Justin Fairfax

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s embattled lieutenant governor has urged authorities to investigate sexual assault allegations made against him, but hasn’t heeded calls to resign and it is unclear what comes next for the once-rising star of the state Democratic Party.

Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax on Saturday issued a statement repeating his strong denials that he had ever sexually assaulted anyone and made clear he does not intend to immediately resign.

Democratic House Delegate Patrick Hope said he wants to introduce articles of impeachment against Fairfax Monday, but Hope is not a powerful figure in the House and there’s little sign there’s a broad appetite for impeachment with lawmakers set to finish this year’s legislative session by the end of the month.

If an impeachment hearing does occur, though, Meredith Watson, 39, is willing to testify that Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000, her attorney said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ralph Northam pledged to work at healing the state’s racial divide and made his first official appearance a week after a racist photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page surfaced and he acknowledged wearing blackface in the 1980s. Northam has also defied calls from practically his entire party to step down.

Two women have accused Fairfax of sexual assault. After the second allegation was made Friday, Fairfax — the second African-American to ever win statewide office — was barraged with demands to step down.

Northam — now a year into his four-year term — has told his top staff he’s staying in office and said he wants to focus the rest of his term as governor on taking steps toward increasing racial equality.

In his first interview since the scandal erupted, a chastened Northam told The Washington Post on Saturday that the uproar has pushed him to confront the state’s deep and lingering divisions over race, as well as his own insensitivity. But he said that reflection has convinced him that, by remaining in office, he can work to resolve them. Northam said he planned to focus on addressing issues stemming from inequality, including improving access to health care, housing, and transportation.

On Saturday, Northam made his first official public appearance since he denied being in the photo, attending the funeral for a state trooper killed in a shootout.

The tumult in Virginia began Feb. 1, with the discovery of the photo on Northam’s yearbook profile page. Northam at first admitted he was in the picture, then denied it a day later, but acknowledged he wore blackface to look like Michael Jackson for a dance contest in 1984.

Attorney General Mark Herring has since acknowledged wearing blackface at a college party in 1980. Herring — who would become governor if both Northam and Fairfax resign — had previously called on Northam to resign.