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'''Lawrence Douglas Wilder''' (born January 17, 1931) is an American politician from [[Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. He was the first [[African-American]] to be elected as a state official in Virginia, when he was elected [[Lieutenant Governor]] in 1985. He had earlier served on the state Senate. In 1989 Wilder was elected governor of Virginia, the first African-American to be elected as a governor in the country. After his term expired, Wilder could not run for reelection due to term limits. In 2004, he ran for mayor of Richmond and won with 79% percent of the vote. After serving a term as mayor, Wilder announced he would not seek a second term. He is now a professor at [[Virginia Commonwealth University]].  

'''Lawrence Douglas Wilder''' (born January 17, 1931) is an American politician from [[Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. He was the first [[African-American]] to be elected as a state official in Virginia, when he was elected [[Lieutenant Governor]] in 1985. He had earlier served on the state Senate. In 1989 Wilder was elected governor of Virginia, the first African-American to be elected as a governor in the country. Wilder could not run for reelection due to term limits. In 2004, he ran for mayor of Richmond and won with 79% percent of the vote. After serving a term as mayor, Wilder announced he would not seek a second term. He is now a professor at [[Virginia Commonwealth University]].  

Despite being a [[Democrat]], Wilder has been considered [[conservative]] on issues such as the [[death penalty]]. In 2009, Wilder withheld from endorsing Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate [[Creigh Deeds]], saying he has concerns over Deeds' stances on "financial stewardship", [[gun control]] and [[abortion]]. "It can't be just that we have to go along because he's a Democrat. That doesn't cut it for me...The question is leadership. Where is your mantle of leadership? I have not seen it." On the contrary Wilder called Deeds' [[Republican]] opponent [[Bob McDonnell]] "pleasant folk, a family man." <ref>http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/07/wilder_deeds_has_not_yet_asked.html</ref>

Despite being a [[Democrat]], Wilder has been considered [[conservative]] on issues such as the [[death penalty]]. In 2009, Wilder withheld from endorsing Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate [[Creigh Deeds]], saying he has concerns over Deeds' stances on "financial stewardship", [[gun control]] and [[abortion]]. "It can't be just that we have to go along because he's a Democrat. That doesn't cut it for me...The question is leadership. Where is your mantle of leadership? I have not seen it." On the contrary Wilder called Deeds' [[Republican]] opponent [[Bob McDonnell]] "pleasant folk, a family man." <ref>http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/07/wilder_deeds_has_not_yet_asked.html</ref>