RICHMOND, Va. — The Latest on former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (all times local):
9:45 p.m.
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says he won’t run for president in 2020 and will instead focus on helping Democrats win in the state.
McAuliffe made the announcement Wednesday on CNN.
He flirted with a presidential run for months, popping up in early voting states late last year and campaigning with candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire.
But he noted that Virginia Democratic politics have been in turmoil since February, when Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring both admitted to having worn blackface as young men, while Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was accused by two women of sexual assault, which he denies.
He says he believes he can make the most difference at the state level but wouldn’t answer questions about whether he’d run again in Virginia.
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7:05 p.m.
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe won’t run for president in 2020.
That’s according to two people familiar with calls the Democratic former governor made Wednesday to his allies. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting McAuliffe’s announcement.
A representative for McAuliffe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
His decision comes as Joe Biden considers whether to join a crowded 2020 Democratic field and run for president himself. McAuliffe is widely viewed as part of the party’s mainstream, occupying much of the same political space as the former vice-president.
McAuliffe flirted with a presidential run for months, popping up in early voting states late last year and campaigning with candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire.
He is scheduled to appear on CNN on Wednesday night.
The Associated Press
