Speculation is rife over who might be selected as former President Donald Trump's vice presidential candidate, with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's name increasingly entering the conversation.
As reported by Byron York in The Washington Examiner, the buzz around Youngkin's potential candidacy is growing, despite him not being among the top contenders previously.
The question arises, however, whether Youngkin would bring any significant value to Trump's ticket. According to York, this would largely depend on whether Youngkin's inclusion could secure a Trump victory in Virginia. If not, Youngkin's advantage over other contenders would be minimal. However, if Youngkin could help Trump win Virginia, his addition to the ticket would be extremely valuable.
Virginia has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 20 years, with George W. Bush in 2004 being the last GOP candidate to win the state. Despite this, recent polls, including one from Fox News, show Trump and current President Joe Biden neck and neck. A Trump victory in Virginia could potentially disrupt the Electoral College calculations in his favor.
York outlines a conventional path to the presidency for Trump. This would involve Trump winning all the states he won in 2020, which is likely, followed by victories in Georgia and Arizona, where he appears strong. However, he would still need to win one more state to secure the presidency. Nevada, a state Trump could potentially win, does not have enough electoral votes to guarantee victory; even with Nevada, Trump would still be two votes short.
In this scenario, Trump would need to win either Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Wisconsin to secure the White House. However, if he fails to win any of these states, Virginia could offer an alternative path to victory. If Trump wins the 2020 states, Georgia, Arizona, and Virginia, he could lose Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin and still become president.
While there is no guarantee that selecting Youngkin would ensure a Trump victory in Virginia, there is no doubt that being competitive in Virginia would provide Trump with an additional viable path to the presidency. As York suggests, Youngkin's potential candidacy is certainly worth considering in the context of Trump's electoral strategy.
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