This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax County announced Monday she is endorsing Terry McAuliffe’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2021.
In making the move, Filler-Corn, the first woman House speaker in Virginia history, chose McAuliffe over a fellow member of the House, Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy of Prince William County. Other announced candidates for the Democratic nomination are state Sen. Jennifer McClellan of Richmond and current Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of Fairfax County.
McAuliffe formally announced his campaign last week. He served as governor from 2014 to 2018, but Virginia governors are not allowed to run for consecutive terms.
In her endorsement, Filler-Corn touted McAuliffe’s record and experience, as well as the education plan he unveiled last week. McAuliffe said he will champion initiatives to reimagine the state’s K-12 education system by increasing teacher pay and addressing inequities in the system.
Other legislators who have endorsed McAuliffe include Black caucus members Senate President Pro-Tempore L. Louise Lucas, House Majority Leader Charniele Herring of Alexandria, House Education Committee Chair Delegate Roslyn Tyler and House Transportation Committee Chair Delores McQuinn.
“I have known Terry McAuliffe for decades and have seen up close his determination to push our commonwealth forward. I was incredibly thankful he joined us at 140 events across the commonwealth last year as we flipped the House of Delegates and were able to pass the most progressive laws in Virginia’s history tackling racial, health and education disparities,” Filler-Corn said. “As Terry has shown already in this campaign, he will bring that bold vision to the Governor’s Office once again to ensure our kids have an equitable, world-class education.”
McAuliffe praised Filler-Corn’s leadership and thanked her for supporting his campaign. “Right now, we have the chance to go big and bold on education thanks to our Democratic majority,” he added.
McAuliffe’s education plan will include a new $2 billion annual investment in education to raise teacher pay above the national average for the first time in Virginia’s history, expand preschool to every 3- and 4-year-old child in need and get every Virginia student online.
