Virginia AG Mark Herring to run for re-election in 2017
By seeking re-election, the longtime LGBT ally and rising Democratic star avoids an intra-party fight in 2017
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring on Wednesday announced that he would seek re-election to his current post in 2017, rather than mount a run for the governorship, as many political observers had expected.
“Over the last 20 months, our Commonwealth has made historic progress that has changed lives for the better,” Herring said in a prepared statement at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. “We have shown an increasingly diverse and dynamic Commonwealth a new vision for this job, how it intersects with Virginians’ lives, and what can be accomplished when the attorney general prioritizes the law and the people he serves.”
Herring listed a number of accomplishments from his term as attorney general, which he called “the highest honor of his career.” Among the accomplishments he stressed were a list of “big-ticket” progressive issues, including fighting for marriage equality, allowing DREAMers — immigrant youth born elsewhere but raised in this country — to qualify for in-state tuition rates, defending President Obama’s Affordable Care Act in court, and providing the state Board of Health with legal advice that allowed it to reverse overly stringent regulations governing abortion clinics that could have forced some of those clinics to close down.
But Herring also cited work done by his office that generally enjoys more bipartisan support, such as cracking down on drug abusers, going after child predators, combating gang violence, and working with ex-offenders to reduce recidivism.
“These milestones would not have been reached without the right team exercising the powers and responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General,” Herring continued. “That means this hard-won progress is as fragile as the next election. Our future progress as a Commonwealth requires an attorney general who is fiercely and fearlessly committed to promoting justice, equality and opportunity for all Virginians. For that reason, I plan to run for re-election as Attorney General.”
Herring’s announcement essentially clears the path to the Democratic gubernatorial nomination for Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, whom Herring referenced in his statement. Herring called Northam a “champion” for everyday Virginians who would be able to carry forward the mantle of the Democratic Party, building on the progress made under current Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is term-limited.
Had Herring decided to run for governor, Democrats — and particularly LGBT Democrats — would have faced a tough choice between two supportive lawmakers who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to equality. By stepping aside and running for re-election, Herring allows Northam the chance to run and win the governor’s mansion without dividing the party, which is already hampered by its minority status within the General Assembly. Within hours of the announcement, Northam’s camp sent out an email to supporters asking them to contribute to Herring’s re-election campaign as a show of unity among the party’s top officials.
Herring’s decision also allows him to amass a greater record of working on common-sense, bipartisan causes like those he mentioned in the second part of his speech. By focusing on those issues, he also gets to provide distance and additional time between his more controversial or partisan moves, such as those dealing with same-sex marriage or abortion, which have angered Republicans. That way, he allows himself to be painted as more consensus builder in line with previous governors like Mark Warner (D) and Tim Kaine (D) than an ideological warrior like his predecessor, Ken Cuccinelli (R).
If Northam wins the governorship, Herring can become a partner and set himself up for a 2021 run as a worthy successor. If a Republican wins the governor’s mansion, Herring can bide his time and still run in 2021 against the record amassed by the Republicans, in much the same way that McAuliffe did against the legacy of former Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and against the perceived extremism of Cuccincelli in 2013.
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