As Trump Spewed Old Lies in Arizona, Glenn Youngkin Drew on GOP’s New

Former President Donald Trump and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin laid out two clashing visions for the GOP on Saturday as the party grapples with how to best win during the 2022 midterms.

Youngkin—who narrowly eked out a victory in Democratic-leaning Virginia last November—offered a moderation in tone during his inaugural address, a contrast from the more partisan rhetoric used by Trump during his rally in Arizona.

During his campaign, Youngkin walked a fine line between appealing to moderate voters and embracing the Trump wing of the GOP. He received Trump’s endorsement, but still kept a distance from him.

While appearing on Fox News Sunday, Youngkin touted his coalition, urging Republicans to work to build a “bigger tent.”

“We, in fact, embraced all Virginians. I’ve said before that I so deeply appreciated Trump’s support,” he said. “We brought together a coalition of folks that had never been in the room together—forever-Trumpers and never-Trumpers. Moderates, Democrats.”

The rhetoric echoed that which he used during his inaugural speech, where he opened by noting: “Today we gather, not as individuals, nor as Republicans or Democrats, but as Virginians.”

He also paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the civil rights icon’s birthday:

“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we celebrate today and whose great life we celebrate Monday with a national holiday, once said, ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.’ For us that boat is named Virginia, and today we set sail to a new and better day.”

Though he delivered a moderate tone, Youngkin still quickly delivered on several conservative campaign promises. He signed 11 executive actions his first day in office, covering issues such as banning critical race theory from schools, lifting mask mandates in schools and ending vaccine requirements for state employees.

Meanwhile, the former president offered a different message during a rally in Florence, Arizona.

Rather than appeal to moderate voters, Trump doubled down on his unfounded claims that he only lost swing states like Arizona due to widespread voter fraud.

“I love Arizona. We had a tremendous victory in Arizona that was taken away and I just want to wish everybody a happy New Year. We’re going to have, I think, a great year,” he said during the rally.

No evidence has been presented to prove these claims, but Trump and his allies have continued to push the theory for more than one year after he lost the presidency.

He also attacked President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, during his rally, as the crowd chanted “lock him up” in reference to Fauci.

“Biden’s made him the person. He’s like the king. Fauci’s the king,” he said.

The two…