

He’s been married to his wife, Suzanne, for 27 years, and the couple has four children.
#Clean slate gilbert professional#
His friends say Youngkin’s rise up the professional ladder hasn’t changed him and he remains down to earth, hardworking and humble. He also owns properties in Texas and Wyoming, according to tax records and financial disclosures. He now lives in a seven-bedroom home in Great Falls. Youngkin accumulated a fortune at the firm one Forbes estimate says his net worth is roughly $440 million. Youngkin, who retired from Carlyle in September 2020, described leaving because he felt “called into public service.” Reporting from Bloomberg has suggested his retirement also came after a power struggle with Kewsong Lee, his co-CEO, who declined an interview request for this story. The 6-foot-6 Youngkin excelled at basketball and was recruited to play at Rice University in Texas.Īfter graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering and managerial studies, he worked in investment banking before earning an MBA at Harvard University and eventually joining The Carlyle Group, where he spent 25 years rising through the ranks, eventually becoming co-CEO. Childhood friends described him living a comfortable but not lavish middle-class life.
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He was born just outside Richmond, and his family relocated to Virginia Beach after his father lost his job. In ads and campaign appearances, he emphasizes he’s a “homegrown” Virginian. He pitches substantial tax cuts, promises to overhaul dysfunctional state agencies, opposes a major clean energy mandate passed two years ago and objects to abortion in most circumstances. He opposes mask and vaccine mandates, rails against critical race theory and wants to expand Virginia’s limited charter schools. But he largely campaigns on solidly conservative positions. Now, as he courts independents and moderates, Youngkin talks about pumping the brakes on Democrats’ progressive drive in Richmond. I mean, just no way,” said Hobbs, who allowed that maybe things would have been different if Youngkin had had more time to campaign.

“If he just dismissed it, no way he could have won the primary. But Youngkin was facing “rabid” party activists who wanted to hear that the candidate shared their concerns about the election, said Hobbs, who voted for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Youngkin told him “early on” in the nomination contest that Biden had legitimately won the election, Hobbs said. Then, he ran on “ election integrity ” and refused for months to say plainly whether President Joe Biden had been legitimately elected.īrad Hobbs, a close friend who has helped the campaign, said the candidate was just appeasing the base. 2 election, polls show a right race.īut if Youngkin has trouble broadening his appeal in the state’s critical, swingy and moderate suburbs, it may stretch back to his fight for the GOP nomination. The former co-CEO of The Carlyle Group has poured millions of his own fortune into an energetic campaign that has peppered swaths of Virginia with red lawn signs and left Democrats increasingly nervous. There’s little doubt his approach is working with Republicans. “How do we bring people together, as opposed to push them apart and separate them?” Youngkin said in a recent interview when asked what inspired his run for office.

Youngkin’s chances may hinge on whether voters believe that characterization. Terry McAuliffe, calls Youngkin a “Trump wannabe.” He’s dodged when pressed for details on policies on abortion rights and gun control, and leaned into culture war fights over schools and pandemic precautions. Youngkin has embraced Trump’s endorsement and kept up ties to far-right figures. USA Gymnastics, USOPC reach $380M settlement with victimsīut in substance, Democrats see an extremist with softer packaging and have accused Youngkin of promoting democracy-eroding election fraud conspiracies.
