RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – The General Assembly gets back to work this week and and Gov. Bob McDonnell steps aside as Terry McAuliffe prepares to become the Commonwealth’s 72nd governor.
Cabinet picks are offering insight into the McAuliffe administration.
Some are familiar faces in new roles, like former Virginia first lady and first daughter Anne Holton, who will be secretary of education.
Others are bipartisan re-hires from the McDonnell years, like Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Bill Hazel and Agriculture and Forestry Secretary Todd Haymore. Additionally, Ric Brown will return as Virginia’s finance secretary.
But don’t think the McAuliffe administration lacks Democrat identity.
Incoming natural resources secretary Molly Joseph Ward is a former Obama appointee and Secretary of the Commonwealth appointee Lavar Stoney, a longtime McAuliffe aide.
And Virginia’s next public safety secretary Is Brian Moran, the former head of Virginia’s Democratic Party of Virginia.
Political expert Dr. Bob Holsworth said McAuliffe’s picks shows he is committed to proving wrong critics who say he is “too Washington” or “too liberal” to lead Virginia.
“On one hand there is certainly a lot of bipartisanship here,” said Holsworth. “In this instance we didn’t have a lot of people imported from Washington down here.”
CBS 6 News’ Joe St. George will sit down with McAuliffe for an interview on Monday. If you’d like to suggest a question for the interview, message Joe on Twitter.
Additionally, CBS 6 News has learned Bill and Hillary Clinton will attend the McAuliffe inauguration in Richmond Saturday.
Stay with WTVR.com and CBS 6 News for complete coverage of the inauguration.
