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Nikki Haley Reminds VA Voters: 'Up to Us to Remind Them Parents Have the Final Say in Child’s Education'

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  October 20, 2021 9:45 PM

Nikki Haley's issue advocacy group, Stand for America, released an ad two weeks ahead of Election Day reminding parents what's at stake in the Virginia gubernatorial race. 

Fox News' Houston Keene reported first on the thirty-second ad, "You're a parent," which delves into the journey of parenthood, including the role a parent plays in a child's education. 

The ad also features warnings about the state of education in Virginia due to Critical Race Theory (CRT) and also includes a line uttered from Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Terry McAuliffe, during last month's second debate, to call on parents to take action. "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach," McAuliffe had said at the debate. 

A narrator in the ad directs parents to "tell Terry McAuliffe he's wrong on education because you're a parent and parents show up."

"Union bosses and liberal activists think they know what’s best for students in Virginia. It’s up to us to remind them that parents have the final say in their child’s education," Haley told Townhall in a statement. 

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McAuliffe's comments were made weeks ago, with his Republican opponent, Glenn Younkin, seizing on them immediately to feature in campaign ads. And then, just earlier this week, McAuliffe released an ad claiming that Youngkin took his words out of context, which Youngkin then immediately countered with, as Landon reported. 

CNN's Chris Cillizza has warned in a headline that the "ad reveals how worried Terry McAuliffe is about the Virginia governor's race."

Also on Tuesday, Youngkin held an event in Burke with Jason Miyares and Winsome Sears, the Republican candidates for attorney general and lieutenant governor, respectively. The event, which drew a large overflow crowd, had hundreds in attendance. 

At the event, Youngkin announced that he is calling on an investigation into the Loudoun County School Board after a biological male in a skirt allegedly raped two different victims. 

Earlier today, Monmouth Poll released results showing that McAuliffe and Youngkin are tied among Virginia registered voters with 46 percent support each; McAuliffe had led by 5 percent in August and September. The poll's results also showed that education is a top issue for 41 percent of respondents, with Youngkin having an edge over McAuliffe by 39 to 38 percent when it comes to who voters trust more on the issue.

The PAC has raised over half a million dollars for statewide GOP candidates in the commonwealth through in-person and digital fundraising. Haley has been to Virginia to campaign on behalf of Jason Miyares, the Republican candidate for attorney general. She also made a visit in July alongside Glenn Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne Youngkin. You can read my write-up of one of her appearances at those events. Haley was in Northern Virginia on Monday as well, stumping with Youngkin.

Before serving as former President Donald Trump's U.N. ambassador, Haley was the governor of South Carolina, from 2011 to 2017.