McAuliffe is running for a second term, entering a Democratic primary field of progressive Black candidates.
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has officially launched his campaign to reclaim his old seat, entering a Democratic primary field of progressive Black candidates. As he stood in front of Miles Jones Elementary School in Richmond, McAuliffe vowed to take progressive action on education in the aftermath of the coronavirus, which has changed the way children are learning and likely negatively impacted their academic progress. He proposed a $2 billion investment to boost education and teacher salaries, expand pre-school education access and „ensure every single student is online.“ „To build a strong post-COVID economy, the best workforce in the world to create a clear path for the middle class, we need to make an unprecedented investment in education,“ McAuliffe said, adding the proposal is the first of several to address life after coronavirus. McAuliffe previously served as the commonwealth’s governor from 2014 to 2018 and left with high approval ratings. Virginia law prevents governors from serving consecutive four-year terms, but does allow them to run again after serving one term. He enters the race as the best-known candidate and a strong fundraiser — his „Common Good VA PAC“ has raised $2.82 million since 2019 according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Former State Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy, State Senator Jennifer McClellan and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax all declared for the primary earlier this year and have been focusing on grassroots support and racking up local endorsements. State Senator Lee J. Carter, a self-dubbed Democratic socialist, also filed paperwork this week to enter the race. Foy and McClellan are both aiming to become the state’s, and the nation’s, first black woman governor. Foy was the first to respond to McAuliffe’s campaign announcement, calling him a „career politician“ who is interested „in maintaining the status quo.
