RICHMOND, Va. – Even though the 2020 election season is barely behind us, the race to determine Virginia’s next governor is already heating up.
Political analysts predict the race will be expensive and an attention grabber.
On Wednesday, Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe joined the Democratic race.
As of now, he’ll be competing with Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and State Sen. Jennifer McClellan.
On the Republican side, there are three candidates, Del. Kirk Cox, Merle Rutledge and Kurt Santini. Amanda Chase, a Republican state senator, now plans to be on the ballot as an independent.
“It sets up a clearer race between, at least in the past, the more business-friendly and somewhat more moderate Terry McAuliffe with the other candidates. So far, all of which, so far, paint themselves on the more progressive end of the ideological spectrum,” said Virginia Tech Professor of Public and International Affairs Karen Hult. “It also, of course, sets up some clear differences between McAuliffe, who is a white male, and the other candidates. All of whom are both female and, in all three cases, are African American.”
The Republicans this past weekend opted for a convention rather than a primary, while a Democratic primary is slated for June 2021.
The general election is on Nov. 2, 2021.