Carter Elliot, Staff Writer~
This past election day in Virginia, Democratic candidate Ralph Northam defeated Republican challenger Ed Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee Chairman, by a margin of nearly nine points.
This past week the culmination of hard work for his campaign came together in one final celebration and on Jan. 13, Northam was sworn in as the 73rd Governor of Virginia. Nearly 5,000 Virginians traveled to Richmond to participate in this democratic tradition. Throughout his speech, he spoke a bipartisan message assuring Virginia that he is willing to reach across party lines in order to complete what is necessary. He stated: “We all have a moral compass deep in our hearts, and it’s time to summon it again because we have a lot of work to do.”
Northam also referred back to his time while serving as a doctor in the gulf war and during his time as a pediatrician by stating that, “A good doctor listens first to what a patient is saying and not saying; as governor, I will approach these challenges with the same skills I learned as a doctor.”
After his speech, Northam watched the inaugural parade as members of his alma mater, the Virginia Military Institute, marched in the parade along with many local high school and college bands. This peaceful transition of power, one of the steeples of our democratic institution, was once again seen in full effect this year and in a very fitting conclusion Northam stated, “Let us rely on the compass we all carry to show us the way ahead. I ask you to join me. Let’s get to work. Thank you.”
