ROANOKE, Va. – It’s hard to predict who might win the 2021 Virginia governor race, especially when the current governor appears to be at odds with the current lieutenant governor and attorney general. However, 10 News spoke to NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd for a glimpse of what may happen in the coming months.
Virginia Democrats, led by Governor Ralph Northam, have been on a roll, pushing their agenda on race relations and marijuana into law during the 2021 General Assembly.
And yet, the party may be fractured as it chooses its candidate for governor. As Northam has put his weight behind the former governor and presumed front Runner Terry McAuliffe and not current Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax.
“The bad blood between the lieutenant governor and just trust in Fairfax and pretty much every other member of the Democratic Party. Maybe can create the appearance of fracture. Except that I think that the lieutenant governor is kind of on an island of his own. I don’t think he has any part of the Democratic Party wanting to stand too close to him right now,” said Todd.
Todd believes the Republican favorite is Speaker of the House Kirk Cox but maintains the Republicans are more fractured than the democrats.
When asked who he thought had the best shot of being Virginia’s next governor, Todd said he thinks McAuliffe will be hard to beat.
“If they legalized political gambling in Virginia, I certainly think he would be a heavy favorite. How’s that?” he said.
You can hear more from Chuck Todd this Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” where he will speak to Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson at 9 a.m. on WSLS 10.