Aside from President Joe Biden, nobody has officially confirmed their candidacy for the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump has teased a run many times, but he hasn’t made any formal announcement.

If he does run, there’s a possibility that the GOP will see a Trump/DeSantis ticket, which could prove to be a victorious combination. This is assuming the popular Florida Governor runs, of course.

However, another young upstart Republican is suddenly in the mix.

Last year, prior to the Virginia gubernatorial election, most experts and journalists predicted that incumbent Terry McAuliffe would remain Governor.

But in arguably the biggest upset of the year, Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin surged to a stunning victory. And his support hasn’t waned at all since the victory — actually, he seems to have more.

Currently, Gov. Youngkin holds a 55 percent approval rating (according to a Roanoke College survey). And only 37 percent disapprove, giving him a comfortable 18-point margin.

This marks a first for the poll, and it’s worth noting:

For the first time in our poll, a majority (51%) of Virginians have a favorable view of Governor Youngkin, while 37% continue to have an unfavorable view.

Again, that increase comes mostly from Republican feelings, but his rating is up slightly among Democrats and independents as well.

Youngkin is easily outstripping his predecessors as well:

Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam only got over a 53% approval rating once during his four-year-term. At about this time during his tenure, Northam had about a 48% approval rating, 7 points lower than Youngkin.

Director of the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College, David Taylor, said Virginia’s citizens are definitely feeling better about their government.

On top of that, he says Republicans are taking a closer look at Youngkin. This could lead to a 2024 run, too:

Since most of the increase in Youngkin’s favorability comes from his own party, his increased prominence (whether it be traveling in the state or national spotlight) among Republicans is very likely tied to that.

And, just in general, Virginians are getting to know him and what he’s doing for our Commonwealth more as time passes. We’re just past his seventh month in office, and it can take time to grow even in one’s own party.

When asked if they thought Youngkin should run for President in 2024, only 36% said he should. But it’s important to note that 49% of Republicans polled said he should, which is a significantly high number.

Youngkin also has age on his side, as many Americans have criticized the average age of our nation’s highest-ranked officials.

This is why many are pulling for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and on the Democrat side, we’re hearing whispers about California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Youngkin is also a young candidate, which could help his cause.

Trump could still run and he recently talked about “42 proposals” he’d love to see implemented.

In the meantime, it’s interesting to see what other potential dark horse candidates are out there. Because if things go badly for Trump in the coming months and DeSantis decides not to run, the GOP will need a strong name.

Youngkin could fit the bill.

Key Takeaways:

• Republicans might have a new dark horse candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin holds a 55% approval rating, the highest of any Governor in the history of the Roanoke College poll.
• Youngkin’s popularity continues to surge after winning last year, and 49% of Republicans polled think he should run in 2024.

Source: Washington Examiner