A few minutes ago, Virginia Scope reported that State Senator Jill Vogel (R), who has been in the State Senate since 2008, will NOT be running for reelection – something that’s been rumored and/or speculated about for many months – and instead will be endorsing Juan Pablo Segura (R) in the newly drawn SD31 (90% Loudoun, 10% Fauquier; Youngkin got 50.0% there in 2021, Northam got 53.7% in 2017; according to an analysis by VPAP, the district went 53%-47% based on 2022 mid-term results).
So clearly, this is going to be a major battleground in November, with Democrats looking to hold – or better yet, add to – their 22-18 State Senate majority. And with incumbent Sen. Vogel out of the race, it’s quite possible that Democrats could pick up this seat, although Segura’s got a ton of money, so we’re going to need a strong Democratic nominee (the two Democrats vying for this nomination are Russet Perry and Zach Cummings) in this “purple,” “majority maker” district.
With that background, see below for Segura’s kickoff speech, which pretty much sums up where that guy’s coming from – a word salad of right-wing (not to mention wildly false) talking points, such as:
- “We all want the same things – freedom, not tyranny; opportunity, not things that breed mediocrity; innovation, not stagnation; stronger families, not ideological insanity”
- “When school administrators in Loudoun County deliberately hid rape in the schools, or when principals in Fairfax County or in Loudoun deliberately hid National Merit Scholarship letters, we need disruption.”
- “We need to come together as Republicans, Independents and Democrats to defeat the agenda of the radical left, because the radical left doesn’t fight for you, it fights to control you.”
- “Just look at what’s happened in the short three years [sic; in fact, it was two years] that Democrats had control here in Virginia – ineptitude and blind ideology; prolonged and unnecessary shutdowns that have almost broken our children’s ability to learn; ignoring the voice of parents in our schools; maniacally imposing equity that ends up systematically oppressing minority students; and a George Soros-backed Commonwealth’s Attorney that refuses to prosecute prosecute criminals.”
- “Clearly there’s no leadership in the woke agenda…”
P.S. For more on Vogel’s record, see VA Dem SD31 Candidate Russet Perry Rips Sen. Jill Vogel (R-SD31) for Her Role in Kanye’s 2020 Presidential Campaign, Calls for Investigation (Perry: It’s “jaw-dropping” that Vogel was part of “an operation driven by dark money, bigotry and extremism”); VA State Senator Jill Vogel’s Law Firm Address Listed In Kanye West Court Filing; Sen. Jill Vogel’s Democratic Opponent Last November Hits Her Coronavirus Comments as “the Height of Irresponsibility” (Vogel pushed for rapid reopening of the economy BEFORE health experts say it’s safe, risking much more destruction); Audio: Flailing, Trailing Jill Vogel Claims Justin Fairfax the “Socialist…Far-Left Anchor” of the Democratic Ticket; In First LG Forum, Will Jill Vogel Apologize For Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill?; Audio: VA GOP Lt. Governor Nominee Jill Vogel on Dominion’s Fracked Gas Pipelines, Transvaginal Ultrasounds, Corey Stewart, Fireworks; etc.
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