Youngkin says he is not preparing to head out on the 2024 presidential trail ‘this year’

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said on Monday that he will focus on campaigning for Republicans running in Virginia’s state legislature this year when asked whether he will head out on the presidential campaign trail this year.

“No,” Youngkin told Wall Street Journal editor-at-large Gerard Baker at the Milken Institute.  

“I’m going to be working in Virginia this year,” the governor said. “And so our House and Senate are up for full reelection this year. We have a House that’s controlled by Republicans and a Senate that’s controlled by Democrats.” 

“I want to hold our House, and I’d like to flip our Senate. And I think we’re doing a really good job in Virginia, and I think this is a chance to bring that to voters,” he said.  

However, Youngkin did not appear to directly rule out a 2024 presidential bid. A Youngkin aide told The Hill that the governor was answering Baker’s question in the context that he was focused on Virginia in 2023.

Youngkin has been floated as a potential Republican presidential contender since he won Virginia’s gubernatorial election in 2021 as a first time political candidate. The Virginia governor returned to the campaign trail in 2022 to stump for Virginia Republicans in the midterms. He continued to raise 2024 speculation earlier this year by traveling outside of Virginia to meet with out of state donors. Earlier this month, Youngkin traveled to Taiwan on a trade mission.  

Last month, two of Youngkin’s top political advisers, Jeff Roe and Kristin Davison, joined Never Back Down pac, the group supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).