Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and other Virginia Republicans trolled President Joe Biden after he jokingly referred to former Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe as the governor of the commonwealth.
Biden jokingly dubbed McAuliffe, who lost to Youngkin in his second bid for the governorship in 2021, as the “real governor” of Virginia at a campaign rally at George Mason University in the state. Youngkin responded to the joke in a post on X on Tuesday.
Mr. President, I’m right here. https://t.co/wSpbqmLX9w
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) January 23, 2024
“Mr. President, I’m right here,” Youngkin said.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears followed Youngkin’s jab by joking that Biden had read his cue cards wrong when announcing McAuliffe as the “real governor.”
Mr. President, you have read your cue cards wrong. https://t.co/k0LDyXWkMx
— Winsome Earle-Sears (@winwithwinsome) January 24, 2024
The other statewide elected Republican in the Old Dominion, Attorney General Jason Miyares, accused Biden of being an “election denier,” a phrase often used by Democrats when attacking Republicans.
So Joe Biden is an election denier? https://t.co/SU9NSnOnJB
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) January 23, 2024
The Virginia Republican Party also took a swipe at Biden by asking the Virginia Democratic Party to condemn the comment, which they said was a “dangerous attack on democracy.”
Joe Biden, election denier.
Waiting for @vademocrats to condemn this dangerous attack on democracy.
Glenn Youngkin won fair and square, and Virginians love him! https://t.co/5H4XsevdH9
— Virginia GOP (@VA_GOP) January 23, 2024
“Joe Biden, election denier. Waiting for [the Virginia Democratic Party] to condemn this dangerous attack on democracy. Glenn Youngkin won fair and square, and Virginians love him!” the party posted on X.
Youngkin defeated McAuliffe in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election, 50.6%-48.6%, in an upset to the former Democratic governor. McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014 until 2018, campaigned alongside Biden in his ill-fated bid in 2021.
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Biden’s speech on Tuesday was for his reelection campaign and focused heavily on abortion. A recent poll showed that Youngkin has a 54% approval rating in the state, compared to Biden, who has a 37% approval rating.
Despite the poor polling for Biden, the state is expected to go Democratic in the presidential election, with the CookPoliticalReport rating the state as “solid Democrat.”