RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam introduced Thursday that he’s backing Terry McAuliffe within the race to succeed him, handing his predecessor one of many contest’s most coveted endorsements.
Northam, who beneath Virginia legislation can’t search a consecutive time period in workplace, stated McAuliffe’s accomplishments throughout his earlier time period within the governor’s mansion present he’s the proper individual for the job.
“Terry’s strong record of delivering for Virginians is exactly why we need him as our next governor,” Northam stated in a press release shared with The Associated Press forward of the formal announcement. “We will need bold leadership ready to build a more equitable post-COVID economy that creates jobs, invests in workers, ensures equitable access to quality affordable health care, and rebuilds Virginia’s thriving network of small businesses.”
McAuliffe, the presumptive front-runner within the June 8 Democratic main, has been methodically locking up and rolling out an unmatched variety of endorsements and stated he was honored to have Northam’s.
Northam’s senior political adviser, Mark Bergman, stated that in making his resolution, the governor met with all of the Democratic candidates besides Lee Carter, the one socialist within the House of Delegates, who didn’t search his endorsement.
Bergman stated that for Northam, it was a call between McAuliffe and the 2 girls within the race, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan.
Bergman stated Northam sees this 12 months’s election as a possibility to make everlasting the sweeping modifications Democrats have carried out throughout his time period.
Virginia has undergone a swift transformation throughout Northam’s tenure, which coincided with a Democratic takeover of the state legislature. Northam has signed into legislation varied items of laws which have made Virginia an outlier within the South, together with Medicaid enlargement, sweeping legal justice reforms, LGBTQ protections, a minimal wage improve and stricter gun legal guidelines.
“He feels like Gov. McAuliffe provides the party the best opportunity to cement the change in Virginia and win in November,” Bergman stated.
McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and prime occasion fundraiser with nationwide identify recognition, has promised that elevated training spending can be his prime precedence if elected. He’s additionally pledged to work to considerably speed up Virginia’s minimal wage improve to $15 by 2024 and stated throughout a debate Tuesday evening that he would push to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Among McAuliffe’s different endorsements: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria, 34 members of the General Assembly and 11 members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.
Northam’s resolution will seemingly be a disappointment for supporters of Carroll Foy and McClellan, who’re operating what might be history-making bids. Either can be Virginia’s first feminine governor and the nation’s first Black feminine governor.
Also within the race is Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who’s going through two unresolved allegations of sexual assault which might be extensively seen as an impossibility to beat. Fairfax strenuously denies the allegations and has stated he thinks voters will see by way of what he considers a smear marketing campaign in opposition to him.
Republicans have opted to whittle down their seven-candidate subject at a conference on May 8 that’s going to be held at websites throughout the state.
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