President Joe Biden has asked the Democratic National Committee to give $1.2 million to Virginia Democrats ahead of state elections in the commonwealth and in the face of record fundraising from Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
The request from Biden comes as a Youngkin political action committee raised $5.9 million by the end of June, a new record for a Virginia governor, according to The Washington Post. The November elections could prove pivotal as Republicans currently control the state House of Delegates and Democrats control the state Senate.
Dave Rexrode, the head of Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC, responded to the news, saying that it showed the “far left in Virginia is in full panic mode.”
“They are desperate, with no vision for the Commonwealth; only far left Virginia Democrats would look to D.C. and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for help,” he told the Post. “Virginians are with Gov. Youngkin, they support his commonsense agenda that’s providing tax relief, empowering parents, and strengthening public safety.”
Republican pickups in the Senate and House could allow Youngkin to pass more conservative-backed initiatives in a state that had trended blue until Youngkin’s surprise win in 2021.
DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison said the money was just part of Biden’s policy to support Democrats throughout the U.S.
“Time and time again, President Biden has made it abundantly clear that he is committed to not just electing Democrats at the top of the ticket, but down the entire ballot, and this investment is further proof,” Harrison said. “We are proud to make these unprecedented investments in Virginia and across the country that will not only help Democrats win in 2023, but will build on and expand the infrastructure we need to reelect President Biden and Vice President Harris next year.”
The money was in part allocated after Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine asked Biden for help in the commonwealth as Youngkin’s popularity remains high.
“The Democratic National Committee’s significant investment in Virginia underscores that the stakes could not be higher this November,” Kaine told the Post. “If Republicans win control of the General Assembly, they’ve pledged to restrict voting rights, pass an abortion ban, and roll back gun safety measures.”
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Youngkin’s second quarter fundraising raised eyebrows with Republicans hoping to flip the Senate. Without the Senate, Youngkin’s administration has moved forward with a number of conservative moves at the executive level, including promoting education reforms and increased parental knowledge of what is happening in Virginia schools.
“When Governor Youngkin says he’s focused on Virginia, he means it. The Governor has built and scaled an unprecedented campaign to hold the House and flip the Senate,” Rexrode said.