Va. House Democrats choose Eileen Filler-Corn as speaker-designee
Virginia Democrats have selected Eileen Filler-Corn as the next speaker of the House of Delegates, putting the the 55-year-old lawmaker from Northern Virginia in position to become the first woman ever to wield the gavel.
At a closed-door meeting Saturday in downtown Richmond, the House Democratic Caucus voted to stick with the minority leader who led the party to victory in Tuesday’s elections. With control of the General Assembly at stake Democrats flipped enough Republican-held seats to win a majority for the first time in a quarter-century.
The caucus opted against a leadership shakeup sought by Del. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, who pitched herself as a more transformational pick for speaker as a young woman of color with more progressive bona fides.
Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, who works for a government relations firm and has served in the House since 2010, won’t officially become speaker until January. That’s when the House will vote on a replacement for outgoing Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, who lost his GOP majority after a single two-year term.
Democrats selected Filler-Corn as minority leader late last year to replace retiring Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, entrusting her with the job heading into a high-stakes election year.
https://www.virginiamercury.com/2019/11/09/va-house-democrats-choose-eileen-filler-corn-as-speaker-designee/