RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Republican candidate for governor said Thursday that it was “weird and wrong” for attendees at a recent right-wing election rally to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to a flag said to have been flown at a rally just before the Capitol riot in January.

Glenn Youngkin, a businessman and first-time candidate, did not attend Wednesday’s rally in suburban Richmond. The event was organized by a surrogate of former President Donald Trump to fire up conservatives ahead of Virginia’s critical Nov. 2 election.

Youngkin was pressed Thursday by Democrats to disavow the use of such a flag during the pledge, as well as the Jan. 6 insurrection.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, Youngkin said: “It is weird and wrong to pledge allegiance to a flag connected to January 6. As I have said many times before, the violence that occurred on January 6 was sickening and wrong.”

Youngkin is in a tight race with former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who held the office from 2014 to 2018.