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is defying the House of Delegates over his vetoes of three provisions in the state budget, but a battle is unlikely in state courts over the limits of his constitutional authority.

After declined to recognize three of the governor鈥檚 37 line-item budget vetoes, Youngkin made clear on Thursday that he will not abide by the clerk鈥檚 decision. He said his administration will not carry out the General Assembly directives, including proposals to help nursing homes hire more staff and expand access to weight loss drugs under the state鈥檚 program.

鈥淚 strongly disagree with the clerk鈥檚 position,鈥� the governor told news media Thursday after an event in which he announced an initiative to transform Virginia鈥檚 child welfare system. 鈥淭hese vetoes are wholly consistent with my authority under the Constitution, and therefore these vetoes will stand. And that鈥檚 how we鈥檙e going to run the executive branch going forward, with these vetoes standing.鈥�

With Youngkin鈥檚 term expiring in January, House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said Democrats will focus on winning back the governorship in November instead of fighting over the governor鈥檚 actions in court.

鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised that the governor is following in the footsteps of his hero, (President) Donald Trump, and taking unconstitutional actions and defying the legislature,鈥� Scott said in an interview on Thursday.

鈥淗e wants a fight,鈥� the speaker said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, he鈥檒l be gone in eight months.鈥�

Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, took the fight to Youngkin on social media.

鈥淭here he goes again, Youngkin acting like Trumpkin,鈥� she said Thursday in a post on X. 鈥淣ow he is hell-bent on illegally cutting funding for nursing homes and pharmaceutical 鈥� especially weight loss drugs! He is not a freaking king and if he goes to court on this he will lose.鈥�

Told that Scott did not plan to go to court over the issue, Lucas said the governor鈥檚 veto cannot stand if Nardo does not enroll it.

鈥淚f Nardo doesn鈥檛 enroll it, it鈥檚 not law,鈥� she said.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said it鈥檚 not the first time Youngkin has defied the legislature and refused to follow the law.

鈥淵oungkin still thinks he鈥檚 the CEO of the corporation of Virginia, not governor,鈥� Surovell said.

Democrats are counting on voters to punish Republicans in statewide and House races in November over Trump鈥檚 assault on federal employees and spending, which underpin the state鈥檚 economy, and what they say is the president鈥檚 defiance of the law.

鈥淭he fact that Youngkin has tried to expand his power beyond what other governors have done, that will be part of their rationale,鈥� said Bob Holsworth, a veteran political analyst in Richmond. 鈥淭he Democrats could have a court fight, but maybe it鈥檚 a fight they don鈥檛 want.鈥�

Instead, Holsworth said, Democrats appear confident that former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, will defeat Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the race to succeed Youngkin, and maintain majority control of both chambers of the General Assembly. All 100 House seats are up for election in November.

鈥淎t this moment, in Virginia, it鈥檚 hard to imagine that they don鈥檛 enter the race favorites,鈥� he said of the Democrats.

Scott, a lawyer, said Democrats will focus on the budget proposals that Youngkin blocked to help nursing homes, expand access to weight loss drugs and prevent state agencies from issuing contracts that include contingency fees to allow a contractor to pocket part of any savings it finds.

鈥淲hen Abigail Spanberger is governor next year, we鈥檒l deliver for the people,鈥� he said.

Constitutional confrontation

The constitutional confrontation began when Nardo, who has served the House under both parties as clerk and keeper of the rolls, informed Youngkin on Wednesday afternoon that he would not recognize three of the governor鈥檚 vetoes. Nardo said they exceeded the executive鈥檚 power under the constitution. Citing precedents by the Supreme Court of Virginia, the clerk said the governor cannot veto a specific item without removing the entire item and its accompanying appropriation in the budget.

He took similar positions on budget vetoes by then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, in confrontations with the Republican-controlled assembly.

Asked Thursday about Youngkin鈥檚 refusal to abide by the House position, Nardo said he stands by his letter to the governor.

鈥淚 really don鈥檛 have anything more to add,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he governor is head of the executive branch. I work for one of the bodies that make up the legislative branch.鈥�

Youngkin鈥檚 position surprised Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, who had sponsored an amendment to the governor鈥檚 proposed budget to expand access to weight loss drugs under Medicaid.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 dealing with someone from Washington, maybe President Trump,鈥� he said.

Willett said he still expects the Department of Medical Assistance Services, which runs Virginia鈥檚 Medicaid program, to enforce the legislature鈥檚 action when the revised budget takes effect on July 1. 鈥淚鈥檝e never seen DMAS not follow the law, or in this case, the budget,鈥� he said.

Youngkin鈥檚 stance also startled leaders of the Virginia Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes across the state. The association was counting on the budget appropriation, which would increase nursing home Medicaid reimbursements by about $43 million over two years, counting both state and federal funds.

Youngkin vetoed the $10 million state appropriation for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 as part of a package of vetoes that reduces state spending by $900 million as a buffer against a possible downturn in the state economy and revenues.

鈥淲hen we saw Paul鈥檚 letter (on Wednesday), we were very happy because we felt it provided hope,鈥� said Keith Hare, president and CEO of the association.

鈥淚t鈥檚 significant,鈥� Hare said of the disputed funding. 鈥淲e would hope that all of the funding is provided.鈥�