The new Glenn Youngkin ad released earlier today (see below) is 100% propaganda, zero truth to it whatsoever, and as RTD columnist Jef Schapiro points out, does NOT say anything about Youngkin “push for abortion restrictions, anti-LTBTQ, hostility to DEI,” etc. It also doesn’t say anything about Youngkin working to pull Virginia out of RGGI and ERIC; campaigning for far-right-extremist candidates last year (most of whom, like Kari Lake and Paul LePage, thankfully lost!); continuing to stand by Trump and DeSantis; stocking his administration with a bunch of far-right ideologues and fossil fuel industry puppets; waging war on public education; etc. Complete and utter trash that the media should call out, and in the case of Jeff Schapiro of the RTD, just did (see below).
Now, a quick fact check on Youngkin’s claims in the ad.
- Youngkin FALSELY claims that he’s “reawakened the spirit of Virginia…a spirit of caring, a spirit of accomplishment and a spirit of togetherness.” In fact, Youngkin’s been highly divisive, hasn’t really accomplished much of anything yet (thankfully, the Virginia Senate Democratic “blue wall” has mostly blocked his damaging proposals), etc.
- The ad FALSELY says that Youngkin “promised a common sense approach in Virginia to lower the cost of living and support our law enforcement.” In fact, almost nothing about Youngkin’s platform in 2021 as “common sense,” unless you consider standard right-wing rhetoric and policies to be “common sense.” As for lowering the cost of living, obviously Youngkin hasn’t done that, even if it were within the power of the governor to do so. And as for supporting law enforcement, Youngkin’s part of a party that has relentlessly attacked the FBI, and of course US Capitol police officers on January 6, 2021. Has Youngkin pushed back hard against any of that? Otherwise, what has Youngkin actually done to support law enforcement that previous governors didn’t do?
- Perhaps most absurdly, Youngkin claims he “promised all Virginia’s kids a best-in-class education,” then spent the 1 1/2 years since taking office attacking public education, techers, LGBTQ kids, the teaching of African-American history, etc, while pushing for tax cuts to rich people and corporations instead of funding public schools. Also note that BEFORE Youngkin took office (e.g., after Democrats held the governorship 16 out of the previous 20 years), Virginia had one of the best public education systems in the country.
- The ad FALSELY claims that Youngkin’s “working every day to keep that promise,” while in reality, he’s been out of state a LOT, whether campaigning for the above-mentioned extremist candidates, traveling to court far-right donors, etc.
In sum: as usual with Glenn Youngkin, you can’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth…
Just-out @GovernorVa digital ad seeks to boost Republican legislative candidates by talking up his agenda: public safety, schools, economy.
Memorable for what it doesn’t say: push for abortion restrictions, anti-LGBTQ, hostility to DEI. https://t.co/faSKzzmi8x
— Jeff E. Schapiro (@RTDSchapiro) August 7, 2023
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