April 14, 2023 News & Press Releases

Youngkin Endorses January 6 Attendee


by Democratic Party of Virginia

RICHMOND, VA – Adding to his list of election-denying endorsees, Glenn Youngkin just threw his weight behind Virginia State Senate candidate John McGuire – a 2020 election conspiracy theorist who attended the January 6 rally ahead of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Youngkin’s endorsement of McGuire is just his latest attempt to fortify his extremist bona fides as he and fellow GOP presidential hopefuls attempt to chase the MAGA base.

Youngkin endorsed Virginia Delegate John J. McGuire – a participant in the January 6 rally who has pushed 2020 election conspiracies – in a contested Virginia state Senate primary.

Washington Post: “Del. John J. McGuire III (R-Goochland), a prominent surrogate for Youngkin who often introduces him at events, defended ‘election integrity’ as an important issue.”

Washington Post: “McGuire — who also acknowledged publicly for the first time in an interview Tuesday that he had attended the Jan. 6 rally, but did not enter the building — noted that many polling places showed Trump up early in the evening before abruptly shifting for Biden. ‘Republicans were leading everywhere, and then all of sudden, [Democrats] were way ahead,’ he said.”

This wouldn’t be the first time Youngkin’s embraced election denialism – he’s put his support behind some of the GOP’s most notorious election deniers and even campaigned for them. 

Washington Post: “[Youngkin] avoided acknowledging Biden’s legitimacy until after winning the primary, and avoided saying whether he would have voted to certify the electoral college vote if he were in Congress … Now, as Youngkin has met with donors considering a presidential bid, he’s campaigning with gubernatorial candidates who have unabashedly run on Trump’s election lies, such as Kari Lake in Arizona and Tudor Dixon in Michigan.”

CNN: “Glenn Youngkin defends support of election denier Kari Lake in Arizona”

mLive: “Virginia Gov. Youngkin to campaign with Tudor Dixon, give Michigan GOP keynote”

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