Terry McAuliffe Becomes First Major Candidate to Require Campaign Staffers to be Vaccinated

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Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe’s campaign announced Monday it would require staffers to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19, becoming the first major campaign to impose such a requirement.

“In the interest of public health and the safety and wellbeing of our team, Terry for Virginia has made the decision to require full vaccination against Covid-19 as a condition of employment with the campaign,” campaign manager Chris Bolling said in a statement. “The health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, supporters and volunteers is our top priority, and this is another important step to protect our community and get through this pandemic.”

McAuliffe, who co-chaired former President Bill Clinton’s 1996 presidential campaign, also served as Virginia’s governor from 2013-17. The state’s laws prevent its governors from serving two consecutive terms, meaning McAuliffe was forced to step down before seeking the office for a second time.

The Virginia Democrat’s prospective Covid-19 policies have been an issue in the campaign. Incumbent Gov. Ralph Northam, a fellow Democrat, lifted a state mask mandate in May. He declined to put it back in place in July despite calls from some Democrats, prompting state Sen. Mark Peake (R) to suggest he didn’t “want to hurt Terry McAuliffe’s campaign chances by issuing another mask mandate.”