Failed gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe conceded his loss to Virginia’s Governor-Elect Glenn Youngkin Wednesday morning, striking a distinctly more progressive tone than he used on the campaign trail.
In a statement, McAuliffe said the following:
“While last night we came up short, I am proud that we spent this campaign fighting for the values we so deeply believe in. We must protect Virginia’s great public schools and invest in our students. We must protect affordable health care coverage, raise the minimum wage faster, and expand paid leave so working families have a fighting shot. We must protect voting rights, protect a woman’s right to choose, and, above all else, we must protect our democracy. While there will be setbacks along the way, I am confident that the long term path of Virginia is toward inclusion, openness and tolerance for all.”
He also wished Youngkin luck as Youngkin prepares to ascend to the Commonwealth’s governorship.
Education was a major issue on the campaign trail.
McAuliffe, amid the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) rape coverup scandal, infamously said parents shouldn’t be telling schools what to teach their children, setting off a firestorm that would plague his campaign for its entire final month.
But the rest of his concession speech noted issues that he barely touched on the campaign trail. He referenced progressive issues like expanding government healthcare and raising the minimum wage, along with socially-just terms like “inclusion, openness, and tolerance.”
The concession is a bit surprising for McAuliffe, who mostly campaigned as a moderate Democrat.
He’s known as a member of the neoliberal Clinton-esque Democrat establishment, having served on the board of directors of the Clinton Foundation from 2000 to 2007.
He is also a close personal friend of former President Bill Clinton, and served as the campaign chairman to Hillary Clinton’s failed 2008 presidential run.
McAuliffe made no mentions of his future plans in his concession speech.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Candidate Terry McAuliffe” by Terry McAuliffe.
