Blank slate to best hope: Can Youngkin rescue the Va. GOP?

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Skeptical Virginia Republicans have come around to Glenn Youngkin, the party’s candidate for governor. They didn’t know much about the rich private equity executive when he threw himself into the race this year, but they’re pleased he came calling. Republicans from all factions of the party say Youngkin may be what it needs to help reverse more than a decade of losses in Democratic-leaning Virginia and show a path forward for a national party riddled with division after the Trump years. Democrats acknowledge the race with Democrat Terry McAuliffe is close. They say Youngkin is an extremist with softer packaging and a promoter of democracy-eroding election fraud conspiracies.