Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe is a step closer to running for a second term as governor

On Wednesday, McAuliffe filed paperwork with the Virginia State Board of Elections, listing himself as a Democratic candidate for the 2021 gubernatorial race. He registered under his political action committee, Virginians for Common Good, which is based in Alexandria. 

McAuliffe’s spokesman, Brennan Bilberry, told The Associated Press that McAuliffe won’t make an official decision to run until after the Nov. 3 General Election.

The former Virginia governor, who told The Washington Post in May that it was “a strong possibility” that he will run for governor in 2021,  reported raising $1.7 million in April and May, far more than other Democrats running for governor in 2021. State Del. Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, raised $776,000 during the same period and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, raised $275,000 in a week after announcing her run in late June. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring are also circling 2021 gubernatorial runs.

On the GOP side, only state Sen. Amanda Chase, R- Chesterfield, has formerly announced as a gubernatorial candidate. The former House speaker, Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, and retired state Sen. Bill Carrico and entrepreneur Pete Snyder are among the Republican candidates who have expressed interest in running.

“McAuliffe has been toying with a possible run for months while raising money through his old political action committee,” Bilberry told the AP. In May and June, McAuliffe raised $1.7 million in political cash, which his PAC said it would use to help the Democratic Party of Virginia’s 2020 campaign efforts.

The moderate Democrat was the 72nd governor of Virginia. A former Democratic National Committee chair, he is a close friend of President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During his time as governor, McAuliffe brought in more than $20 billion in capital investment and promoted Virginia on more than 35 trade and marketing missions to five continents.

In October 2019, McAuliffe started working with Richmond-based law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as a global strategy advisor and in January of this year he hired Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director Chris Bolling to oversee his PAC.

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