Leadership battle erupts in Virginia House of Delegates
Scott, who announced the effort in a letter to Democratic caucus leaders Sunday, drew headlines and a personal visit from Youngkin early this year after he publicly questioned the new governor’s religious faith over his use of race as a political issue.
“I’m looking forward to working with every member of our caucus to ensure Democrats are on the path to victory in the next election cycle,” Scott said in a brief interview Monday, two days before the one-day veto session, at which both the House and the Senate will reconvene to consider Youngkin’s vetoes and amendments to legislation passed this year. “Our caucus will be meeting soon and I look forward to discussing our vision for victory as soon as our internal discussions are complete. I’m looking forward to joining my colleagues in Richmond for the reconvene session on Wednesday and coming out with a unified plan to win back the majority.”
Filler-Corn, who presided as speaker for the two years that Democrats controlled the House, issued a statement suggesting the leadership challenge could be a distraction on Wednesday, when the party hopes to defeat a slew of unusual amendments and vetoes. Some of them appeared to have been aimed at punishing Democrats for rejecting a Trump administration official for Youngkin’s Cabinet.
“I remain focused on protecting Virginians against Governor Youngkin’s shocking and irresponsible vetoes at our upcoming reconvened session and fighting for a budget that protects Virginians’ most basic rights,” she said in the statement. “It’s imperative we all remain focused on the task at hand which voters sent us to Richmond to do.”
Despite November’s losses, Democrats chose to keep Filler-Corn at the helm of the party for another two-year term in caucus elections in December.
She was the first woman and the first Jewish person to hold the speakership — one of the most powerful posts in state politics — in the House’s 400-year history.
Scott had been serving as the caucus’s vice chairman for outreach. In his letter, he stepped down from that role and called for the caucus vote Wednesday on removing Filler-Corn as minority leader and Del. Charniele L. Herring (Alexandria) as caucus chairwoman.
If they are removed, he wants the caucus to immediately hold a second vote to fill all three slots, according to his letter, in which he nominated himself for minority leader, Del. Sally L. Hudson (Charlottesville) for caucus chairwoman and Del. Dan Helmer (Fairfax) for vice chairman for outreach.
Scott’s letter did not spell out any rationale for seeking their removal, stating only that he sought it and serving notice that he intended to call for a vote Wednesday. He quoted provisions in party bylaws stating that “officers may be removed by a vote of a majority of Caucus members” if they are “provided reasonable notice,” going on to note that less than 48 hours’ notice was given in November, when the current officers were elected.
Filler-Corn’s critics have argued that she sat on money that might have helped make the difference in the handful of tight House races that flipped control to the GOP — something that was not known until after her reelection as leader.
Although Filler-Corn plowed more than $4 million into party committees and individual House races last year, she had close to $900,000 on hand at the end of December between her personal campaign account and Energized for Change, her political action committee, according to reports filed in mid-January.
Democrats debated Scott’s proposal in a caucus conference call Sunday night, with Filler-Corn’s supporters making procedural arguments against electing new leadership immediately if the incumbents are tossed out, according to two people familiar with the call, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations.
They also expressed concern that a public airing of infighting and a leadership change would make the party look weak, the two said.
As news of the leadership battle leaked Monday, state GOP Chairman Rich Anderson celebrated on Twitter.
“@VAHouseDems are in a state of division, disarray, drama, & despair,” he tweeted. “Comes now Dem. Don Scott, calling to overthrow House Dem leaders and — wait for it — install himself as Leader. The Great Republican Clean Sweep of 2021 is about to happen again in 2022 if we keep working hard!”
Del. Delores L. McQuinn (D-Richmond) issued a statement in support of Filler-Corn and Herring, crediting them with “promoting diverse voices in our caucus” by putting Black men and women in charge of certain committees, including the powerful Appropriations Committee.
“Eileen and Charniele have led this caucus to historic heights,” McQuinn’s statement said. “The legislation we have passed under their leadership has lifted up so many Virginians and now they are leading the way to uphold the Democratic values and principles we were all elected on. Now is not the time to take our best players off of the playing field.”
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