Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, didn’t dismiss a suggestion that he is planning to run for president in 2020, but said he is focused on finishing his term as governor.
McAuliffe appeared on MSNBC on Tuesday with Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, to discuss the upcoming Virginia governor’s race, and said he believes Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam will defeat Republican Ed Gillespie in next month’s election in part because of his administration’s successes.
As he touted his accomplishments as governor, the MSNBC host said McAuliffe sounds “like somebody who might be running for president.”
McAuliffe instead suggested Sabato answer that question.
“Yes,” Sabato said of McAuliffe’s plans. “That’s a one-word answer. I think he’s running for president, and he needs to get the Democratic ticket elected in three weeks here in Virginia. He knows that.”
When given the chance to respond, McAuliffe didn’t deny he would run, but instead said he wants to finish his term “as strong as I can.”
“Let me finish up this job, the taxpayers are paying me,” McAuliffe said. “I’m focused on Virginia today, and I need to make sure we win these elections for the sake of the future of the children of Virginia.”
Northam trails Gillespie by one percentage point, according to a poll from Monmouth University released Tuesday. Gillespie took the lead over Northam for the first time in the campaign.
