Youngkin delivers on education campaign promises one year into governorship

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) wasted no time in fulfilling his education campaign promises after he was elected to office. Since his inauguration earlier this year, Youngkin’s administration saw the passage of a substantial education budget; the governor signed the Virginia Literacy Act and executive orders banning critical race theory; and the Virginia Board of Education released new “model policies” retracting accommodations for transgender students. The actions represent policy wins on issues that are popular among the broader GOP. Experts say his performance could make him a standout in the leadup to the 2024 presidential election, where making good on campaign promises could give him an extra boost.

Youngkin’s victory last year made him the first Republican elected to a statewide office in Virginia since 2009. The businessman-turned-politician made education and parents’ role in their children’s education a key issue on the campaign trail, resonating with suburban and independent voters. The 55-year-old governor was able to harness interest in national education topics such as critical race theory, mask mandates and LGBT issues during his campaign. “The governor ran on and was elected on his premise of empowering parents and restoring excellence in education. Since being elected, he’s been delivering on it since day one,” an official with Youngkin’s office told The Hill. Youngkin signed orders to make masks optional in all schools, directed schools to ban lessons that were “inherently divisive” and ordered an investigation into the Loudoun County school district after it gained national attention for an alleged case of sexual assault. The early actions taken by the commonwealth’s governor mirror those of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is up for reelection and is widely viewed as a top potential GOP presidential contender in 2024.