Governor Ralph Northam is endorsing his predecessor Terry McAuliffe in the Democratic gubernatorial primary race.
With internal polls showing nearly unanimous approval of Northam among Democratic voters, his endorsement is highly sought after in this election cycle for statewide candidates.
“While our Commonwealth has faced the most severe pandemic in our lifetimes this past year, I am so proud of the work we have done to turn the corner and bring Virginia into recovery. The longer-term impacts of this pandemic, however, will be around long after I leave office, and it’s critical that our next governor has the plans and experience to continue the fight to rebuild Virginia into a stronger, more equitable future. That’s why I am so proud to support Terry McAuliffe to be our next governor,” Northam said Thursday.
McAuliffe is competing with state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, Del. Lee Carter and lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax.
“When Terry puts his mind to something, he’ll move heaven and earth to make it happen,” Northam said. “I’ve worked side-by-side with him for years, and simply put, he always gets the job done. Virginians need and deserve Terry’s committed leadership as our next governor to continue to move us forward and build on the incredible progress Democrats have made over the past eight years.”
The nominee will be chosen in a primary election June 8. Virginia has no party registration process, so any registered voter can participate in the primary.
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