Virginia's governor may literally come down to a coin toss
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) is resisting calls to step down after his yearbook page showed a photo of a man in blackface. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) is facing a sexual assault allegation, which he has denied. And the third in line to lead the commonwealth? Well, Attorney General Mark Herring (D) just admitted he wore blackface in college.
Should they all step aside, House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox — the only Republican in the line of succession — would become governor. And he's only in that position by complete and total chance.
After the lower legislative house's last elections in 2017, its 94th district seat in Newport News was stuck in a tie. So Democrat Shelley Simonds and Republican incumbent David Yancey put their names in a ceramic bowl, and when Yancey's name was drawn, he got the job, USA Today details. That gave the GOP a slim 51-49 majority in the House of Delegates and allowed Cox to be selected its speaker.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As confusing as Cox's case may be, it's actually clearer than what would happen should he step aside as well. Virginia doesn't have a fifth designate in its gubernatorial line of succession, The Washington Post notes, so its House of Delegates would choose the next leader. That means the next governor would likely be a Republican because — and we can't stress this enough — the House's GOP majority was determined by drawing a name out of a bowl.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - December 7, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - merry-go-round, sleigh bells, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously hypermasculine cartoons about Pete Hegseth's nomination
Cartoons Artists take on battlefields, mommy issues, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Teriyaki salmon skewers recipe
Recipe This delicious Asian-inspired dish is easy to make
By The Week UK Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published