As disappointed as many Virginians might have been in Mr. Northam, several said they were not surprised. Mr. Northam won 80 percent of the vote in predominantly black communities, according to Ms. Nguyen. Still, Ms. Boyd-Sealy, 59, said she believed that Mr. Northam should be given a second chance because people were too sensitive, that Mr. Northam should not be judged by that picture alone and that he was probably just a product of his environment. If Mr. Northam was currently advocating for black communities, the past might not be such a big deal, said Ms. McDonald, who is black. Linda Williams and her husband, James, were already sour on Mr. Northam because of his support for abortion rights.

Source: New York Times February 04, 2019 01:36 UTC