Haley slams ‘culture wars’ on campaign with Youngkin in Northern Virginia

MCLEAN, Va. — Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin campaigned with potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Wednesday in front of an audience of suburban voters just outside Washington, D.C.

“What an opportunity Virginia has,” Haley said at the event hosted by Women for Youngkin. 

“We’re going to fight back at the ballot box,” she told the crowd. “You know what it means? Women fix things and it’s time to fix Virginia and we’ll do it.”

Haley and Youngkin highlighted a number of issues including economic recovery, crime rates and critical race theory.

“We will not allow critical race theory in our schools,” Youngkin said to applause. Critical race theory is an academic concept that argues racism is a social construct that influences and is embedded in U.S. legal systems and government policies.

Haley blasted what she called the “culture wars” in the U.S., saying “they’ve done nothing but to divide America.”

“You’ve got these culture wars and I know that China and Russia are saying ‘what happened to America?’ ” she said.

Ahead of the event, a crowd of demonstrators organized by Planned Parenthood gathered outside to protest Youngkin.

“The reality is that Glenn Youngkin is out-of-touch with Virginians. He has been masquerading as a moderate, and he hoped that we wouldn’t notice — but we’re paying attention,” Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Executive Director Jamie Lockhart said in a statement. 

Last week, the liberal news website the American Independent released a clip in which Youngkin was asked if he would “take it to the abortionists,” to which he responded that he was “staunchly, unabashedly” anti-abortion but could not discuss the issue much ahead of the November election. 

Youngkin’s campaign told The Hill last week that the clip was “deceptively recorded” and that the candidate was trying to not engage in a divisive conversation.

Wednesday marked the second day in a row Haley campaigned with Youngkin. On Tuesday, the two made campaign stops in Richmond. 

The campaign blitz with Haley comes as former President Trump has become a major figure in the race. Democratic nominee and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and his Democratic allies have worked to tie Youngkin to Trump, touting Trump’s endorsement on the race and his recent remarks on the state.

Youngkin’s team hit back in a digital ad on Monday, citing McAuliffe’s own ties to Trump, including a 2009 campaign donation from the former president.

Haley herself has criticized the former president following the Jan. 6 riot but has praised Trump publicly amid speculation she will launch a 2024 presidential bid. Haley has said she will not run for president if Trump decides to run again.