The deadline for second quarter finance reports isn’t until July 15, but Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC has already reported $1.5 million in donations of $10,000 or more, which are required to be reported within three days of receipt, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. That exceeds his previous three predecessors by about $1 million at this point in their terms, even accounting for inflation.
In the second quarter of his term, former Governor Bob McDonnell only raised $658,111, with former Governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam reaching $577,331 and $237,800 respectively, according to a VPAP inflation-adjusted graphic.
Youngkin has already used funds from the PAC to run ads, including one in March to pressure state legislators to enact his financial priorities. In recent weeks, national media has reported that Youngkin seems to be testing the waters for a presidential run, including in a recent Times profile. On June 23, Youngkin flew to New York to meet with Republican megadonors, according to The Washington Post.
In the Times article, Molly Ball reported, “[…] a member of Youngkin’s inner circle tells me the conditions look increasingly favorable: ‘The rest of the potential field has a brash Trump style,’ the adviser says. ‘Republicans need a new Reagan. Donors, insiders and increasingly Republican primary voters are coming to this realization.’ On the other hand, when I asked Youngkin about such speculation, he professed to be flattered but said, ‘I’ve signed up for four years, and I’m going to do my job for four years’—a pledge that would preclude him from running in 2024.”
Youngkin’s top donors in the latest numbers include Christopher Perry, President of VAMAC, a plumbing supplier — he gave $100,000 on June 22. Other donors include Mark Gerson, who gave $50,000 June 28, William Holtzman of Holtzman Oil Corporation, who gave $50,000 June 29, $50,000 from investment banker Paul Manning on June 23, Oceanic Development LLC, a real estate developer that gave $50,000 June 30, and Bristol-based coal production company United Co, which gave $50,000 on June 21.
This article originally appeared in The Virginia Star. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Republican Standard. Republished with permission.