Virginia Democrats ask Northam to waive absentee ballot witness signature requirement
Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin joins 'The Story' to react to the latest developments.
Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin, locked in a margin-of-error race with Democratic former Gov. Terence McAuliffe this fall, told Fox News he is not surprised his opponent admitted President Biden's popularity is collapsing in the Old Dominion.
On "The Story", host Martha MacCallum noted Biden won Virginia by more than 10 points, and contrasted that with McAuliffe's admission during a leaked videoconference with Democratic activists that "headwinds from Washington" and "Biden [being] unpopular in Virginia" could hurt his campaign if they do not get out the vote.
McAuliffe, a longtime confidant of Bill and Hillary Clinton who preceded term-limited incumbent Gov. Ralph Northam, is leading Youngkin by 4 points or less in a state that recently saw its legislature flip Democratic, and hasn't had a Republican governor or U.S. senators in a decade.
"President Biden is unpopular because he’s failing as our president," said Youngkin.
"We watched what happened in Afghanistan. He absolutely abandoned Americans and our military and allies; Afghans that had been shoulder to shoulder with us. There is a complete failure at the border. He’s ruining our economy."
Youngkin argued that McAuliffe, of McLean, is also touting controversial policies -- pointing to his declaration during an Alexandria, Va., debate that parents should not be able to interject in school curriculum.
"President Biden is failing. Terry McAuliffe, he’s failing as well. It’s not just Joe Biden. But it’s [McAuliffe's] position on these most important issues. Putting government between parents and their children," he said.
MacCallum noted that, in breaking reports, some Virginia Democrats have petitioned Northam to waive the witness-signature requirement on absentee ballots for the November 2 race due to coronavirus concerns.
Fairfax County Board Chairman Jeffrey McKay, D-Huntington, proposed the letter during Thursday's supervisors' meeting.
Youngkin replied that the system should remain as-is because early voting is already three weeks in.
Northam lifted the Commonwealth's COVID emergency order, but Fairfax's is still in place at the county level.
Youngkin reiterated that Virginians are simply "ready to vote."
"His campaign is failing because of Terry McAuliffe," he concluded. "Yes, Joe Biden’s complete failure as our president is adding to it."
MacCallum said McAuliffe has been invited to offer a rebuttal on the program.
The only other gubernatorial race this year is in New Jersey, between incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Somerville Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
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