Conservative commentator and vocal critic of always President Trump
Donald Trump’s envoyBiden calls on North Korea to restart nuclear talks Biden’s misconception about COVID tests puts us all at risk on the Jan. 6 committee to look for legislative records MORE Bill Kristol on Tuesday approved Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe for Virginia’s governorship.
Kristol is one of 17 Republicans who will formally support the former governor on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.
“He’s a moderate Democrat and he won’t shut down Virginia’s business, economic success, etc. He’s the kind of Democrat I’m comfortable supporting,” Kristol told the Post.
Kristol, who served as chief of staff to former Vice President Dan Quayle, is known to help overturn former President Clinton’s health plan in 1993 and push for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
However, Kristol in recent years has been known as one of Trump’s most outspoken conservative critics. Kristol criticized Youngkin’s initial hug to Trump during the GOP convention earlier this year.
“Many of them had photos of Trump or quotes from Trump. And I remember more clearly that this, its main issue was electoral integrity “, he said, referring to the recipients of the campaign during the convention. “And I thought,‘ Oh, my God. Really? … I think he made his bet on having to be pretty Trumpy to win the nomination, and then he stayed there. “
Youngkin’s campaign dodged Kristol’s approval and told the Post in a statement that it “exemplifies McAuliffe’s old, tired way of doing things that has failed Virginia.”
“A 43-year-old political leader, like Terry McAuliffe, who trots fellow endorsements against political grievances, is neither impressive nor surprising,” Youngkin campaign spokesman Matt Wolking said.
Adherence comes when Virginia Democrats work anxiously to link Youngkin to Trump, who lost Virginia in 2016 and 2020.
The Cook Political Report values Virginia’s career as “lean democratic.” A Roanoke College poll released last week showed McAuliffe with an 8-point lead over Youngkin, while a Virginia Commonwealth University poll released last week showed McAuliffe with a 3-point lead.