Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam pulled out of a previously scheduled fundraiser on Sunday.
In a statement to WTOP, Northam cited safety concerns for reneging on the event. The embattled governor was planning to raise money for Democratic state Sen. Dave Marsden at an event in Burke, Virginia. (RELATED: Virginia Senate Minority Leader Doubles Down In Support Of Northam)
According to WTOP, both the Fairfax County NAACP and the Virginia Republican Party had protests planned for the event.
The Virginia Republican Party released a statement mocking Northam and Marsden:
“Trouble in paradise?” they tweeted. “Maybe a rift growing between Governor Blackface and the (Virginia Senate Democrats)?”
Trouble in paradise? @RalphNortham flaked on his buddy @SenDaveMarsden‘s fundraiser yesterday… (Luckily @ChapPetersen was there, even though he was ~vociferously~ booed.)
Maybe a rift growing between Governor Blackface and the @VASenateDems that embrace him? pic.twitter.com/Mjcrf3NBiJ
— Virginia GOP (RPV) (@VA_GOP) April 15, 2019
Northam faced an outpouring of calls for his resignation after a medical school yearbook surfaced in February that showed a picture of one man wearing blackface, and another donning a Ku Klux Klan costume. Despite the picture appearing on his yearbook page, Northam has repeatedly denied that he is either of the men in the photo. The governor has also been defiant in his refusal to resign, despite months of outrage from both sides of the aisle.
While Northam has stayed in the office, his approval ratings have not recovered.
A survey conducted by Christopher Newport University and released to the public last week showed Northam’s approval ratings 19 points underwater, and lower than President Donald Trump.