Hung Kao, a Republican candidate running for the Virginia Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, is confident he can turn Virginia from purple to red.
He also doubled down on a controversial comment he made in a debate last week about U.S. military personnel who “demand seconds of disemboweling and eating” to oppose progressive social training in the military. There is.
“This is a story of warriors who will do whatever it takes to win, and that’s what we need,” Cao, a 25-year Navy veteran who was endorsed by former President Trump, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. It’s human resources,” he said.
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Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (left) and Republican challenger Hung Kao (AP Photo/Susan Walsh | J. Scott Applewhite)
“And that’s what it means to rip your guts out, eat yourself, and ask for seconds. Whether it’s an alpha male or an alpha female, that’s a true warrior. But not a cross-dressing drag queen.” he said. “That’s not what we need in our military. What we need are strong men and women who are willing to risk their lives to fight for this country.”
In a debate against Mr. Cain last week, Mr. Cao criticized the military’s collective failure to meet recent recruitment targets. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, less than 30% of Americans ages 17 to 24 were eligible for military service, and that number has declined further since then.
“There are only so many hours in the day and so much money. And when you spend all your money and time thinking about all these unresolved issues, it takes away your time to train for war. “We will be destroyed,” Cao Cao said. .
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Hung Kao speaks next to former President Trump at a rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on June 28, 2024. (Billy Schuurman/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service)
As for flipping Virginia’s Senate seat, Cao is confident he can accomplish that, even though the Cook Political Report designates the seat as solid blue.
Mr. Cao argued that Mr. Cook’s report was wrong, pointing out that Mr. Biden’s 19% lead in Northern Virginia narrowed to 6% in 2022, and Mr. Trump’s lead in Northern Virginia in 2010. Despite losing by 10 points in Virginia, Republicans highlighted that in 2021, Republicans won every statewide election and gained seats. In 2023, despite Democratic gerrymandering, more Republicans voted than Democrats.
“So if you go into Northern Virginia like I did and the South comes out, we’ll win this race,” he said.
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Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (left) debates Republican challenger Hung Kao at Norfolk State University on October 2, 2024. (Nextstar/WAVY-TV via AP/pool)
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According to the Associated Press, President Trump has endorsed Cao, given Virginia’s moderate electorate, the distaste for Trump in 2020, and the attention Kaine received from voters, political scientists say. Mr. Cao says the path to victory is narrow.
Kane won his last race in 2018 by a 16 percentage point margin, but said he was preparing for a tough race this year. The most recent Republican from Virginia to win a Senate seat was the late John Warner, a centrist with an independent track record, who won in 2002.
FOX News’ Daniel Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a political writer. She leads Fox News Digital’s Senate coverage.
