Glenn Youngkin is the latest former Virginia governor to cash in on his political ties

The ideal that we have for those who we want to see succeed in political life is that they’re doing it for the right reasons, not for the money, which, here we go again, appears to be the case more often than not, the latest example being former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Youngkin – net worth: $470 million – was announced last year as a partner, chairman and board member of the venture firm Red Cell Partners, where his focus will be on government relations and business partnership relationships – basically, monetizing, for the bottom-line benefit of Red Cell Partners, his time in the governor’s office.

“Red Cell is redefining the startup and venture capital formula by bringing together true visionaries, deep sector and operating expertise and capital — both their own funds and world-class venture partners,” Youngkin said in a statement from a release issued by Red Cell Partners last week.

“I can’t overstate how much energy this place has. I’m excited to help them grow even faster,” said Youngkin, and yes, of course he is, because Red Cell growing adds to his personal bottom line.

As we’ve seen from another former governor, Terry McAuliffe, who served one term in the job, from 2014-2018, and ran for a second one, in 2021, losing to Youngkin, before taking a job as a senior adviser for New York-based Applecart, a marketing technology company.

McAuliffe’s net worth: a mere $30 million.

Poor guy needs to keep punching the time clock.

Thirty million is barely enough to be able to afford a live-in housekeeper in this economy.

At least Ralph Northam, for all his faults – and there are many with him, starting with the blackface, but not ending there; his handling of COVID is why McAuliffe lost to Youngkin in 2021  – didn’t cash in on his four years as governor; he went back to work as a pediatric neurologist; he practices at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk.

Doctors make decent money, sure, but it’s not like a pediatric neurologist makes more because he used to meet with CEOs of multinational conglomerates.

Bob McDonnell, bless his heart, is trying, but his overturned felony corruption conviction is, surprisingly, holding him back – among his days jobs, he teaches at Regent University, serves as a counsel at a Virginia Beach law firm, and heads up The McDonnell Group, a consulting and business development firm.

Remember when Bob McDonnell was a future presidential contender?

Seems like a lifetime ago now.

Northam appears to be the exception, rather than the rule – the rule being, the reason these people get into politics isn’t to do good, but rather, to build up a resume that will do their personal bottom line good down the road.