Not only has Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told confidants he’s reconsidering a 2024 presidential bid, he also has been privately meeting with prospective donors — telling them he is open to entering the race if he “sees a path,” sources told On The Money.
One source revealed the Republican governor recently met about a possible run with deep-pocketed donors at The Related Companies — the real estate giant that owns Hudson Yards in New York City, and whose billionaire chairman Stephen Ross is a longtime GOP donor.
The Related meeting was “indicative of the private-sector meetings and contributions he could get,” the source said, adding, “Part of keeping his optionality is figuring out if he can line up the funding.”
Related did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Youngkin did not respond to a request for comment.
One wrinkle for Youngkin: The team that helped him flip Virginia red has moved over to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ PAC, Never Back Down. Youngkin’s top adviser in the gubernatorial race, Jeff Roe, as well as political strategists Kristin Davison and Ken Cuccinelli have joined the PAC helping DeSantis.
Not everyone close to Youngkin believes he should step into the race — at least not anytime soon.
“He knows the dangers of getting in too early,” a source said. “DeSantis is trying to clear the field with his launch — he wants an announcement so big that it discourages everyone else from getting in.”
While DeSantis officially entered the race this week, many big donors have pulled back amid his ongoing feud with Disney. Some feel DeSantis may be too extreme — especially after continuing to attack Disney and imposing a draconian ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.
“A lot of the biggest donors have pulled back but they’ll get back in if DeSantis gains momentum,” another source added. However, in the meantime, they’re looking for other options.
Of course, for a lane to open, both DeSantis and the current front-runner, former President Donald Trump, would have to lose steam.
“He won in a blue state — he would appeal to a lot of Democrats,” one Democratic bundler told The Post.
As Youngkin bides his time, he also has been beefing up his foreign policy bona fides. Sources close to the governor say he has been paying close attention to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s decision to ban TikTok and is considering implementing a similar law in Virginia.
The move would show he is a serious China hawk who subscribes to an “America First” approach, a source said.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
