A Black elected Delegate’s application was rejected by the Virginia Black Legislative Caucus, according to an exclusive Fox News report.
“It really did offend me,” Virginia Delegate Aijalon Cordoza told Fox News. “It was a spit in the face.”
“This says to me that I’m not Black enough to be in the Black Caucus, and that’s an insult.”
A call for further comment from Delegate Cordoza was not immediately returned.
Del. Cordoza is an Air Force veteran who grew up in New York City and settled in Virginia after graduating from Norfolk State University, in 2017. He began his political life as a Democrat, helping elect Barack Obama in his presidential campaign. According to a report in The Daily Wire, he soon realized he was in the wrong party and became a Republican.
The veteran edged out Martha Mugler in the November 2021 election by less than 100 votes to represent Virginia’s 91st District. He survived her recount petition and assumed his seat in the state House of Delegates in January. After assuming office, he tried to join the Black Legislative Caucus because he said he wanted to be a conservative voice in a group that is usually very liberal, according to Fox News.
“I wanted to represent all African-Americans, not just liberal ones,” he told Fox News. “I wanted a seat at the table.”
When he filled out their application, he responded to its question about any objections he had to the 2022 agenda by listing 32 objections.
“I thought they would want to know why I didn’t agree with it,” Cordoza told Fox News. “I didn’t think we would agree on everything, but I thought they would let me in so they would want to hear my voice.” Their reply can be summarized as, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
It is unclear whether Cordoza’s claim he was rejected for not being Black enough is true or, if not, why he was rejected. A request for comment from the Black Legislative Caucus was not immediately returned.
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