Glenn Youngkin was sworn in as Virginia governor on Saturday afternoon, along with fellow Republicans Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares, following a highly competitive election last year.
Youngkin was met with roaring applause from a packed crowd on the steps of the commonwealth’s capitol building in Richmond.
Inauguration is underway. Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin and wife Suzanne making their way down the Capitol Steps to cheers and applause. Bleachers here are filled. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/yOsmdRlwfk
— Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) January 15, 2022
Within seconds of his inaugural speech, he was interrupted by the flyover of military jets, which he quickly used to his rhetorical advantage.
“My fellow Virginians, today we gather not as individuals … and we celebrate the sounds of freedom!” he exclaimed.
The patriotic crowd then broke into chants of “USA” to celebrate the humor and beauty of the situation.
Shortly after Youngkin was sworn in, former Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, did not hesitate to leave the event. CBS Norfolk reported that the scandal-ridden politician headed back to Norfolk immediately after.
#BREAKING: Former Governor Ralph Northam is now on his way back to Norfolk as Glenn Youngkin takes the oath of office. @WTKR3 pic.twitter.com/VD6XIePxg7
— Lydia Johnson (@LydiawithaLens) January 15, 2022
Besides the expected disdain from Democrats, the event appeared to be incredibly positive.
I’m so glad I didn’t wear mascara to @GlennYoungkin’s @GovernorVA74 inauguration ceremony, especially when he declared “if anyone says there are no heroes anymore, tell them to come to Virginia!” He had just asked service members to stand or raise their hands to be recognized. pic.twitter.com/pYxSf7vSYV
— Rebecca Downs (@RebeccaRoseGold) January 15, 2022
The governor and the rest of his Republican statewide ticket were viewed as the underdogs in the Nov. 2021 race until the eleventh hour, when they began making gains in the polls and generating growing enthusiasm. Ultimately, Youngkin won with 50.6 percent of the vote, CNN reported.
Youngkin, Sears, and Miyares helped write the playbook on what the Republican Party should campaign on in the Biden era. They were able to successfully come across to swing voters as bipartisan collaborators without compromising their conservative economic and social principles.
Specifically, their campaigns garnered the support of parents who felt frustrated with a left-wing political agenda being pushed in schools, as well as restrictive coronavirus policies that limited many children’s in-person educations.
“We will teach all of our history, the good and the bad,” Youngkin said in his speech, according to Fox News.
For Our VIP Subscribers: Democrats Handed the GOP the Advantage on a Nonpartisan Issue
It will be fascinating to see if the new Republican officeholders will execute their campaign promises after their hard-fought race.
According to The Spectator, Youngkin’s office will issue executive orders today which will include banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools, ending the vaccination mandate for state employees, and giving parents more of a say in whether they want their children to wear masks in classrooms.
Youngkin’s Day 1 Executive Orders, per his office, include:
– Ban CRT
– parents decide if kids wear masks in school
– declare VA open for business
– end vax mandate for state employees
– investigate Loudoun County
– fire parole board
– leave green house gas initiative
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) January 15, 2022
While Virginians will be the ultimate judge of the results, the inauguration painted a hopeful picture for Virginia’s future, as the state is now free of progressive leadership at the highest levels.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member