BEVERLY HILL, CA (WINA) – In an interview with a Wall Street Journal editor in a Milken Institute event, Governor Youngkin mostly ruled out a run for President in 2024. Editor-at-Large Gerald Baker asked him specifically at the end of a 30-minute interview on the state of the nation and the Republican Party is he was going to dust off the fleece jacket and hit the Presidential campaign trail “this year”. Youngkin replied “no”, that he would be working in Virginia as the November 2023 legislative elections approach.

However, when asked specifically by Baker “”in the words of LBJ, you will not seek and if nominated, you will not serve and accept the Republican nomination for President of the United States”, Youngkin answered he’ll “leave that one to LBJ”.

Theoretically, there is some time between Virginia’s November 7 legislative elections where Youngkin is working for Republican control of what is now a split legislature. But the first event on the Republican Presidential primary calendar is the Iowa caucuses tentatively right now January 8, 2024.

James Madison University politics professor Bob Roberts explains Youngkin is definitely not running as things stand now, and that is Donald Trump is too strong. Roberts says Trump polls 45% of the Republican vote right now, which in “winner-take-all” Republican nominating contests is enough to win over any combination of opponents. Asked why Youngkin would not categorically say he’s out, Roberts said no politician would say he or she is in case something happened with Trump. Roberts says if something happens with Trump, the nomination field would be wide open, and Youngkin would not want to take himself out of the running.