Dr. Ralph Northam is One Step Closer to Becoming Virginia's Next Governor

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring recently announced that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for the Governor of Virginia in 2017, instead preferring to seek reelection. This is great news for Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician with a very impressive résumé, who announced his run for governor several months ago. Herring’s early exit is unprecedented, but some well-connected Democrats had already talked publicly and privately about avoiding a prolonged nomination fight between Herring and Northam.

While Northam now seems a sure thing for the 2017 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, he is still running 7 points behind Republican Ed Gillespie in the most recent poll. Gillespie, a former Virginia Republican Party chair, almost defeated Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) last year. Despite the competition with Gillespie, Northam is even closer to securing the Governorship of Virginia now that Herring dropped out.

Additionally, Northam will likely find favor in the eyes of many voters who are increasingly looking for candidates with a unique perspective on issues that matter to them. Northam certainly has that from his many years serving in the U.S. Army as a physician and in his own pediatric neurology practice. He has a better understanding of healthcare and social issues in this country thus allowing him to lead a more informed approach to solving those issues in the political realm.

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