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Even after Northam's denials, both of Virginia's Democratic U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, have called on Northam to resign, as have eight Democratic presidential candidates, former Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, with whom Northam served as lieutenant governor, and the Democratic caucuses in both the state House of Delegates and state Senate.

\"The situation that he has put himself and the Commonwealth of Virginia in is untenable. It's time for Ralph to step down, and for the Commonwealth to move forward,\" McAuliffe, who remains influential in Virginia politics and is considering a run for president in 2020, wrote on Twitter Friday evening.

\"PHOTO:
Julio Cortez/AP
PHOTO: Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, speaks during a news conference outside of his home, Feb. 1, 2019, in Newark, N.J. Booker earlier in the day declared his bid for the presidency.
>

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, who announced his presidential bid last week, said in an interview on \"CBS This Morning\" that Northam does not \"have the capacity to serve Virginia right now,\"

\"Being governor of a state is not an entitlement,\" Booker, who campaigned with Northam in 2017, said. \"I believe in the ideas of redemption and we should not be judged by the lowest points in our past. But the reality is, this is hurtful, painful it’s a betrayal of public trust – he should step out of that position.\"

The rest of the current Democratic presidential field, including Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, former Congressman John Delaney, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg have all called on Northam to step down.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have also called on Northam to resign.

There is no place for racism in America. Governor Northam has lost all moral authority and should resign immediately, Justin Fairfax is the leader Virginia needs now.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 2, 2019

This has gone on too long. There is nothing to debate. He must resign. https://t.co/TjfS3vbcws

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2019

Kirk Cox, the Republican Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, reiterated his call for Northam to step down on Monday but said there is \"hesitation\" on the part of the legislature to considering impeaching the governor.

\"PHOTO:
AP
PHOTO: Graphic highlights the line of succession for Virginia governor and looks at strategic advantages democrats could benefit from.
>

\"I think there's a rightful hesitation about removal from office because obviously, you have to consider that to some degree you're overturning an election,\" Cox said during a gaggle with reporters Monday morning, \"I think the constitutional provisions are very specific on the succession of office. It really does call for a matter of physical and mental incapacitation and that's what it was meant to do.\"

Cox also said his Democratic colleagues in the House of Delegates have not raised the possibility of impeachment to him yet.

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