Republicans Slam Biden for Calling Defeated Democrat McAuliffe the ‘Real Governor’ Of Virginia

By
Scott McJunkin
-
Joe Biden kickoff rally May 2019 | Source: commons.wikimedia.org
During a recent campaign rally in Manassas, Virginia, President Joe Biden sparked controversy by referring to Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat who lost the 2021 gubernatorial race to Republican Glenn Youngkin, as “the real governor” of Virginia.

This comment came during Biden’s first joint campaign event for the 2024 election cycle with Vice President Kamala Harris, as reported by CBS News.

As he took the stage, President Biden acknowledged McAuliffe, who was present among the crowd, by stating “Hello, Virginia, and the real governor, Terry McAuliffe.” This statement stirred confusion and criticism among politicians and political pundits, particularly given the context of Biden’s 2024 campaign, which has been focused on addressing former President Trump’s denial of Biden’s 2020 election victory.

In 2021, Glenn Youngkin emerged victorious over McAuliffe by more than 60,000 votes, marking the first Republican governor elected in Virginia since 2009. Prior to this, McAuliffe had served as the state’s governor from 2014 to 2018.

Youngkin responded to Biden’s controversial comment via social media, simply stating, “Mr. President, I’m right here.” Other political commentators labeled Biden’s remark as “bizarre” and “monstrously stupid.” Jonah Goldberg, a CNN contributor and Editor-in-Chief of The Dispatch, criticized the president’s comment, saying, “This is monstrously stupid, even if intended as a silly joke.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide and current co-host of “The View,” also weighed in on the issue, stating, “When you’re running on ‘defending democracy’ jokes about elections being stolen are not funny at all.” In addition, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares questioned, “So Joe Biden is an election denier?”

Biden’s comment comes amid his ongoing criticisms of Trump and his supporters, as the president’s re-election campaign seems to be gearing up for a potential rematch with the former president. Trump, currently the GOP frontrunner, has already won the first two contests in the Republican primary, claiming victories in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, Biden managed to secure a win in the New Hampshire primary over Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN) and self-help author Marianne Williamson. This victory was achieved via a write-in campaign after the Democratic National Committee designated South Carolina as the first state in the party’s primary. Despite this, general election polls indicate Trump leading Biden by roughly three points, according to the Real Clear Politics average.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR