NORFOLK, Va. - Gov. Glenn Youngkin responded Monday to his campaign directing a tweet at a teenager over the weekend.
In a tweet, Youngkin said the tweet came from his campaign account. "I regret that this happened and it shouldn’t have. I have addressed it with my team," he said.
On Saturday night, an unauthorized tweet came from a campaign account. I regret that this happened and it shouldn’t have. I have addressed it with my team. We must continue to work to bring Virginians together. There is so much more that unites us than divides us.
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) February 7, 2022
A now deleted tweet from the Team Youngkin account was directed at a teenager, who had been critical of the Youngkin administration. It shows the teenager with former Gov. Ralph Northam and his infamous yearbook page.
"I was surprised and quite frankly I couldn't believe it was real," Ethan Lynne told reporters on Monday afternoon.
The Twitter back-and-forth drew condemnation from Democrats over the weekend and for a time Youngkin was trending on Twitter on Sunday.
"This is as low as it gets. Attacking a student. This will be remembered forever," Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) wrote on Twitter.
Excuse me, did this come from an official account of the Governor of Virginia?!?!
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) February 6, 2022
Every reporter in the state needs to get on this immediately. The Governor is attacking a high school student.
Governor- this is a disgrace and you owe Ethan a public apology immediately. https://t.co/Ta6v3hEsXW
In an interview Friday with News 3, Gov. Youngkin responded to what it's like working with Democrats, whom still have a slim majority in the Senate.
"I'm disappointed at the partisan politics that I see being played in the Senate, where I have senators who even said to me, I really liked that aspect of this, but they don't vote for it. Why? Because they're playing partisan politics. Virginians are tired of this. This is why I won is to actually get things done," he said.
Youngkin faced a set-back Friday when a judge ruled his executive order making masks optional at schools exceeded his authority.
Youngkin has vowed to appeal. Two other lawsuits filed against the order remain pending.
