Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is backing Terry McAuliffe in the race to succeed him, handing his predecessor one of the contest’s most coveted endorsements. Northam says McAuliffe’s accomplishments during his previous term in the governor’s mansion show he is the right person for the job. Northam and McAuliffe shared the news with The Associated Press ahead of a formal announcement Thursday. McAuliffe was Virginia governor from 2014 to 2018 and is widely seen as the front-runner in the five-way Democratic primary. He’s previously rolled out an unmatched number of endorsements from key Virginia power brokers.
