yes vote on will enshrine freedom for women and girls.)
They cheat, they lie, and then they steal. That’s the game plan.
Glenn Youngkin doesn’t really care about abortion. He cares about using his faux moderate casual man – anyone remember former Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder? He pulled the same stunt and managed to fundamentally harm communities of color – to become his party’s next great white hope; a man who can sell moderation when in fact he is Clarence Thomas in ethics and Donald Trump in power.
He plans to be president of this nation one day very soon. He plans to get there on the backs of women and girls and attacking the rights of Black people. He is getting there by denying freedom to over half the population.
So what do we think he will do if he gets into the big office?
As long as you are in line by 7:00 p.m., you will be able to vote.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
