Virginia is playing a big role in this year's Democratic National Convention, which got underway today in Philadelphia.
Virginia’s delegation is euphoric about the choice of native son Tim Kaine to run with the presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and Governor Terry McAuliffe says he’ll have a big role in her nomination.
“As soon as Hillary goes over the magic number on the floor during the roll call, then your governor gets to come out on stage and make the announcement that for the first time in the history of our country we have nominated a woman to be the president of the United States of America.”
McAuliffe pledged to get more Democrats registered to vote before the election, and said he would assure that ex-felons could cast ballots in spite of last week’s supreme court ruling.
“What our supreme court did was take us back to those days where we had horrible racial prejudices in Virginia, and you know what, I’m not going to stand by. You elected me to fight, so I’m going to individually sign all 206,000 orders.”
There’s been little discussion of a controversy that forced Debbie Wasserman Schultz to resign as party chairman, but Congressman Bobby Scott spoke for many in praising her decision to step down.
“I think the emails are problematic and if she couldn’t explain them I think it was very difficult for her to go forward and she did the honorable thing.”
Scott is considered a likely candidate to replace Tim Kaine if he wins the vice presidency. The governor wouldn’t say if he’d appoint Scott to the job, although he praised the congressman and ruled himself out.
“Sitting in the Senate, listening to a lot of talk, not getting a lot done every day; not their fault, it’s just the institution is really not in my wheelhouse. I like action, I think you all realize. I like to make decisions; I like to get things done.”
Should Scott get the Senate seat, state Senator Don McEachin may move on to Congress, and Delegate Jennifer McClellan of Richmond could run for his state Senate seat.
