Why Trusting One Man to Make the Difference is a Bad Strategy

When Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was elected, I had reservations.

He’d mostly skirted Second Amendment issues during the campaign and been relatively quiet about his support for the right to keep and bear arms, or the lack thereof. I worried that he was silent because Republicans wouldn’t like him being anti-gun.

And, as governor, he’s been mostly quiet on the issue still.

He’s just vetoed a lot of anti-gun legislation. Frankly, I’d love to see him serve a second consecutive term.

Unfortunately, Virginia doesn’t allow that. He’s out after one term, which means the bulwark established against anti-gun forces in the Old Dominion State is gone.

And that’s raising some causes for concern.

For the past four years, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has served as a firewall against the radical Left’s relentless assault on the Second Amendment — vetoing a whopping 54 gun control bills aimed at dismantling the rights of law-abiding Virginians.

His unwavering commitment to the Constitution sets a national standard for protecting gun rights — but more importantly, it highlights just how aggressively the radical Left is pressing in. With the governor’s race on the horizon, Virginians need to understand the policies Democrat legislators are eyeing and realize just how different the Commonwealth would look if Youngkin hadn’t stood his ground.

“I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of Virginia, and that absolutely includes protecting the right of law-abiding Virginians to keep and bear arms,” said Youngkin.

This is a clear picture of what’s at stake for my fellow Virginia gun owners this fall.

If Spanberger wins? We won’t be far behind WA, CO, and RI, as Dems push an “Assault Weapons” Ban and permit-to-purchase gun control schemes.

If Sears wins? We get another 4-year stay. pic.twitter.com/WNjU6Rcvus

— Dustin Curtis (@gunrightsdustin) June 3, 2025

Goodbye freedom, hello regulation

Democrats currently control both the House and Senate in Virginia, making Youngkin the last line of defense for gun owners.

Spanberger’s allegiance to the anti-gun lobby and her clear opposition to the Second Amendment are well-documented. If Republicans fail to flip one of the chambers red — or fail to push Lieutenant governor Gov. Winsome Sears over the gubernatorial finish line — Spanberger will undoubtedly greenlight the Left’s most extreme gun control measures.

In 2025, Gov. Youngkin vetoed 24 anti-gun bills that would have severely restricted nearly every right protected under the Second Amendment. The previous year, he vetoed 30 similar bills.

Without Youngkin’s veto, Democrats would have already banned so-called “assault weapons” and certain large-capacity magazines (HB 1607), and outlawed hair triggers, binary triggers, and various other modifications used in competitive and professional shooting (HB 1660).

Only simple bolt-action and single-fire rifles would be left on the shelves.

Now, I love Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. She’s very pro-gun, and I think she’d make an amazing governor for the state.

Unfortunately, I don’t live in Virginia, and so far, Spanberger is winning in the polls.

See, the problem here is that we have just one man standing as that bulwark between relative freedom and complete disregard for the right to keep and bear arms.

While it’s possible the legislature will flip with the upcoming election, negating the threat entirely–governors can’t sign laws that aren’t passed, after all–that’s a risk no one should take.

What we need are more than just executives who will oppose gun control. That has its place, of course–California, for example, could most definitely use one of those right about now–but for most states, it’s not enough. All it takes is a term limit to change the landscape forever.

We need voters who understand the importance of gun rights, who value gun rights, and who place a priority on those who defend gun rights at all levels of government.

One man can make a difference, but what happens when that one man (or woman) is gone?

You can probably see the issue now.

Youngkin surprised me. Spanberger won’t, and that’s terrifying, but this is about more than just Virginia. This is about the entire nation.

Don’t put all your trust in one man or woman.