Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) speaking this morning on Fox 5:
- “I was listening to the news and following it and just hoping that nobody was hurt and I’m really glad that no one was.“
- “I think we [on the House Oversight Committee] are going to be watching carefully over the coming days and weeks to see what the after-action reports are and whether there need to be more significant improvements in security. I don’t want to prejudge it. I want to right now focus on praising the law enforcement officers who acted quickly and probably saved a lot of lives last night. But we’re going to have to take a hard look at how and why somebody with that kind of weaponry, guns and knives, was able to get so close to the ballroom where the president and so many others were.”
- “[Political violence] is a growing concern. You can go all the way back to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her being shot, and Congressman Connolly’s office, a number of staff members were assaulted by an individual who, you know, was experiencing a mental health crisis. And we’ve seen attempts and attacks on President Trump and others. And, you know, I think first we have to unequivocally condemn any violence. We have robust political conversations this country. We should, but violence is never the solution. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, independent, doesn’t matter. Violence doesn’t solve the problem. And we got to do a better job with security. No question.”
- “I think I’m in the same position as the vast majority of Virginians. I support nonpartisan redistricting. I think that’s the right way to do it. But I also recognize it can’t be a one-way street, can’t have a situation where states controlled by Democrats do nonpartisan fair redistricting and states increasingly controlled by Republicans at Donald Trump’s command do partisan gerrymandering in the middle of the decade. And we saw that with Texas, Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina, now Florida. So, we had to give voters the opportunity to level that playing field so the midterm elections are played on a fair and level playing field and both parties can compete across the country.”
- So, the Virginia Supreme Court looked at these arguments before the referendum and said they’re going to allow the vote to take place. The vote has taken place. It passed by a larger margin than Governor Glenn Youngkin was elected in 2021. Three points. Voters have spoken. It would shock me and be shocking if the court were to interject itself and overturn the will of the voters. I don’t think they will do it, but we’ll learn soon enough.”
- “Those Republicans who don’t believe [that Virginia will return to the bipartisan redistricting commission after the next Census] should have read the amendment more carefully, because the amendment says that this is temporary after the 2030 census. The bipartisan commission process in Virginia will be restored. That’s in the Constitution now. It’s written in there. It won’t be up to Democrats or anyone else. That’s what will happen. The only way that could change, just like any other aspect of Virginia’s constitution, is if the voters again chose to change it.”
- “Look, across the country, there are congressional districts that are massive, stretching hundreds and hundreds of miles. Even here in Virginia under the current lines before this vote, you have folks who have represented huge districts stretching from Northern Virginia all the way to rural Virginia. Frank Wolf probably was on your show many times. Republicans in Richmond, including some who are now my colleagues in Congress, gerrymandered a district capturing Frank Wolf’s home in Fairfax County stretching to the Shannidoa Valley. So, it’s not new for districts in Virginia to stretch from Northern Virginia into rural Virginia.”
- “Well, no. I don’t think the national redistricting wars will make our government better. That’s why we need a national ban on partisan gerrymandering. And Democrats in Congress have put that forward. Every single Republican, including some of my Virginia colleagues, when they had the chance, voted against a ban on partisan gerrymandering. My hope is that now that Republicans have learned that Democrats are going to fight them every step of the way. And best case scenario, we fight the national redistricting war to a draw. They’re not going to gain an advantage any longer. They’ll finally join hands with us and support a ban on partisan gerrymandering. I’d encourage Rob Wittman and others in the Virginia delegation who are Republicans who have opposed that to start supporting it.”
- “I’m very optimistic [the VA Supreme Court will uphold the results of the referendum]. I think it would damage the credibility of the Virginia Supreme Court for a generation if they were to overturn the will of the voters in this case.”
- “Look, I think there’s a lot of energy on the Democratic side this year for all the reasons that we know. You know, President Trump’s policies have failed. He’s broken his promises. The Republican Congress has been in lock step with him and it has hit Virginia hard. Hurt Virginiaians. Tens of thousands of federal jobs lost, small businesses shut down, farmers struggling with higher costs. I think you’re seeing energy on the Democratic side as a result of that. I think it’s great for democracy that there are so many candidates. I think once the court case is resolved, you’ll see more candidates on the Republican side as well. Everyone will have the opportunity to put their ideas on the table and compete in August and November.”
