On Tuesday night, Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin made an announcement before a packed crowd in Burke, Virginia, calling for "an immediate investigation into the Loudoun County School Board for their gross negligence" to do with incidents involving alleged rape in the school district.
Inside + overflow crowd in Fairfax County for @GlennYoungkin. Nova is fired up ?? like never before. #VAGov #GlennYoungkin pic.twitter.com/41NudrYUxz
— rachel (@rachlepp) October 20, 2021
AMAZING turnout in Northern Virginia tonight for the next Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Virginia, @GlennYoungkin.
— Harrison Fields (@HarrisonWFields) October 19, 2021
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT calling for an immediate investigation of the Loudoun County School Board sexual assault coverup. pic.twitter.com/frKUrZMns6
.@GlennYoungkin giving secondary remarks to another crowd outside pic.twitter.com/4gdDs7eONw
— Julia Manchester (@JuliaManch) October 19, 2021
That Youngkin drew such a crowd in such a blue part of the commonwealth is further indicative of the momentum the Republican candidate appears to have with now less than two weeks to go before Election Day, on November 2.
Hundreds outside bundled up in overflow in Fairfax. No need for out-of-state surrogates to drive turnout for @GlennYoungkin and this ticket! pic.twitter.com/LYPkvfS1Qm
— Marshall Moreau (@marshall_moreau) October 19, 2021
There are literally hundreds of people here in in Burke, VA for @GlennYoungkin
— Helder Toste (@HTosteGOP) October 19, 2021
We are in the heart of Fairfax County, a county that voted nearly 70% for President Biden.
Terry McAwful is in huge TROUBLE folks. This is definitely not normal.
14 days until we win! pic.twitter.com/nmpPnbW93q
There are more people outside Glenn Youngkin’s packed rally trying to get in than Terry gets in his entire audience #VAGov ?????? Parents have had enough! pic.twitter.com/zr1YCgv3mM
— Maggie Howell (@Mar__G_3) October 19, 2021
The event delved into many aspects of education, which has become a hot topic in the Virginia statewide races.
Youngkin goes on to say that every school will be required to have school resource officers on every campus.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) October 19, 2021
More liberal jurisdictions, like Alexandria, have voted to eliminate police presence from local schools. Votes on issue were contentious among Ds, split party.
One principle, Youngkin notes: “Judge people by their character, not their skin color.”
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) October 19, 2021
Calls for equality (not equity).
Then to loud applause, announces he’ll “ban critical race theory” in VA schools.
Del. Jason Miyares, who is the Republican candidate for attorney general, also appeared at the rally alongside Youngkin and former Del. Winsome Sears, the Republican candidate for lieutenant general.
As Attorney General, I'll do the job Mark Herring refuses to do.
— Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) October 19, 2021
I'll investigate the Loudoun County School Board and their coverup of sexual assaults. pic.twitter.com/kFd3yzeluL
“If there is a crime reported at a school we are calling the police,” Youngkin says. He says he would work to repeal laws stopping that
— Brandon Jarvis (@Jaaavis) October 19, 2021
Proud to stand with @GlennYoungkin, @JasonMiyaresVA & parents all across the Commonwealth tonight. Parents Matter! We are going to win in November! pic.twitter.com/SAqOAA001L
— Winsome Sears (@WinsomeSears) October 20, 2021
Youngkin also mentioned repealing what is known as House Bill 257, which was approved by Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) and went into effect in July 2020. It allows for school districts to decide if they will report misdemeanors, which includes sexual battery.
As I covered over the weekend, Northam has been rather evasive about giving a satisfactory response when it comes to having approved the legislation in March 2020 if it still looks like a good idea.
Julia Manchester of The Hill on Tuesday tweeted out a statement from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe's campaign.
.@TerryMcAuliffe communications director @christinafreund out with a statement responding to Youngkin’s call to investigate the Loudoun County School Board— accuses Youngkin of “angry Trumpian conspiracy theories and constant threats against public school funding” #VAGov pic.twitter.com/XqBoFK8l9A
— Julia Manchester (@JuliaManch) October 20, 2021
The statement stuck to a theme from the McAuliffe campaign and McAuliffe himself of repeatedly trying to tie Youngkin to former President Donald Trump. With added emphasis, the statement reads that "Glenn Youngkin's entire campaign has been based on Donald Trump's divisive conspiracy theories, and tonight we saw more of the same--angry Trumpian conspiracy theories and constant threats against public school funding. Glenn Youngkin has shown time and time again he's running for governor for one man only: Donald Trump. Terry McAuliffe, however, is running for governor for all Virginians and will build a stronger Commonwealth that invests in public education and lists everyone up."
As Luke Rosiak of The Daily Wire recently reported and has been reporting consistently on since, Scott Smith came forward to allege that his ninth-grade daughter had been raped in a school bathroom by a biological boy wearing a skirt and that he broke his "silence" recently upon learning that there were allegations that the same individual had done it to another victim.
Youngkin does not often bring up the former president on the campaign trail and has repeatedly emphasized to reporters that Glenn Youngkin is the one campaigning for Glenn Youngkin in Virginia, rather than bringing in outside help. Earlier on Tuesday, McAuliffe was called out during a CNN interview by "At This Hour" host Kate Bouldan for his constant referencing of Trump.
I had to confirm that this was this morning and not a recycled clip since it’s happening so frequently I feel like. https://t.co/pyOAD4MLzR
— Rebecca Downs (@RebeccaRoseGold) October 19, 2021
McAuliffe has sought the help of high profile Democratic figures including President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, First Lady Jill Biden, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and Vice President Kamala Harris. As it turns out, however, the campaign messaging of Abrams and Harris which is a video message played in churches calling on parishioners to vote for McAuliffe may put them at odds with the IRS.
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