The untimely passing of former State Senator turned Representative Don McEachin (D-VA) has temporarily united many in Richmond who remember his unsurpassed qualities as a legislator and lawyer.
Yet Democrats have already begun their maneuverings to succeed the Virginia legend with two names percolating to the forefront.
State Senator Joe Morrissey (D-S16) may not be looking for the role, but Richmond insiders are keeping their eye on the prize fighting Democrat as a sure contender in any special election.
Morrissey’s known qualities as a pro-life Democrat — and perhaps, the last of the pro-life Dems — is combined with a tireless advocacy for minority communities, one whose reputation precedes any aforementioned scandals.
Yet perhaps the reason Morrissey’s name is being bandied about is because of the other name being mentioned: Richmond Mayor LeVar Stoney.
The former Terry McAuliffe acolyte turned progressive iconoclast is best known for his denuding of Richmond’s Monument Avenue following the BLM/Antifa riots, which injured several Richmond Police and caused millions of dollars in property damages.
Meanwhile, Virginia Republicans have shown an outpouring of respect for the former Virginia legislator, despite well-known and long-standing differences of political opinion.
The 4th District being a Democratic stronghold, Republicans fortunes in this seat would entirely depend on whether or not Stoney — rather than Morrissey — is selected by the apparatchiks of the Democratic Party.
Governor Youngkin (R-VA) has yet to name the date for the special election, as funeral arrangements are still being made by the McEachin family.