Virginians knew little about Republican Glenn Youngkin when he first threw his hat in the ring to run for governor.
Unlike other recent governors, the former private equity executive ran as a political newcomer with a clean slate, leaving uncertainty about where he fell on the political spectrum.
On the campaign trail, some painted him as a moderate and noted his friendly demeanor sharply contrasted with the combative rhetoric of far-right politicians such as Donald Trump. But since taking office, critics say the governor has consistently shown himself to be cut from the same cloth, citing his support of anti-abortion legislation, his controversial political appointees and his focus on culture war issues.
