RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Ralph Northam is endorsing fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the race for Virginia governor.
Northam formally endorsed his predecessor for governor, according to McAuliffe’s campaign Thursday morning.
The two will visit Norfolk and Alexandria today.
In Norfolk, Northam and McAuliffe will be joined by Congresswoman Elaine Luria, State Sen. Louise Lucas and Mayor Kenny Alexander.
Northam said in a statement:
“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. When Terry puts his mind to something, he'll move heaven and earth to make it happen. 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."
“COVID-19 has brought unprecedented health and economic challenges to Virginia, but we have been incredibly fortunate to have Governor Northam - a doctor - leading our recovery and setting us on the path to a stronger future. Nobody knows better the kind of leadership that it will take to continue to lead our recovery from COVID-19 and create a stronger economy and a more equitable Virginia than Governor Northam, and I am honored to have his endorsement today,” said Terry McAuliffe in a news release.
“As governor, I will work my heart out every day to build our economy back stronger, create good-paying jobs, and make sure our recovery lifts up all Virginians. We will accelerate Virginia's minimum wage increase to $15 by 2024, make sure all Virginians have access to paid sick, family, and medical leave, invest in small businesses, and give every child access to a world-class education. The road of our continued recovery is long, but with our unmatched coalition and bold plans, I know we will get it done.”