Conservatives on social media have criticized President Joe Biden after he referred to Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate who lost the Virginia gubernatorial election to Republican Glenn Youngkin, as the “real” governor of the commonwealth. During an event in Virginia discussing abortion access, Biden said, “Hello, Virginia, and the real governor, Terry McAuliffe.” This comment sparked outrage among conservatives, who labeled Biden an “election denier.”
The comment quickly drew comparisons to the accusations of election denialism that were levied against former President Donald Trump. Conservative commentators on platforms such as X expressed their disapproval, with one user, LibsofTikTok, stating, “I was informed that denying election results is the biggest threat to our democracy. Start the impeachment hearings!”
Chris Barron, a conservative commentator, even suggested that Biden should be removed from the Virginia ballot, referencing the efforts made by Democrats to keep Trump off the ballot due to his alleged election denial. The criticism continued, with contributor Guy Benson accusing Biden of “subverting democracy” and engaging in “casual election denialism.”
Even GOP Congresswoman Elise Stefanik weighed in, calling Biden an “election denier in more ways than one.” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also responded, posting on X, “Mr. President, I’m right here.”
In response to the backlash, a White House spokesperson explained that Biden was simply “making a joke about McAuliffe’s previous term as governor” and that he had congratulated Governor Youngkin on his election. However, conservatives remain critical of the comment, questioning how democracy can survive such election denialism.
It is worth noting that this incident took place during an event focused on abortion access, where Biden thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for her leadership in protecting reproductive freedom. The event also saw interruptions from multiple protesters, highlighting the divisive nature of the topic.
Overall, this controversy surrounding Biden’s comment about Terry McAuliffe’s governorship has ignited a heated debate among conservatives, further highlighting the deep political divisions in the United States.
