UPDATE: In Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) press conference upon his return to Capitol Hill after suffering a concussion from a fall in February, a reporter asked: “Are you comfortable with the fact that your party’s leading candidate for president is facing criminal charges and could have – be facing a trial in the middle of the election?

McConnell: “Well, let me put it this way. I may have hit my head. But I didn’t hit it that hard. Nice try.”

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Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has told advisors and donors he is putting a potential 2024 presidential election run on hold, The New York Times reports. Youngkin immediately became part of the ’24 GOP discussion after winning the purplish-blue state in November 2021. 

The news comes days after Trump administration Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he will not seek the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, which in turn followed Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) announcement he has formed an exploratory committee for a potential run.

Scott could bring some decorum back to the GOP field in contrast to the party’s two declared candidates, Donald J. Trump, and the ex-president’s UN Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Some Republican analysts already are counting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – who has not yet declared, though he consistently polls second behind Trump – as having peaked.