The Shadow
Governor Glenn Youngkin (R), a businessman who defeated former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D), stood on the Capitol’s steps in Richmond and called for unity via embracing a common cause for the common good.
For the past eight years, Democrats had occupied the Governor’s Mansion where Douglass Wilder (D), the nation’s first black American to become elected governor of a state, had dwelled during his term as 66th governor of Virginia from 1990 till 1994.
Youngkin, 54, earned his fortune during his career with the Carlyle Group, and he will have a Republican majority in the House of Delegates to work with following the election that brought unprecedented diversity to the top three positions in government in Virginia.
The Democrats hold a 21-19 majority in the Virginia Senate, but Youngkin will have Republican leaders in key positions. Earle-Winsome Sears, the first black woman to win statewide office in Virginia, was also sworn in as lieutenant governor, and Jason Miyares, the first Latino to be elected to a statewide office in Va., took his oath of office to become attorney general.
During his speech, Youngkin called for Virginia’s schools to stay open and operate for five days per week, pledged to lead Virginia to a new and better day and advocated bipartisan teamwork in moving forward.
After his acceptance speech, Youngkin issued nine executive orders and two executive directives, one ending the vaccine requirement outgoing Governor Ralph S. Northam (D) had in place and another establishing a commission to combat human trafficking.
He also ordered the removal of Virginia from the cap and trade program Governor Northam had in place.
The traditional black-tie, formal affair the night following a governor being sworn into office was ditched in favor of an informal party featuring the Zac Brown Band. Guests were encouraged to wear cowboy hats, red fleece-type vests that Youngkin wore during his campaign, or patriotic colors.
Friday, the day before his inauguration, Youngkin participated in a morning black-tie candlelight affair that cost $10,000 per ticket to attend at a science museum.
On Sunday, an open house was held at the Governor’s Mansion where Governor Bob McDonnell was the last Republican governor to reside there before he left office in 2014.
