Appearing before a joint session of the House and Senate two days after he was sworn in as Virginia’s 72nd governor, McAuliffe (D) used his speech to continue the balancing act he will have to pull off to get anything through a GOP-dominated House and a Senate where control is in flux.
Much of his speech stressed his commitment to expanding and diversifying the state’s economy. He announced two already hatched economic development deals and vowed to preserve the state’s sterling bond rating, all easy sells to Republicans.
Yet he also hit upon priorities popular with his liberal base. In addition to expanding Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor, McAuliffe voiced support for gay rights and abortion rights as well as the Dream Act, particularly its provision to allow the children of some illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.
