FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – A day after 22,000 people voiced their opposition to gun control in Richmond, we're now hearing from Gov. Ralph Northam.
Northam made his first public appearance since the rally in Franklin County on Tuesday morning, announcing Traditional Medicinals, a wellness tea company, is investing nearly $30 million in the Summit View Business Park.
That visit happened in a county declared a Second Amendment sanctuary, so 10 News pressed him for answers to the questions thousands of people in our area took to Richmond Monday and are still asking.
"We can agree to disagree. That's fine but at the end of the day, we need to sit down and listen to each other and do what's in the best interest of Virginia," Northam said.
For Northam and the majority of the General Assembly, doing what’s in the best interest of Virginia means gun control.
Democrats call the measures, “common sense,” but many in Second Amendment sanctuaries call them unconstitutional.
“They are constitutional. They don’t threaten the Second Amendment. Their purpose is to keep Virginia safe,” Northam said.
A different view echoed around the Capitol Monday during peaceful protests aimed at sending a message to lawmakers, but Northam said their voice wasn't as loud as the one heard at the ballot box.
“Over 2 million people voted and you know what, they spoke and they said, ‘We want common-sense gun legislation.’ They said, ‘Enough is enough of this gun violence.’ And so yes, I have to listen to everybody. Yesterday, I listened to 22,000 people. On Nov. 5, I listened to over 2 million Virginians and so, you know, we’re going to do work together, sit down at the table and find things that we can agree on and at the end of the day, make Virginia a safer place for everybody,” Northam said.
Northam said he respects the right to protest and appreciates that happening peacefully Monday.
He told 10 News he’s willing to work with both sides of the aisle, but his priority will always be keeping Virginia safe.