April 17, 2019  - Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe Will Not Run

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced he would not run for the White House on April 17 on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time."  McAuliffe said he wanted to focus on helping Virginia Democrats win in state legislative races in 2019.  "I'm going to help Virginians for the next six months," he stated.  "I could spend eight months traveling on the country running for President, or six months really making a difference," McAuliffe said,


Republicans hold narrow majorities in the House of Delegates (51-49) and the Senate (21-19).  All 100 seats In the House of Delegates and all 40 seats in the Senate are up in 2019.  However, Gov. Ralph Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring have all been tarnished by scandals leaving a vacuum at the top.  If McAuliffe is successful in his efforts in 2019, that could pave the way for another run for governor in 2021.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1904/17/CPT.01.html

excerpt from the rush FDCH transcript of CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time".
MCAULIFFE: Sure. So, I've thought long and hard. I've spent all last year traveling the country, went over 20 states since Thanksgiving. 

I've been reaching out folks all over the country, dying to run for President, think I could real - really make a difference. I know I could beat Bush like a - Trump like a rented mule. 

But we've got issues in Virginia, and I'm concerned about Virginia. And since February, we've had a lot of problems there. We have the opportunity, Chris, to pick up our House and Senate, so to pick up both Chambers with the governorship would be the first time in 26 years.

As Governor, as you know, I had a record number of vetoes, a 120. There are bills that I pushed that just couldn't get through the Republican legislature, background checks. Virginia joined in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, something I did through Executive Order.

CUOMO: So, you're just saying you don't want to run for President, you're going to run for governor?

MCAULIFFE: What do you do - why are you in politics? To help people. Where can you have the biggest impact on people? And the leadership of Virginia has been reaching out to me the last 2.5 months. 

I spent until 4:00 in the morning on Saturday morning with the State Party Chair all night talking. I invested a lot in that state. And I love that state. We've got to win the House and Senate because we can change it. We can take it to the next level.

So, I've listened to the Virginians, and I'm going to help Virginians for the next six months. I could spend eight months traveling on the country running for President, or six months really making a difference.

Where can you help people the most and change people's lives? As you know, it happens at the state level. And I don't want anyone in Virginia feel that I abandoned them. 

I would love to have run for President. I think being a Southern Governor who had record amount of jobs and investment in education and the most felon right enfranchisement, Lenny (ph) governor in American history, it's all, but you know what?

Getting in with a field of 20 today, and trying to get your message to breakthrough, where tomorrow, I can make a real difference to the Commonwealth of Virginia.


See also:
Alan Suderman and Bill Barrow.  "Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe not running for president, AP sources say."  Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2019.