Candidate for VA Governor: ‘I’m Proud To Be Next To The Confederate Flag’

“It’s Time That We Stop Running From our Heritage,” Said Corey Stewart

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart discussed Virginia’s history with supporters this weekend, informing them that the Confederate flag isn’t about racism, hatred or slavery, but heritage.

Speaking at the “Old South Ball,” in Virginia, ThinkProgress reported, the former co-chair of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in Virginia called for Virginians to celebrate their heritage, calling their home “the state of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.”

“If you take that away, we lose our identity,” Corey said to an “Amen” from the crowd.

Stewart has been a vocal critic of one Virginia city’s plans to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from one of its parks, a statue of “one of our heroes,” he said. He further lamented that it would be “over [his] dead body,” if elected, that the statue would be removed.

But the Confederate flag garnered even more praise than Robert E. Lee from Stewart, who recalled the “plight” of one of his supporters of who was ashamed to display her Confederate flag at one of his rallies.

“I’m proud to be next to the Confederate flag,” Stewart said from beneath, beside and in front of the symbol of the Confederacy. “That flag is not about racism, folks, it’s not about hatred, it’s not about slavery.”

“It is about our heritage,” the candidate concluded to cheers. “It’s time that we stop running away from our heritage. It’s time that we embrace our heritage, we embrace our history, and we take back Virginia.”

The Republican primary will be held June 13th. The video of Stewart’s speech can be seen below.

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