Virginia Republicans wake up to early voting
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin is going all in on early voting in his quest to help Republicans win total control of the state government.
Why it matters: It's a stark break from the Trump-fueled suspicion of the practice that has permeated the party.
- In Virginia, GOP politicians have routinely sought to roll back early voting measures, while the party's voters have largely stuck to in-person voting.
What's happening: Youngkin's PAC, Spirit of Virginia, rolled out the major get-out-the-vote push on Tuesday in partnership with the state party and House and Senate GOP caucuses.
- The campaign, dubbed "Secure Your Vote," recasts early voting not as a source of alleged fraud but as the key to Republican victory.
Details: In a press release announcing the initiative, Youngkin's PAC said the program will use voter data to target Republicans with messages encouraging them to vote early, both in person and by mail.
- The program is anchored by a website, SecureYourVoteVirginia.com, that walks voters through the various options for early voting, including encouraging voters to join the state's permanent absentee list.
What they're saying: "Republicans have got to stop sitting on the sidelines and allowing the Democrats to do a better job of voting early," Youngkin said during an appearance on Fox News.
- "I'm tired of us going into [Election Day] down thousands of votes. … It's time for us to stand up and make sure our votes are counted."
Flashback: Former President Trump blasted absentee voting with baseless fraud claims through his final days in office.
- And as recently as this year, lawmakers in the GOP-controlled House of Delegates passed legislation to limit in-person absentee voting until two weeks before the election and ban localities from accepting ballots in drop boxes.
The other side: Democrats issued a press release blasting the apparent change of heart, which House Minority Leader Don Scott called "blatant hypocrisy."
Worth noting: Youngkin's PAC declined to comment on how many people signed up for absentee ballots through the initiative so far.
The big picture: During a meeting with reporters Tuesday, Youngkin's PAC said it anticipates spending "seven figures" on the initiative as part of a data-focused campaign that will draw on AI tools, machine learning and a small army of paid canvassers.