Rupert Murdoch ‘has personally asked Virginia’s GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin to jump into the 2024 presidential race’ as media tycoon’s faith in Ron DeSantis wanes
- Murdoch met with Youngkin twice to encourage him to run for president
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch met Virginia’s Republican governor Glenn Youngkin twice to personally encourage him to start a White House run.
The 92-year-old Australian tycoon met with the rising GOP player, who only took Virginia’s top political office in 2021, at least twice this year, according to several sources who spoke to the Washington Post.
The date of the first meeting was unclear, while the second took place in the spring.
The revelation of the meetings comes after it was previously reported that Murdoch had privately told his close circle that he wanted to see Virginia’s 74th governor throw his hat in the ring.
Youngkin, a former private-equity executive at the Carlyle group, has kept quiet about his ambitions for high office this year, and said in May that he was not planning on running ‘this year.’
Glenn Youngkin, a former private-equity executive at the Carlyle group, has kept quiet about his ambitions for high office
Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old Australian tycoon (pictured in London in June), has a huge empire of media outlets across the world
But Axios reported that if he does announce his 2024 presidential bid, he will only do so if the Republic party win in Virginia’s Senate race in November.
The outlet also reported that Murdoch isn’t the only moneyed man who is set to support Youngkin, claiming that two billionaires, Ronald Lauder and Thomas Peterffy, are among GOP donors who want to back his potential presidential bid.
While Murdoch’s meetings with Youngkin took place earlier this year, and Youngkin still has not announced a 2024 presidential bid, their revelation comes as Murdoch’s support for Florida’s 46th governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign slips.
Youngkin ((pictured at an Atlanta political conference on August 19) only took Virginia’s top political office in 2021 and has already proved popular across the country
Murdoch reportedly met with Youngkin, seen here at a Washington Commanders’ fan meetup in Virginia in July, twice this year to encourage him to make a bid for the White House
Murdoch-owned newspapers have severely criticised him in recent weeks.
The New York Post, which hailed him as ‘DeFuture’ after he won Florida’s gubernatorial race last November, recently covered his wavering poll numbers, as well as backlash he faced for a campaign video that critics called ‘homophobic.’
On top of this, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board condemned the governor for a state bill he signed that primarily forced business-owners in Florida with 25 or more workers to use the U.S. government’s E-Verify system to confirm the legal status of new hires.
Murdoch has reportedly been cringing at DeSantis’ anti-woke crusade that’s been the centerpiece of his GOP primary run so far.
On top of this, his poll numbers have left much to be desired.
Murdoch has reportedly been cringing at the anti-woke crusade that Ron DeSantis, pictured here at a rally in new Hampshire in August, is on
Just 14.8% of Republican voters are set to vote for DeSantis, pictured here at a rally in new Hampshire, as of August 20 according to FiveThirtyEight
Once the GOP frontrunner who pundits believed stood the best chance of beating both Trump and the Democrats in 2024, national support for DeSantis has waned massively in the three months since he announced his presidential bid, according to poll data.
According to an aggregation of polls by FiveThirtyEight, support for DeSantis among Republican voters peaked at 40.3% in early January.
But just 14.8% of Republican voters have stuck with him, as of August 20.
Dave Rexrode, chairman of Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia Political Action Committee, did not respond to the Washington Post’s specific questions about Murdoch, but instead said in a written statement:
‘Virginia’s getting attention because parents still matter and Governor Youngkin’s commonsense conservative leadership is working.
‘There’s more to do, so the governor’s not taking his eye off Virginia. These races are too important.’
MailOnline has reached out to DeSantis’ presidential campaign, DeSantis For President, and NewsCorp for comment.
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