Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe is vying for his second term in the top post and will contest against Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin in the general elections on November 2. 

McAuliffe, who won the Democratic primary on June 8, will be the first Virginia governor after Mills Godwin to serve two non-consecutive terms if he wins. Godwin was the first governor in US history to be elected as both a Democrat and a Republican, serving two non-consecutive terms from 1966 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1978 respectively. 

Who is Terry McAuliffe?

Terry Richard McAuliffe is an American politician and the former governor of Virginia. McAuliffe was born on February 9, 1957 in Syracuse, New York. His father, Jack McAuliffe, was a real estate agent and a local Democratic politician.

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In 1979, McAuliffe earned a bachelor’s degree from the Catholic University of America. After graduating, he worked for President Jimmy Carter’s reelection campaign.

McAuliffe earned his Juris Degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984.

He and his wife, Dorothy Swann, have been married for more than 30 years and have five children: Dori, Jack, Mary, Sally, and Peter. 

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Business Career

McAuliffe started his first venture, McAuliffe Driveway Maintenance, sealing driveways and parking lots, at the age of 14. He has worked with and led numerous businesses in various sectors of the economy such as banking, real estate development, home building, hotels, and internet venture capitalist.

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Political Career

He served as a co-chairman of President Bill Clinton’s 1996 campaign and Hilary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. McAuliffe had a prolific career as a fundraiser as he and his staff raised $275 million for Clinton’s causes when he was the President.

He became the chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2001 and held the position till 2005.

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McAuliffe lost the Democratic nomination in the 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election.

McAuliffe was elected as the governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and then defeated Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Libertarian Robert Sarvis in the general election.

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He also served as the chairman of the National Governors Association from July 2016 to July 2017.