Youngkin’s PAC gets third $1 million donation from Republican megadonor Thomas Peterffy
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin addresses the crowd during an early voting rally Thursday Sep. 21, 2023, in Petersburg, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC got its third $1 million donation from billionaire Thomas Peterffy, a GOP megadonor who has said he would like to see Virginia’s governor jump into the 2024 presidential race.
Campaign finance records show Youngkin’s political action committee received $1 million from Peterffy on Sept. 27, adding to the two other $1 million donations Peterffy gave the PAC earlier this year.
“I think that Governor Youngkin would be an ideal candidate for the Republican Party and I very much hope that he’s going to enter the race,” Peterffy said in a July 26 appearance on Fox Business.
Online records also show that the PAC got $500,000 from Youngkin himself, $25,000 from Virginia Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings and $10,000 from Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littelin in September.
A spokesperson for the Spirit of Virginia PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Youngkin’s PAC has been setting fundraising records, raising millions for Virginia Republicans in highly-contested elections in November as the party looks to take total control of the General Assembly.
While Youngkin has been adamant that he is solely focused on Virginia’s Nov. 7 state elections, Peterffy told CBS News’ Robert Costa that the Republican governor “appears to be leaving the door open” on a potential 2024 presidential bid.
Youngkin, and first lady Suzanne Youngkin, will host Republican donors at the Historic Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach for a retreat on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, three weeks before the pivotal Nov. 7 state elections, to boost the fundraising hauls for GOP candidates.
Republicans control the House of Delegates and Democrats have a majority in the Virginia Senate. All 140 state legislative seats are on the ballot this year (some candidates are running unopposed), giving each party a chance to win full control of the Virginia General Assembly.
If Republicans flip the Senate and keep the House, the party will be able to push forward Youngkin’s legislative agenda, including an abortion ban after 15 weeks, next year. If Democrats hold the Senate and take control of the House, they could block those efforts and deflate the presidential buzz around Youngkin.
Stressing the importance of this year’s elections, Youngkin has held campaign events across Virginia and raised millions for Republican candidates.
This story is developing.