The top Democrats of the Virginia executive branch, Gov. Ralph Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, and now Attorney General Mark Herring are all enveloped by scandals. So while there are plenty of games the Democrats could play, it’s increasingly feasible that the third-in-line to the governor’s mansion may have to take over the responsibilities of that office.
And that person is none other than the Republican speaker of the House of Delegates, Kirk Cox. A 61-year-old conservative who has served as an elected House of Delegates representative for the last 29 years, Cox isn’t exactly a progressive committed to the new Democratic agenda. That puts Democrats in a very difficult position. They now may have to decide what matters more: retention of executive power or conformity with the party’s identity politics agenda. And if it’s the latter, it seems clear that Cox must take power. After all, Article 5, Section 16 of the Virginia state constitution explains that
Keep in mind, the Republicans control the House of Delegates 51-49. Is Virginia about to turn red? Buckle up.
