VA-Gov: In the wake of ex-Rep. Tom Perriello's surprise entry into this year's Democratic primary for governor, Virginia's political establishment is reaffirming its support for Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. Nearly all of the state's prominent elected officials had already endorsed Northam's campaign, but to remind folks of where the race stands, Northam is touting the backing of Virginia's entire Democratic congressional delegation—including both senators—save one member. That lone exception is Rep. Gerry Connolly, who declined to endorse either candidate, citing his personal friendship with Perriello (the two were elected to the House in the same year, 2008).
Meanwhile, Perriello is seeking to reposition himself for a bid in a state that's a lot more liberal than his old congressional district was. One of Perriello's most problematic votes during his one term in office was for the so-called Stupak Amendment, a piece of legislation that former Blue Dog Rep. Bart Stupak tried to attach to the Affordable Care Act to prevent the federal government from paying for abortions. The move was a dangerous poison pill: Stupak and his allies said they wouldn't support the ACA if the amendment wasn't included, while pro-choice members of Congress said they wouldn't support the ACA if it was.
Stupak's proposal didn't make it into the final bill, but it was an affront to reproductive rights advocates and women everywhere. That's why, in a new Facebook post, Perriello now says he "regret[s]” his vote for it, though he says he backed it at the time because he'd promised his constituents that he "would support health care reform only if it was consistent with the Hyde Amendment." (The Hyde Amendment is another piece of federal legislation that also bars federal funds from being used to pay for abortions; Stupak claimed the ACA would create a loophole to Hyde, hence his amendment.)
Notably, however, Perriello didn't say in his post whether he still supports Hyde itself, though according to a new interview with the Huffington Post, he has apparently disavowed it. The Hyde Amendment has been a pillar of the anti-abortion movement for over 40 years, but for the first time in 2016, the Democratic platform formally called for its repeal. While it wasn't much remarked on during a presidential race that centered on anything but the actual issues (thanks, email-obsessed media), Hillary Clinton openly campaigned on getting ride of Hyde—and won the state of Virginia.