Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn of Northern Virginia’s 41st District is the first woman to be nominated to be the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Delegate Charniele Herring of Northern Virginia’s 46th District is the first woman and the first African American to be nominated to serve as Majority Leader in the House of Delegates.
Democratic delegates and delegates-elect nominated Filler-Corn Saturday morning during a closed-door caucus meeting.
“It has been my great honor to serve as House Democratic Leader in this momentous year, and I am so grateful for the support of my colleagues. I look forward to working with every single member of the House of Delegates, Democrat and Republican, to move Virginia forward,” said Speaker-designee Filler-Corn, in a statement released by the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.
Filler-Corn would be the first-ever speaker in the House’s 400-year history representing Fairfax County.
“The firsts are not lost on me — the first woman and the first Jewish person elected Speaker-designee in our 400 year legislative history — but it doesn’t define me. When I joined this body less than 10 years ago, I was the only mom serving with school-aged kids. We have come so far since then. We have the most diverse House Caucus in our history, which includes cultural, gender and geographic diversity. It also means a diversity of experience and perspectives on issues that affect Virginians, in all regions,” Filler-Corn said.
The full house will vote to confirm the speaker on the first day of the 2020 legislative session.
Herring previous served as the Democratic Caucus chair.
“I could not be prouder of our members–both those celebrating re-election and those we are welcoming to the House for the first time. We have a lot of work to do and promises to keep, and I look forward to serving as Majority Leader in the first Democratic-led House in a generation,” said Majority Leader-elect Herring, who’s district includes Alexandria and Fairfax County.
Delegate Richard “Rip” Sullivan of Northern Virginia’s 48th District will succeed Herring. The 48th District is in Arlington and Fairfax counties.
The statement said the House Democratic Caucus voted to elect all three leadership positions unanimously by acclamation.
