logo
The Virginia Governor's Race Has Republicans Reeling

The Virginia Governor's Race Has Republicans Reeling

Politico13 hours ago
The Virginia race is also Example A of how Elon Musk walking away from electoral politics, at least for now, could have down-ballot repercussions. Democrats in the commonwealth earlier this year were bracing for an influx of the tech billionaire's money into Virginia, where there are no caps on giving, but the Musk moolah has yet to appear.
Just as significant, Youngkin, a multi-millionaire, has yet to infuse the Virginia ticket with significant personal money or contributions from his political action committee.
'He's got to win something,' said Delegate Terry Kilgore, the House GOP Leader, of the governor's legacy leaving office after his single term.
Youngkin already lost control of the Virginia House of Delegates and failed to flip the state senate two years ago. And he was unable to find a top-tier candidate to take on Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) last year and will almost certainly not run himself next year against Virginia's senior senator, Mark Warner (D).
That's because the governor seems to be preparing for a future presidential bid. He courted business moguls earlier this month at Allen and Company's annual retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho — where he appeared with Maryland's Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in a discussion moderated by CNN's Anderson Cooper, I'm told. Last week, Youngkin attended a GOP fundraising dinner in first-in-the-nation Iowa, and next month he'll travel to South Carolina, traditionally the first presidential primary in the South.
But he could leave behind a political mess for his own party in Virginia. Youngkin all but assured Sears' nomination for governor, even though it was widely known she was a weak fundraiser and mercurial figure, and then attempted to torpedo the candidacy of her successor as lieutenant governor, John Reid, after it was alleged earlier this year that he had posted sexually explicit images online.
Now, Virginia Republicans — who were already swimming against the tide in a blue-tinted state Trump has never won that tends to punish the party in power in Washington — are alarmed their entire statewide ticket may lose and could deepen the party's minority in the House of Delegates.
Private polling from both parties has Spanberger leading outside margin of error. Democrats have her up 10 points, while Republicans project her to win by mid-single-digits, I'm told. And Republicans are worried their entire ticket may go down if she loses by more than five.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lawler won't run for New York governor; Stefanik plans to announce after November election
Lawler won't run for New York governor; Stefanik plans to announce after November election

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Lawler won't run for New York governor; Stefanik plans to announce after November election

Jul. 23—Rep. Mike R. Lawler will not run for governor of New York next year, clearing the way for Rep. Elise M. Stefanik to potentially clinch the Republican nomination without a primary. After months of teasing a potential run, previously pledging to announce a decision in June that did not come on time, Lawler announced on Wednesday morning that he wouldn't be seeking higher office next year and would instead run for reelection in his Hudson Valley swing district. "I've decided that the right thing to do for me, my family and my district is to run for re-election," he told the Fox network. That clears the way for his leading opposition for the GOP nomination — Stefanik. Lawler has previously said he would not push the party into a primary, which would force the two candidates to compete for conservative votes, commit to conservative positions and spend significant sums of money before starting the real competition against the Democratic candidate. In a statement shortly after Lawler's announcement went wide, Stefanik lauded Lawler as an "effective and hardworking Republican for New York's 17th Congressional district" and said she would announce her own plans once this year's general election is over. "I am focused on supporting strong Republican local and county candidates on the ballot this November to lay the groundwork with a strong team for next year," she said. "I will make a final decision and announcement after this year's November election which we are all focused on." Stefanik has been similarly teasing a potential run for the seat, but she has gained more traction than Lawler. While the Hudson Valley congressman has been relatively quiet in his positioning, meeting behind closed doors with Republicans and only infrequently criticizing Democratic Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul, Stefanik has had much higher profile visits and hosted a press conference after meeting with the state Republican delegation earlier this year. Stefanik has criticized Hochul far more frequently than her supposed competition for reelection in the 21st District. And in perhaps the most significant sign that Lawler wouldn't be running for governor, President Donald J. Trump endorsed him for reelection to the House earlier this year. Lawler met with Trump again last week ahead of his announcement. Nassau County Executive Bruce R. Blakeman has also considered a run for governor, but has far less name recognition and fundraising prowess than Stefanik does. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is headed into a likely primary between Hochul and her Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. In early polling, it appears Hochul is likely to ignore Delgado's challenge and forge ahead to a victory. Hochul and her team seemed to revel in the news Wednesday. "Of course he doesn't have the spine to face me," Hochul said on X, formerly Twitter. In a separate post, Hochul showed an image of a Milk Bone dog treat box, adorned with a sticky note with Lawler's name on it. "A treat for Donald Trump's good boy," the post reads.

Neuralink targets $1 billion revenue by 2031, Bloomberg News reports
Neuralink targets $1 billion revenue by 2031, Bloomberg News reports

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Neuralink targets $1 billion revenue by 2031, Bloomberg News reports

(Reuters) -Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink aims to generate at least $1 billion in annual revenue by 2031, driven by plans to perform 20,000 surgeries per year, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing investor documents. The company aims to operate five large clinics within six years and offer three versions of its brain device, including Telepathy for communication between the brain and machines, Blindsight for restoring vision, and Deep for treating tremors and Parkinson's disease, according to the report. Neuralink did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The company expects regulatory approval for its Telepathy device by 2029, with plans to perform 2,000 surgeries annually and generate $100 million in revenue, the report said. By 2030, Neuralink anticipates launching Blindsight, expanding surgeries to 10,000 per year and generating over $500 million in revenue. Sign in to access your portfolio

Bondi reportedly told Trump that he's named in Epstein files
Bondi reportedly told Trump that he's named in Epstein files

USA Today

time27 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Bondi reportedly told Trump that he's named in Epstein files

The attorney general reportedly told President Donald Trump in the spring that he and many others were named in the government's files on Jeffrey Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump in the spring that he was named multiple times in the government's files on Jeffrey Epstein, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. A White House official did not dispute the reports, telling USA TODAY the president's name is mentioned in the binders of Epstein documents that Bondi prepared for MAGA influencers in February. But the official rejected any suggestion that Trump did any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Bondi told the president that he and many other figures were named in the documents, according to reports from the Journal and the Times. The Journal cited "senior administration officials," while the Times cited three people familiar with the exchange. Being named in such documents doesn't mean the person broke the law. 'The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep," said White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, referring to Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. "This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media, just like the Obama Russiagate scandal, which President Trump was right about," Cheung said. The Justice Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. This story is developing and will be updated.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store