Virginia GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin disavows 'weird and wrong' pledge to Jan. 6 flag at GOP rally

Glenn Youngkin
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

As the Virginia gubernatorial race enters the final stretch, Republican Glenn Youngkin is talking a lot about the rights of parents to tell schools what to teach and Democrat Terry McAuliffe is trying to lash Youngkin to former President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Youngkin via livestream at a rally Wednesday night for the Virginia GOP's slate of candidates, though Youngkin did not attend. (Neither did the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, who had been scheduled to speak. )

Before Trump beamed in and headliner Steve Bannon took the stage at Wednesday night's rally, the audience was asked to pledge allegiance to a flag the organizers said was carried at the "peaceful" Jan. 6 Capitol protest.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.