Virginia Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D) was welcomed with applause on Wednesday when she was sworn in as the first female House Speaker in the state’s 401-year legislative history.
Filler-Corn, who represents the state’s 41st District in Fairfax, is also the first Jewish person to hold the position in the Old Dominion state.
“I must acknowledge the tremendous honor I feel at being the first woman Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates,” Filler-Corn said in her first speech on the chamber’s floor. “I know that being the first is a privilege and it comes with responsibility that I take with great seriousness.”
History at the State Capitol. Del. Eileen Filler-Corn @EFillerCorn welcomed with applause as she enters the House floor moments before being sworn in as the first woman to become speaker of the House in Virginia’s 401-year legislative history. #valeg #VaGeneralAssembly pic.twitter.com/8sPXCuBeVr
— WTVR CBS 6 Richmond (@CBS6) 8 January 2020
Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax sworn in as first female House Speaker in Virginia, only 401 years after body was founded pic.twitter.com/XA8TMP9J7j
— Greg Schneider (@SchneiderG) 8 January 2020
She was chosen by members of the House Democratic Caucus after Democrats won control of the Virginia General Assembly in November for the first time since 1994.
Democrats now control all three top statewide elected offices, both U.S. Senate seats and both chambers of the General Assembly. Democrats also hold seven of Virginia’s 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
