Donald Trump lambasted his critics as 'perverts' and encouraged Virginians to 'get out and vote for a man who will be a great...
Donald Trump lambasted his critics as 'perverts' and encouraged Virginians to 'get out and vote for a man who will be a great governor' in Glenn Youngkin in a lengthy statement on Monday morning.
He also baselessly claimed that 'lots of bad things went on, and are going on' in Virginia's elections - just a day before voters there head to the polls to decide who will next lead the state.
Trump, who backed Youngkin in a Saturday night Fox News interview, is now attacking the network for running 'ads ad nauseam' that he claims misrepresent his relationship with the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
'The Fake News media, together with some of the perverts doing ads ad nauseam on primarily Fox (Fox shouldn’t take those ads!), are trying to create an impression that Glenn Youngkin and I are at odds and don’t like each other,' the ex-president said in an emailed statement through his Save America PAC.
He appears to be referring to Republican group the Lincoln Project, which was responsible for a public stunt in which white men dressed up in button-down shirts and khakis, carried tiki torches and appeared to emphatically support Youngkin. It was an attempt to tie Youngkin to the infamous Charlottesville Unite the Right rally.
'Importantly, this is not true, we get along very well together and strongly believe in many of the same policies. Especially when it comes to the important subject of education.'
The subject of education has been a lightning rod in the Virginia election. Parents there and nationwide have clashed with educators over critical race theory and mask guidelines in public schools.
Youngkin seized on the anger, focusing his campaign on the promise that parents will have more control over what goes on in their child's education.
He's also notably chosen to not appear alongside any national Republican figure during any of his campaign events - contrasted against former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, who enlisted top Democrats like Joe Biden and Barack Obama to campaign for him.
But Trump is making his first official appearance for Youngkin later today when he'll appear in a tele-rally on the GOP businessman's behalf. Reports have said Youngkin will not be in attendance.
Throughout the campaign trail Youngkin, a first-time political candidate like Trump was, has for the most part avoided being seen at public events alongside national Republican figures
In his statement Trump lambasted Youngkin's rival, former Governor Terry McAuliffe, as a 'low-life politician who lies, cheats, and steals'
Election watchers say Youngkin has tried to keep his distance from a polarizing figure like Trump so as not to alienate suburban swing voters. But on Monday Trump disputed that, blaming the narrative on 'perverts' and 'Fake News.'
'The reason the Fake News and perverts are working over time is to try and convince people that we do not like each other, and therefore, my great and unprecedented Make America Great Again base will not show up to vote,' Trump said.
'Also, I am not a believer in the integrity of Virginia’s elections, lots of bad things went on, and are going on. The way you beat it is to flood the system and get out and vote. Remember this, Glenn Youngkin is a good man, a hardworking man, a successful man. He loves Virginia and wants to cut your taxes, save your children’s education, and many other very good things.'
Trump has been promoting election conspiracy theories since even before he lost the 2020 presidential race to Joe Biden.
Youngkin meanwhile, has toyed with the polarizing idea himself when calling for an audit of Virginia's election systems multiple times.
In early October he argued an audit would enhance public trust at a Richmond event.
'I grew up in a world where you have an audit every year, in businesses you have an audit. So let's just audit the voting machines, publish it so everybody can see it,' the first-time political candidate had said.
Terry McAuliffe on Monday accused Youngkin of 'fully embracing' Trump's 'lies.'
'The one thing Glenn has been upfront with Virginians is about his total allegiance and full embrace of Donald Trump’s agenda and dangerous lies,' McAuliffe said in statement responding to Trump's.
'From starting his campaign with election integrity as the ‘most’ important issue, to headlining rallies with those present at the deadly January 6 insurrection, to pushing a Trump-DeVos education plan centered on dog whistles and defunding public education, to pledging to ban abortion, Glenn Youngkin made his entire campaign about touting the Trump agenda.'
Trump in his statement attacked McAuliffe as a 'cheater' and a 'terrible' governor.
Trump told his supporters to 'get out and vote for a man who will be a great governor' in his statement supporting Youngkin
'Terry McAuliffe is a low-life politician who lies, cheats, and steals. He was a terrible high-tax governor and would be, if elected, an even worse governor again. I say to all of our millions of followers, don’t listen to the Fake News and misleading advertisements written largely by already-acknowledged perverts.'
He concluded, 'Get out and vote for a man who will be a great governor, Glenn Youngkin!'
Youngkin's office has not yet responded to a request for comment.
But in his response McAuliffe blasted Trump and continued to link him to his Republican rival.
'Trump’s latest statement is nothing but the culmination of a dangerous alliance to bring division, hate, and Trumpism to Virginia disguised in a fleece vest and khakis,' he said in reference to the vests emblazoned with his campaign logo that Youngkin often wears to public events.
Throughout the race the former governor has been searching for ways to further link Youngkin to Trump.
Virginia has voted blue in every presidential election since Barack Obama's 2008 campaign. In 2020, Biden swept the state with a 10-point margin.
But with Biden's popularity sinking, Youngkin appears to be generating more support among likely voters.
On Saturday Youngkin just barely pulled ahead of McAuliffe according to FiveThirtyEight, after months of narrowing the gap from what appeared to be a sure victory for McAuliffe just months prior.
As of Monday Youngkin holds a one point lead over McAuliffe with a margin of 47.8 percent to 46.8 percent.
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