PORTSMOUTH — “Everybody now is trying to leapfrog over to 2023 but we have got to take care of 2022 first,” State Senator Louise Lucas told a crowd of over 50 people at MoMAC Brewing Company in Portsmouth.
In attendance with President pro tempore of the Virginia Senate were U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Bobby Scott, State Senator Mamie Locke, House Minority Leader Del. Don Scott, Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover, Norfolk School Board member Carlos Clanton, Portsmouth Democratic Committee Chairman Vernon Tillage, Del. Nadarius Clark, Portsmouth Sheriff Michael Moore, Portsmouth City Council member Lisa Lucas Burke, Franklin City Councilman Greg McLemore and Franklin Democratic Party Chair Ricky Sykes.
Lucas told the crowd gathered she has made 51 stops in 2022 with a focus on rural Virginia — in locations that are often left out of the strategic calculus by both political parties. Though in 2021, candidate and now Governor Glenn Youngkin demonstrated that focusing on rural Virginia can lead to a shocking upset, which is one of the reasons why he is now in the Governor’s mansion. Youngkin’s victory was powered by rural votes in predominantly red precincts and he won by 63,000 votes over former Governor Terry McAuliffe.
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In deep blue Portsmouth last night several speakers focused on the need for Democrats to focus on what they have done — and what Republicans have opposed. The first day of in-person early voting in Virginia start in 23 days on September 23.
”We have a lot to talk about and a lot to brag about regarding what we’ve done,” Congressman Bobby Scott told the crowd as they enjoyed beer, salad and wings.
“I think that Democrats have figured out that the campaign that we were running — we haven’t done this we didn’t do that we didn’t do the other, vote for me — we figured that wasn’t working,” Rep. Scott said.
”We’ve decided to run on a campaign on what we have done — like create the most jobs in the history of the Unites States,” Rep. Scott added as listeners applauded. He then ran down recent votes in the U.S. House where almost no Republicans supported the effort including K-12 assistance, COVID relief, a massive infrastructure bill and health care for veterans.
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL. Virginia House Minority Leader Don Scott focused on Portsmouth, the money from the federal government that has assisted the city and called attention to several in the audience who are doing grassroots community work and anti-violence prevention.
“We have a myriad of community based organizations in Portsmouth who give back and who care,” Del. Scott noted.
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The event was organized by Vernon Tillage, who is a candidate for Portsmouth City Council and Chair of the Portsmouth Democrats. As the event organizer, Tillage didn’t mention he was a candidate for office in his opening remarks, perhaps to avoid looking as if he was self-promoting. Del. Scott brought up his successful efforts as party organizer and candidate.
Several noted the large attendance for a Monday night event before the official start of the political season — Labor Day — which is six days away. The biggest political annual political event in Virginia, Bobby Scott’s Labor Day Cookout, will take place in person this year in Newport News for the first time in two years.
The Portsmouth event takes place 70 days from Election Day. Historic political trends dictate they will lose the U.S. House — but each race around the country is different — and many are close.
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On August 30, another reception will take place in Virginia Beach and be hosted by the Hampton Roads Black Democrats. The event will feature endorsements of support for Rep. Elaine Luria. who is in a tight race with Republican State Senator Jen Kiggans.
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A local political event on the last Monday week of August 2022 as the campaign season begins.
L. Louise Lucas @SenLouiseLucas
August 30th 2022
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Sen. Tim Kaine takes note of the shift in power in Virginia to Hampton Roads which now has three elected officials — Rep. Bobby Scott, State Senator L. Louise Lucas, and Virginia House Minority Leader Don Scott, in powerful positions.
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