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Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., released a broad campaign-style video on social media Thursday morning despite his repeated insistence he is not currently running for president.
The one minute video, paid for by Youngkin’s state super PAC “Spirit of Virginia,” shows clips from the governor’s recent speech at the Reagan library. In the speech, Youngkin tells the crowd that it is “time to usher in a new era of American values. It’s our turn to choose life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
It also shows clips of Youngkin and his wife touring the Reagan library and stock images that evoke the launch of a campaign like a rising sun.
Aides close to the Governor insist the video is just a recap of the speech and not intended to hint at his future ambitions. But Youngkin continues to be coy about his plans.
When he told a reporter in early May that he was not going to campaign for president in 2023, his team quietly pushed back that it should not be read as him completely ruling out a presidential bid. They argued Youngkin was only taking off the table the idea of running for president "this year."
The ad is also designed to demonstrate his political characteristics that have resonated with Virginia voters as a way to help GOP candidates in the commonwealth’s upcoming competitive legislative races in the fall.
“Governor Youngkin is 100 percent focused on Virginia, as he’s repeatedly made clear,” said David Rexrode, a senior political adviser to Youngkin. “This was a video highlighting his remarks at the Reagan Library last week, where the Governor spoke about how Virginia was one of the bright lights of our nation’s future.”
At this point his PAC has not put a financial investment behind the amplification of the video, but are considering a small digital buy in the future.