Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who served as the Commonwealth’s 72nd Governor from 2014 to 2018, will announce his bid for a second term on Wednesday as first reported in The Washington Post. McAuliffe, 63, would become only the second governor since the Civil War to earn a second term if elected, as Virginia law currently prohibits consecutive terms for the state’s chief executive.

McAuliffe’s Wednesday announcement concludes a wave of vast speculation into his potential gubernatorial candidacy, as the former governor had previously filed paperwork with the Virginia State Board of Elections last August, but was hesitant to make a formal decision until after the November presidential election had concluded.

No stranger to the national stage, given his track-record as a powerhouse fundraiser for both Bill and Hillary Clinton, and tenure as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, McAuliffe became a household name among many Democrats as a potential contender during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, but would ultimately decline to enter the crowded field. Instead, McAuliffe became one of Joe Biden’s leading campaign surrogates during the 2020 general election.

During his tenure as Governor, McAuliffe’s business acumen positioned him to bring over $20 billion in new capital investment to the Commonwealth and received praise for Virginia’s sharp drop in unemployment during his tenure from 5.4% to 3.6% with personal income rising by 12.3%. On the other side of his business-friendly record, McAuliffe has also found praise regarding his stance on various social issues, including reproductive health and the restoration of voting rights. His accomplishments pertaining to reproductive freedom earned him the 2017 Brick Wall Award from NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, and ahead of the 2016 Presidential Election, McAuliffe gained praise for his work in restoring the voting rights of over 173,000 former felons, more than any governor in American History. 

McAuliffe will enter a contentious Democratic Primary race as the only white candidate in a field currently composed of candidates of color during a year in which our Commonwealth continues to grapple with a long-overdue racial reckoning regarding systemic injustice, police brutality, and white-dominated power structures. He will face off against Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy, State Senator Jennifer McClellan, and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax.

McAuliffe seeks to back up his announcement with “a pledge for large investments in education in Virginia, that will include raising teacher salaries above the national average, and addressing racial and socioeconomic inequities” according to sources close to the campaign cited in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Former Governor’s rhetoric is anticipated to do little in the way of courting favor among progressive activists who reflect an ever-growing demographic shift within the Commonwealth, which is becoming increasingly younger and racially diverse.

Often lauded as a “counter-balance” to President Trump’s handling of the deadly 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, McAuliffe faced heavy criticism regarding his decision to donate a share of the proceeds of his tell-all book, “Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism” to the Virginia State Police Association fund. This decision, among many others, is likely to become a large point of contention for Virginia progressives, who overwhelmingly support the nationwide “Black Lives Matter” movement against police misconduct.

Remarking on McAuliffe’s announcement, Carroll Foy released a statement to the press as reported in Politico, stating, “While I respect Terry McAuliffe’s service, he doesn’t understand the problems Virginians face. A former political party boss and multi-millionaire, Terry McAuliffe is simply out of touch with everyday Virginians.”

McClellan recently released a statement of her own highlighting the need for new leadership as reported in the Washington Post, asserting, “At this time of tremendous change and challenge, Virginia must look to the future for leadership.”

McAuliffe will name Virginia Senator L. Louise Lucas, House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney as campaign co-chairs.

Currently, the only Republican formally in contention for the Republican nomination is Former House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), as State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) has opted to run as an independent after Republican Party leaders chose a convention format, instead of a primary election, to decide their party’s nominee.