ABC News’ Jon Karl fretted over the notion that Republicans would hold the Biden administration accountable if the they win this week’s midterm elections.
During an interview with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on “This Week,” Karl touched upon how Republican majorities in the House and Senate would be able to work with President Joe Biden (D).
“I’m hearing a lot, though, of talk about investigations, investigations into Hunter Biden, the FBI, all things Anthony Fauci,” Karl said to Youngkin, who has been campaigning for Republicans across the country. “Republicans talking about going, you know, all in if they take control of particularly the House. Is that really what – what you’re campaigning on to – to have massive investigations into all –”
“I think that – that the House and the Senate and the White House are going to have to go to work and offer solutions,” Youngkin responded. “On top of that, our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its responsibility for oversight. And they can also deliver answers. I think voters are going to make a statement on Tuesday, and they want their elected leaders to deliver results.”
“What about all this impeachment talk?” Karl asked. “I mean, I’ve gone through — I can count at least three members of the Biden Cabinet that Republicans have talked about impeaching. And obviously there have already been impeachment resolutions introduced, many of them, for Biden himself. Would that be a mistake for Republicans, to go in with impeachment?”
“I believe strongly that our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its oversight functions,” Youngkin responded.
“Impeachment?” Karl again pressed.
“The reality of this is that Virginians are going to vote for congressional representatives, and I think that we’re going to see a number of seats flip,” Youngkin responded. “And they want them to go to work to deliver.”
Karl again pressed Youngkin on the matter of impeachment, asking if that’s what he thinks voters care about, to which Youngkin finally responded with, “I’m a governor in Virginia. And my job as governor in Virginia is to deliver for Virginians.”
WATCH:
TRANSCRIPT:
JON KARL, ABC “THIS WEEK” CO-ANCHOR: You’re governor of Virginia, but you’ve been all over the country, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arizona, New York, just in the last couple of week.
GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN (R-VA): Oregon.
KARL: Oregon.
What’s the closest argument on why people should vote for Republicans?
YOUNGKIN: Americans are hurting right now and Republican gubernatorial candidates, because that’s who I’ve been spending a lot of time with, are offering common sense solutions to these most critical issues. Americans are sitting around their tables in the evening and they’re worried about inflation and they’re worried about crime and they’re worried about their schools and they’re worried about the border. Every state’s become a border state. And Republicans have clear-cut common sense solutions to all of these. And what they’ve seen is that the liberal Democrats don’t. And it’s that clear right now.
KARL: And you’re, obviously, campaigning for – for members of Congress as well. First order of business, if Republicans take over the House and Senate, how do they work with President Biden?
YOUNGKIN: Well, first, I think they will both have majorities. And I think the statement on Tuesday is going to be pretty clear. And I think there will be a larger majority in the House than people may have thought a few months ago. And I think there will be a clear majority in the Senate.
And this is going to be a wake-up call to President Biden. And I hope he answers it because what’s happened over the last two years has really caused a lot of problems in America. I hope that President Biden sees what Americans are going to – are going to say to him on Tuesday, which is, we’re not happy and we need a different agenda. And – and I think that a Republican led House and a Republican led Senate are going to work to deliver on promises made. And I hope Joe Biden listens.
KARL: You know, I’m hearing a lot, though, of talk about investigations, investigations into Hunter Biden, the FBI, all things Anthony Fauci. Republicans talking about going, you know, all in if they take control of particularly the House. Is that really what – what you’re campaigning on to – to have massive investigations into all —
YOUNGKIN: I think that – that the House and the Senate and the White House are going to have to go to work and offer solutions. On top of that, our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its responsibility for oversight. And they can also deliver answers.
I think voters are going to make a statement on Tuesday, and they want their elected leaders to deliver results.
KARL: What about all this impeachment talk? I mean, I’ve gone through — I can count at least three members of the Biden Cabinet that Republicans have talked about impeaching. And obviously there have already been impeachment resolutions introduced, many of them, for Biden himself. Would that be a mistake for Republicans, to go in…
YOUNGKIN: Again, I…
KARL: … with impeachment?
YOUNGKIN: I believe strongly that our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its oversight functions.
KARL: Impeachment?
YOUNGKIN: The reality of this is that Virginians are going to vote for congressional representatives, and I think that we’re going to see a number of seats flip. And they want them to go to work to deliver.
KARL: But let me press you on that, though. I mean, common-sense, kitchen table issues, that’s what you’ve been talking about. Is that what voters have in mind, impeaching — an impeachment of Joe Biden? Because, I mean, I’m hearing that a lot.
YOUNGKIN: Well, you know, I don’t know — I don’t know if…
KARL: Would that be a mistake, is all I’m asking. What that be a mistake, to go into…
YOUNGKIN: I can’t speculate on what they’re going to do. But what I can tell you is…
KARL: What they should do, is what I’m asking you.
YOUNGKIN: … is they have done — well, I’m a governor.
KARL: I know, but you’re campaigning for members, you know, for…
YOUNGKIN: I’m a governor in Virginia.
KARL: … for people to be in Congress.
YOUNGKIN: And my job as governor in Virginia is to deliver for Virginians. And, oh, by the way, I think that Republicans offer answers that Democrats have failed to offer, over and over and over again.
KARL: You were out in Arizona campaigning for Kari Lake. Liz Cheney, who has supported you, was quite critical of that. She said, “Nobody should be out advocating for the election of people who will not honor the sanctity of our election process.”
Obviously, Kari Lake talks a heck of a lot about the 2020 election, falsely saying it was rigged, stolen. You don’t agree with that, do you?
YOUNGKIN: Well, I’ve said that President Biden’s our president. He was elected our president.
KARL: Legitimately.
YOUNGKIN: Legitimately. He’s done a bad job. He really has. He’s done a bad job. The Republican Party is not some monolithic group that all believes the same things. But what Republican governors have demonstrated is they have led so much better coming out of this pandemic, economic recovery, safe communities, delivering in schools. And as I’ve said, I think every state deserves a Republican governor. And — and this is a really clear choice.
KARL: Close advisers to Donald Trump say that he’s preparing to run for president very soon after Tuesday. Do you welcome that, or would you rather he didn’t run?
YOUNGKIN: Let me begin. The only timeline that anybody should be focusing on right now is the one that leads through November the 8th. The former president is going to do what the former president decides to do, and…
KARL: Would you support him?
YOUNGKIN: Well, at this point I’m not supporting anybody.
KARL: But are you looking at running for president? Is that — is that a possibility?
YOUNGKIN: I’m looking at November the 8th.
KARL: I understand, but, you know — you know, I mean…
YOUNGKIN: The reality is I’m always humbled by this question because I get it a lot. And yet the reality is what I have done in Virginia over the last year is bring a sense of urgency to deliver. It was a blue state and we flipped it red.
KARL: Would Trump running make you more or less likely to run yourself? Would it affect your decision?
YOUNGKIN: I really have not given it any real consideration. And I have been so focused on making sure that I’m doing a great job in Virginia and supporting candidates that I think will deliver for their constituents. This is a November 8th moment, and the reality is, folks that are talking about things beyond November the 8th, I think, are missing the priority of today’s moment.
Related: Glenn Youngkin Hits The Trail For Oregon GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Christine Drazan
