HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Several Hampton Roads area mayors have announced their endorsement of Terry McAuliffe for governor.
Mayor Kenny Alexander of Norfolk, Mayor McKinley Price of Newport News, Mayor Donnie Tuck of Hampton and Mayor-elect Shannon Glover of Portsmouth tell News 3 they have endorsed McAuliffe, citing his "bold vision for education, COVID recovery, and building a more equitable Virginia."
The former governor announced last week that he will seek another term as governor of the Commonwealth.
Since launching his campaign, McAuliffe has released his plans to strengthen Virginia's education system and his plans on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander said in a statement:
“Cities across the Commonwealth have faced the brunt of this pandemic: our businesses have been reduced, our hospitals have been filled, and our workers have been laid off. We need a governor who will continue to oversee our recovery by thinking big and acting boldly, and that's why I am proudly endorsing Terry McAuliffe to be our next governor. I have worked alongside Terry to create a stronger and fairer Norfolk economy and I know he is the leader who will use this moment as an opportunity to help cities like Norfolk recover better than we were before.”
City of Newport News Mayor McKinley Price said in a statement:
“After this pandemic is under control and we begin our recovery process, families in Newport News are still going to need a strong partner in the governor’s office who is ready to go big and lift all Virginians up. We need Terry McAuliffe as our next governor. Terry has already outlined his bold vision for education and for supporting our economic recovery from this pandemic, and he has made racial equity a cornerstone of those plans. He will make sure we push for a more equitable Virginia and address inequalities that have plagued our communities for generations. Terry gets it and I am proud to endorse him today.”
Hampton City Mayor Donnie Tuck said in a statement:
“The only way to address the inequities that have held back Black and Brown communities for generations is to think big and be bold in our approach. We have an opportunity right now to rebuild a better Virginia, and we must choose the leader with the vision and experience to do just that. That leader is Terry McAuliffe. From securing record education funding to restoring voting rights for hundreds of thousands of Virginians, I know we can count on Terry to lift up communities of color in the City of Hampton and all over the Commonwealth.”
City of Portsmouth Mayor-Elect Shannon Glover said in a statement:
“Our next governor must have a clear plan to address disparities in our society head on and unify our communities. From education to economic prosperity, Terry McAuliffe has shown his big and bold vision will center around bringing down the inequities that Virginians have faced for far too long. Terry thinks big and bold. I’m excited to see the vision and energy that he will bring to the governor’s office."
“It’s an honor to have the support of Mayors Kenny Alexander, McKinley Price, Donnie Tuck, and Mayor-Elect Shannon Glover. These mayors have faced some of the biggest challenges this year, but they have taken bold action to keep their cities and communities safe and support their recovery,” said Terry McAuliffe. “This campaign is about going big and being bold to rebuild a post-COVID economy that ends inequities for communities of color. It’s about making sure Virginia kids have an equitable, world-class education system. And we are building a broad and diverse coalition of support that will allow us to get it done together.”
To learn more about McAuliffe's plan, click here.
