Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin says he won't be running for president in 2024 after Republicans narrowly lost both state legislative chambers in Tuesday's election.
"Well, let me just be clear, I'm not going anywhere, and we still have a divided government, which means that we all have to come together in order to progress legislation," Youngkin said Wednesday. "And I was looking at it over the course of the last couple of months and the Constitution, it requires both houses to pass the bill and a governor to sign it. So, this is still the reality of where we are versus the same place, we have been the last two years."
Youngkin noted he was "disappointed" in the state legislative results but "encouraged that we have demonstrated that we can do this. It still requires us to come together. And I'm here.
"I'm the executive branch and I will continue to invite our leadership from the legislative branch to work with us and deliver these important objectives."
Virginia Democrats who campaigned on protecting abortion rights swept Tuesday's legislative elections, retaking full control of the General Assembly after two years of divided power.
The outcome was a sharp loss for Youngkin and his fellow Republicans, who exerted a great deal of energy, money and political capital on their effort to secure a GOP trifecta.
Candidates made their case to voters this cycle on the economy, the environment, public safety, and schools, but no issue was more hotly contested than abortion in the last state in the South without new restrictions since the end of Roe v. Wade.
On abortion, many GOP candidates in the most competitive swing districts coalesced around Youngkin's proposed 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
"Abortion is potentially one of the most difficult topics in Virginia and the nation," Youngkin said Wednesday, adding, "I do believe there is a place we can come together, common ground. This is difficult. I'm hopeful that the dialogue we've started can continue."