One week into his term: Mystery solved.

Youngkin stormed into Richmond with an assertion of executive power that has thrilled the GOP base but caught even some allies off guard, and he has made clear that he views his two-point margin of victory as a mandate for conservative change.

Republican lawmakers say they're energized by the fast start. "November's election was a call for change in the commonwealth, and, like a lot of voters across Virginia, I'm excited to see that our governor has hit the ground running on Day One," House Majority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, said.

But already the new governor has drawn a lawsuit from parents in Chesapeake over his executive order declaring an end to mask mandates in public school systems. The challenge led him Friday to issue another statement, which seemed to add to confusion about what will happen when his order takes effect Monday, saying parents should "listen to their principal" and "trust the legal process."