On Monday, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of the most high-profile names in the Democratic Party, endorsed ex-Rep. Tom Perriello ahead of the June 13 primary for governor of Virginia. Both Perriello and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam have been working hard to portray themselves as the true progressive in the race (that’s not something we would have expected to write about a primary in Virginia even a few years ago), and some have portrayed this as a sort of rematch between Bernie Sanders, who endorsed Perriello earlier this month, and Hillary Clinton.
However, as we’ve noted before, this is more a battle between national Democrats and state Democrats. While Perriello has national stars and people close to Obama in his corner, Northam is backed by termed-out Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and most of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation and legislators. Most polls show that the vast majority of primary voters are undecided, though a recent survey for Northam’s allies at the Virginia Education Association gave him a 42-28 lead.
Northam himself is spending $125,000 on the first TV ad of the primary from either candidate. The commercial begins with people praising Northam’s work as a pediatrician, with families thanking him for treating their children. The spot continues by featuring people saying how Northam stood up to the tobacco interests and the NRA, worked to stop the GOP legislature’s transvaginal ultrasound bill, and supported marriage equality “long before” it was popular. The commercial ends with Northam addressing a cheering crowd and saying they won’t let Donald Trump take them back.