If VA Governor Ralph Northam has any character right now, He should resign from office right now.

[nkpolitics1212]

Northam resigning will allow VA Lt Governor Justin Fairfax become Governor(Fairfax will be the second African American Governor of VA) Northam can show his African American Community that he is not a bad person anymore if he resigns.

[manor321]

1. I agree. We can't have this in our party. We're not Republicans.

I did wait to see what his statement was before making a judgement.

[BluegrassDem]

2. I agree...if he were Republican, we'd also be asking for him to resign

He should honorably resign. As an African-American, this is beyond disgusting to see the governor in blackface or a KKK costume. I don't care if it was 35 years ago. He was not a kid and this wasn't in the 1940's. I do concede he is a solid liberal, but this is NOT a good look for a Democratic governor in a state with large population of African-Americans.

[nkpolitics1212]

7. Northam resigning does not put an end in his political career.

Justin Fairfax becomes Governor in Feb 2019, gets elected to a full 4 year term in November 2021. Northam should work on Fairfax's 2021 VA Gubernatorial campaign. Then in 2022, Northam should run for the US House in the most Republican Congressional Districts in VA.
VA-9( Morgan Griffith-R)
VA-6(Ben Cline-R)
VA-1(Rob Wittman-R)
VA-5(Denver Riggleman-R)

[standingtall]

3. If He was upfront about his past behavior regarding race

this wouldn't be such a disqualifying issue now. Think Robert Byrd.

[Blue_true]

4. His history after Medical School is pretty solid in regards to how he worked with everyone.

Maybe his entire life should be looked at instead of a decision that he made in his twenties, from the standpoint of a privileged White man. I have not heard of any racially insensitive conduct by him post Medical School, in fact he was a pioneer in his state for providing low cost and free medical care to poor people, including poor Black people. I will wait on this. If we hold everyone accountable for a one off mistake 30 years ago, we will have no one doing any job. But, if contrary to what I have read, Northam had other incidents of racial insensitivity, then yes, his resigning is the best course.

[juxtaposed]

10. Ditto, ppl do stupid things but, does that encapsulated how they are as a whole.

[bdjhawk]

5. While this past behavior is disgusting, this is another

example of a situation where the Dem would usually honorably resign while the Repug would ride out the storm and stay in power. And when Dems resign in places like VA, it just opens the doors for a right winger to come in. The Repugs are really pushing on this since he spoke out in support of an abortion rights proposal.

[juxtaposed]

12. From his record and progressive life he should ride out the storm, he is not a Steve King

[Cuthbert Allgood]

6. I was 18 in 1984.

I was a fucking asshole in a lot of ways. I've changed a lot and would hate to be held accountable at 52 for 18-year-old me. That said, it would depend on how he handles this, in my opinion. If he owns it and has demonstrated that that isn't him anymore (which I believe is the case), then we need to realize that people change for the better.

[mcar]

9. He was in medical school

Therefore in his early 20s. Big difference.

[juxtaposed]

8. wasn't he a conservative back then and left his conservative bubble and experienced

the world outside the bubble and changed his views and party? Or was he then and is he now a fucking racist? I don't know the context of the photo from 1984. Was it an example of extreme bad satire from where i grew up or was it the norm where he comes from?

The off with his head answer is premature for me at this point. I'll look at what he's done since then.

[roamer65]

11. When Dump resigns, then Governor Northam should resign.

I think Gov. Northam has changed, Dump has not.

Governor Northam cannot run for re-election in 2021. Justin Fairfax would then be a stellar candidate to take his place.

Virginia governors cannot serve consecutive terms.

[crazycatlady]

13. If he resigns

Who becomes LG? Would a special election (presumably November) be called for LG?