Our history is complex in Virginia. It includes good things, and bad. But no other place on earth can claim it. This unique heritage endows us with a… - Ralph Northam

The path to progress is marked by honest give and take among people who truly want to make life better for those around them.

I wasn't there, Julie, and I certain can't speak for Delegate Tran, but I would tell you, one, the first thing I would say is this is why decisions such as this should be made by providers, physicians, and the mothers and the fathers that are involved. When we talk about third-trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of obviously the mother, with the consent of the physicians, more than one physician, by the way. And it's done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that's non-viable. So in this particular example, if a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. So I think this was really blown out of proportion. But again, we want the government not to be involved in these kinds of decisions. We want the decisions to be made by the mothers and the providers and this is why, Julie, that legislators, most of whom are men by the way, shouldn't be telling a woman what she should and shouldn't be doing with her body. His spokesman later released a statement saying "No woman seeks a third trimester abortion except in the case of tragic or difficult circumstances, such as a nonviable pregnancy or in the event of severe fetal abnormalities, and the governor’s comments were limited to the actions physicians would take in the event that a woman in those circumstances went into labor.

I was blessed to grow up on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and to call it my home. As a kid I spent hours behind our house, crabbing and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. To this day that is where I find peace. When I was just old enough to take to the water myself, my dad helped me build a rowboat and launch it, with strict instructions: stay close to home. As I grew and became more comfortable, I began to take longer trips away from the shore, until I was ready to head out into the open water. I remember standing with my father as I prepared to embark, and like all good Dads, he knew I was nervous even before I did. He said, Ralph, remember—when you get out there, you can always trust your compass. If things get dark or foggy, if you can’t find your way—keep your eye on the compass. It’ll always bring you home safely. He was right about that compass.