Ralph Northam and Mark Herring to Face GOP Extremists E. W. Jackson and Mark Obenshain

Lt. Governor Candidate Ralph Northam

The Democratic primary today decided who will face off against GOP whack job "Bishop" E. W. Jackson for Lt. Governor and the GOP's Mark "Women Must Report Miscarriages or Go to Jail" Obenshain for Attorney General.  (I put the word bishop in quotation marks before Jackson's name because it seems that in some of these "start your own church" non-denominational churches anyone can become a bishop).  The Democrat contender for Lt. Governor will be Senator Ralph Northam who currently represents portions of Southside Hampton Roads and  the Eastern Shore.  For Attorney General the Democrat candidate is Mark Herring whom I have met and found to be impressive.  I have known Northam for some time and actually was a donor for his campaign kick off event. 

Sadly, it was a low turn out primary for the Democrats although it is certainly possible that in both races Democrats felt that either Democrat contestant was light years better than the GOP alternative.  The good news for LGBT Virginians is that both Northam and Herring support LGBT rights.  On his campaign website, Northam has stated as follows on the issue of gay marriage:

There is no excuse to discriminate against Virginians based on whom they love or to stigmatize the children of same-sex couples as unequal because their parents cannot marry. I recently met with a constituent who broke down in tears because his gay son’s love would be treated as second-class. This discrimination and callousness must end. We must cherish and promote ALL Virginia families and children across the Commonwealth. That is why I will continue to fight for marriage equality,” 

As noted above, I have met Mark Herring in person and have had an opportunity to chat with him.  His campaign site includes the following:

Mark will use the power of the Attorney General to support initiatives to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Virginians from discrimination and disparate treatment in state and local agencies and programs. 

He will reverse the opinion issued by then Attorney General Bob McDonnell that says the Governor does not have the authority to issue an executive order protecting LGBT workers in state government from discrimination. Mark believes that the Governor, as chief personnel officer, clearly has this power as exercised by both Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and he will issue an opinion that confirms that the new Governor is authorized by law to offer the protection of an executive order to all state employees.

Mark will adopt a nondiscrimination policy for the Office of Attorney General that protects all employees from discrimination and includes sexual orientation and gender identity. As a member of the State Senate, Mark has co-sponsored legislation that would codify protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity for all public workers. He will continue to support this legislative effort as Attorney General.

In November, turnout will be critical because the Christofascist base of the Virginia GOP is motivated. The triumvirate of crazies and religious extremists nominated by the GOP  is the dream ticket of the theocrats at The Family Foundation and that organization will use its toxic network of far right pastors and anti-gay churches to turn out the Kool-Aid drinkers on election day.  If Democrats are complacent, Virginia could find itself election the most extreme and frighten ticket in Virginia's history.  Virginia's gays, women and minorities must mobilize to prevent this from happening.