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Demanding Presumptive VA GOP 2025 LG Nominee John Reid Drop Out Without Actually Getting Him to Drop Out Makes Glenn Youngkin Look Super Weak Within the Trump/MAGA GOP?

By
lowkell
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3

UPDATE 4:45 pm Sunday – YIKES, check this out!

“Hi. I’m John Reid. It’s Sunday afternoon and I had certainly hoped that we could put the bigotry and ugliness of last week behind us and unify our Republican ticket this year. But shockingly, once again, representatives of my campaign have been told by the leader of Governor Younkin’s political organization that the attacks on me will continue unless I drop out of the race for lieutenant governor. What colossal arrogance and abuse to a loyal fellow Republican and like it or not the declared legal nominee of our party just like what we saw against President Trump over the last eight years!

My representatives were shown the same explicit photographs of other people that I’ve got nothing to do with that I was shown last week and they were told that if I dropped out of the race they would purchase the opposition research and the lies and threats against me would suddenly stop. This is extortion and it is illegal in Virginia. And I am more outraged now. I have engaged legal counsel to pursue all options against these people.

The insiders in Virginia politics made a big miscalculation if they thought that I would bow down to anyone or run away scared. I’m a conservative Trump supporter and I’m gay, and everybody knows it because I’ve told you in person and in the media for decades. I’ve not broken any law and I’m not a hypocrite. I do not pretend that I was a saint before I entered into my current 8-year relationship. Personally and politically, I don’t have anything to say about what consenting adults do in private.

I am sickened and outraged at the weeks of veiled accusations and attacks on my family. And I’m not going to continue to answer a never-ending parade of questions and false accusations from people who we now know are solely motivated to stage a coup against a gay man whom they didn’t want to be their nominee but didn’t have the guts to run against. It’s unfair. No one else has to deal with this type of speculation and hyper scrutiny of their past before they were married or engaged and I won’t either.

I’m the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor and I’m more transparent and I’m more conservative and I’m tougher than any of my detractors. And I’m not going anywhere – except to get back on the campaign trail, win this election and take these people to court.”

****************************************************************

Does Glenn Youngkin actually think that demanding the presumptive 2025 VA GOP Lt. Governor nominee, John Reid, drop out – but then having Reid NOT drop out, and if anything see many Virginia conservatives rally around Reid! – is going to help him with Trump, MAGA, etc. for 2026 or 2028? If anything, it seems to me that this is only going to HURT Youngkin going forward within the MAG GOP, where looking powerless, pathetic, disrespected, not listened to within your own party, etc. is not exactly an “alpha male” display that’s going to make MAGA/Trumpist hearts swoon! LOL

Meanwhile, what are presumptive VA GOP gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears and attorney general nominee Jason Miyares doing? Hiding in their basements? Do they really think it’s sustainable to simply go day after day without saying a word about the whole John Reid controversy, when Reid is the presumptive LG nominee on THEIR TICKET???

Winsome Earle-Sears making lame/ridiculous excuses, while it looks like far-right Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09) is standing by John Reid…

 

New Polling Shows Trump at Just 38%-58% Approval in Virginia: “Obviously some big headwinds for Virginia GOP”

By
lowkell
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6

So, according to new polling by Civiqs, Trump’s now at a miserable 38% approval overall in Virginia — and just 32% among women, about 30% for those under age 50, etc. As Sam Shirazi says, “Obviously some big headwinds for Virginia GOP.”

Of course, keep in mind that  – as I wrote about a bit over a week ago – there’s not a clear/strong correlation across all these elections between a president’s approval rating and the outcome of the Virginia governor’s election. Thus, while in 2017 and 2021 – and also to an extent in 2005 – a president’s low approval rating corresponded with a loss for the Virginia gubernatorial candidate of the same party; but in 2001, 2009 and 2013, we really didn’t see a connection (e.g., in 2001, George W. Bush’s approval rating was at 88% post-9/11, yet Democrat Mark Warner won the Virginia governor’s race).

Still, having said that, low approval ratings for the president of your party certainly don’t HELP your candidate, all else being equal. And it’s even worse – MUCH worse, potentially – if the low approval ratings for the president of your party correspond with voter anger and intensity against that president. Because, as we know, angry voters tend to turn out to the polls, while content or demoralized or unexcited voters tend to stay home.  In 2017, for instance, it was *Democrats* who were super-pissed-off at the Trump Republican Party – and who turned out strongly in November to elect Ralph Northam and help Democrats pick up a massive 15 seats in the House of Delegates, almost taking back control of that chamber for the first time in many years. As for 2021, Democrats actually *did* turn out in large numbers, but Republican turnout  – fueled by anger at the Biden administration, inflation, COVID, etc – was through the ROOF, near presidential levels in some of the “reddest” parts of Virginia. Which enabled Youngkin to squeeze out a narrow victory in November 2021.

So what will happen in November 2025? At the moment, at least – and of course things could change a little or a lot by the fall – Trump’s approval ratings are very low in Virginia, PLUS the intensity (white-hot rage) right now seems to be more with Democrats. So that’s where we are in April, but what will things look like in October/November? We’ll see, but if it’s similar to now, or potentially even wore for Republicans by then (if the economy slips into a recession, for instance), then…yeah, I’d rather be the “blue” team than the “red” team for sure. Oh, and then there’s the fact that the Republican ticket could be a mess, after Glenn Youngkin called on their LG nominee, John Reid, to drop out.

But…yep, standard disclaimers/warnings: do NOT take anything for granted, do NOT get overconfident, make sure you DO vote and remind everyone you know to vote (Democratic, up and down the ballot, of course), etc. Because, in the end, we can only control our own actions, not what happens nationally, with Trump’s approval ratings, etc. So let’s stay focused.

Sunday News: “The world has a verdict on 100 days of Trump 2.0: Wow, what a loser”; “Trump says he fears Putin ‘may be tapping me along’ after Zelenskyy meeting”; “One Hundred Days of Ineptitude”; Pope Francis’ Funeral Sermon -“Build Bridges, Not Walls”

By
lowkell
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7

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, April 27.

Video: Indivisible Charlottesville Activists’ “John McGuire sighting in the wild,” Attempt to Send Him a Certified Letter, etc. Re: Today’s “Where is John McGuire” Town Hall

By
lowkell
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7

Great stuff by Indivisible Charlottesville:

  1. See below for video of a “John McGuire sighting in the wild,” as the insurrectionist/extremist Congressman for VA05 basically dodged the activist’s questions about why he hasn’t responded to them about attending one of their town halls (note how McGuire changes the subject to the fact that at a previous grassroots town hall, there was a cardboard cutout of him without clothes – I mean, with underwear, but other than that, nothing – as in “the emperor has no clothes”);
  2.  Another Charlottesville Indivisible activist provides proof that they sent him a certified letter inviting him to their town hall, so that McGuire shouldn’t be able to deny that he was invited (note, in the first video, he claims he hasn’t seen the letter, as does his staffer…hmmm)
  3.  Yet another Charlottesville Indivisible activist reads the certified letter…
  4. Charlottesville Indivisible is currently holding its “Where is John McGuire” town hall, even as it’s highly unlikely that McGuire will ever show up…

By the way, I’ll add video of today’s “Where is John McGuire” town hall if there’s any available. Maybe McGuire might be interesting in watching it, since obviously he can’t seem to manage to actually show up in person to any of these events – and answer his constituents’ questions about his voting record, what the Trump/Musk administration’s been up to (no good, obviously!), etc.

************************

🚨JOHN MCGUIRE SIGHTING IN THE WILD 🚨

A little bird told us that Congressman John McGuire would be in Charlottesville today, so some of our volunteers were there to greet him.

Turns out he **does** have time to meet with people! (As long as those people aren’t a group of constituents who want to ask him questions about his record of supporting MAGA policies that are wrecking our economy and our democracy.)

Our town hall with/out McGuire is Saturday. All the advance seats got claimed so we added a few more. Sign up at indivisiblecharlottesville.org/townhall and we’ll have some available at the door.

PS When he says he didn’t get invited, that’s why we made sure we got receipts.

“Here’s one of Indivisible Charlottesville’s volunteers, dropping off a certified letter to Rep. McGuire inviting him to the town hall. Can’t say he didn’t get it!” – Charlottesville Indivisible

“Here’s one of Indivisible Charlottesville’s volunteers reading our letter to Rep. McGuire inviting him to the town hall this Saturday.” – Charlottesville Indivisible

Yet another Republican Congressperson, in this case insurrectionist Rep. John McGuire (R-VA05), who really REALLY doesn’t want to meet with their constituents…so the constituents are holding their own town halls!

Video: At Packed “In-Abstentia Town Hall” in Henrico County, Residents Blast Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01), Conclude “The train has left the station. We need to vote him out. We need to find a new representative.”

By
lowkell
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7

See below for video and highlights from today’s superb “in-absentia town hall” in Glen Allen (Henrico County), with Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01)…missing in action, of course. Because that’s how Wittman rolls. Great work by everyone involved in organizing this, everyone who showed up and everyone who spoke up – very impressive! (that of course includes the Henrico County Democrats, who among other things video recorded it all!)

As for Rep. Rob Wittman, see below for just a few links to give you an idea of what he’s all about – and why, as multiple speakers pointed out, he needs to be VOTED OUT OF OFFICE at the next possible opportunity, namely in November 2026! And for those who don’t think that’s possible, because Wittman’s been there so long, note that the DCCC has announced that VA01 is one of its targeted seats for 2026, so it’s definitely competitive, particularly in a “blue wave” election, as 2026 certainly could be (assuming we have free-and-fair elections, obviously).

With that, see below for video and a few highlights from today’s “in-absentia town hall” in Henrico County, including comments left on the Henrico Democrats’ Facebook page.

  • “[Wittman]’s literally right around the corner from you guys at Northstar Academy at a ribbon cutting ceremony. Near twin Hickory. You guys should march over there and let him hear your concerns.”
  • “A ribbon cutting ceremony for a private school in an affluent area is more important than attending a town hall. That tracks.”
  • “Hi, my name is Sarah Collins, and I am one of your constituents in Henrico. I had to leave the town hall early because I brought my 18-month-old, and it was well past nap time. I have two points I want to raise. First, your stance on gun violence and gun safety is reprehensible. I dread the day I have to send my child to kindergarten because school safety in this country is abysmal. You seem to care more about protecting the right to bear arms than about protecting my child’s right to live. You should be crystal clear with your constituents that this is the stance you take when you align yourself with groups like the NRA. Second, in addition to the important points raised by others at the town hall, I want to express my deep disappointment with your response to my letter regarding the protection of SNAP benefits. I hold a PhD in health policy, and I am a registered dietitian whose research focuses on food insecurity. You told me that you believed stricter eligibility standards and oversight would help ensure the “right” people receive benefits. I would be happy to send you a literature review, since it appears you are not well-versed in the research on this topic. Despite your degree in public health, it is important to remember that stricter eligibility requirements consistently lead to decreased participation, increased food insecurity, and no measurable improvements in employment outcomes. I would be glad to provide peer-reviewed sources for you and your staff if you would like to learn more.”
  • “Rep. Rob Wittman we will remember you and vote you out in 2026″
  • “Of course he’s absent. They can’t run from Project 2025”
  • “We the people will fight to defend our constitution. We the people will fight for the checks and balances that the separation of powers is supposed to provide. The question is with Mr. Wittman, will you be fighting with us or against us?”
  • “Let’s talk about climate. Something Congressman Wittman should understand is an avid fisherman who’s watched and I guess ignored rising sea levels eat away at his district’s coastline, it’s hotter here than it used to be. It’s a lot more humid here than it used to be. The droughts are getting longer. And when it does storm, the amount of rain that should fall in a month falls in a day. Everyone’s allergies are getting worse. Mosquito season is endless. And sea level is rising on our state’s coastline faster than almost anywhere in the United States. But despite being this avid outdoorsman who claims to care about conservation, and this is a direct quote from his Earth Day post – and I have to keep quoting from his Instagram because he’s not here he  – ensuring future generations can enjoy the beauty of our first district. Time and time again, Rob Wittman has voted to defund cost-saving clean energy research and development… Because of these cuts to funding, our national parks are going to be underststaffed and underserviced. Make it make economic sense. I’m not quite sure how Rob Wittman is ensuring future generations can experience all Virginia has to offer while voting to cut everything that will preserve and protect these spaces.”
  • “Gun violence kills over 40,000 Americans a year. And Rob Wittman as you saw from his rating has voted against even modest bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation…This is a man with an advanced degree in public health who refuses to treat gun deaths like the public health crisis that they are.”
  • “You can’t have it both ways. You can’t claim to be a former scientist and vote to defund science. You can’t claim to care about health while slashing the nation’s health infrastructure. You cannot claim to love the outdoors while enabling the destruction of the environment.”
  • “What have you been doing, Representative Wittman, to slow the development of tyranny in our country? I’m sure you love this country as we all do. But what are you doing? And some examples of tyranny that are taking place now are taking people off the streets who are lawful immigrants and also who are US citizens. Another example is intimidating judges to those who are not loyal to him and who do not follow his executive orders. And a third example is pardons for those who committed violent and nonviolent crimes including officers.
  • “What I wanted to first say is express my disappointment that our representative couldn’t make it today. And I might add cowardly…He is our elected official. His role is to represent us, not represent his interests, but to represent us collectively.”
  • “So I think he needs to stand up and and make a statement when the administration is acting either unconstitutionally or unlawfully that he may not control it directly, but he has a right by representing us to say what is true and what isn’t true.”
  • “I would like to remind you what happened almost 250 years ago when we had our revolution against England and the constitution was developed. And in the constitution it recognizes three separate branches of the government – the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The executive – well, okay, we know what’s going on with that. The judicial is holding strong right now. And the legislative, which you are a part of, is falling down on the job.”
  • “If Congressman Wittman were here today, I would remind him that his title is representative, and he can’t represent his people if he isn’t willing to show up and hear what we have to say. But one of the things I’d like to ask him is as a sitting member of the US House Armed Services Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the budget and operations of the Department of Defense – why do Mike Waltz and Pete Hegseth and others still have their jobs? Members of the military know that if they had behaved in the way that these people have, that they would be fired or they would be charged.”
  • “It seems we’re not so much the land of the free as we’re moving more towards a failed police state in Germany, who we went to war with in the 1940s So my question for Representative Wittman is, would you support changing the motto of the Trump administration to make America Gestapo again?”
  • “We the people will fight to defend our constitution. We the people will fight for the checks and balances that the separation of powers is supposed to provide. The question is with Mr. Wittman, will you be fighting with us or against us?”
  • “Congressman Wittman, what is it for example of DEI are you against? Equity? Are you against fairness? Are you against justice? Say something, not just we don’t like DEI.”
  • “We are all asking about Rob Wittman’s stance on this or stance on that, or what is what is his true character, what does he really believe in. He’s not some new spring chicken to being a legislator. He has been around. We know what he stands for. We know what his principles are and what his values are…And I think what these events are expressing is our impatience and also our fury honestly, at being taken for fools as if somehow we can be told one thing and he can act another way…I’m cynical; I don’t believe that he is going to move in a certain direction. I believe that he is making a risk calculation with every stance he takes that subservience to the supreme leader, to the party, to whatever base he believes that he is serving supersedes any principle or duty to the constitution or to his constituents who are here today. And the remedy for that is to vote him out of office. That’s really all I wanted to say, is that this collective action is an expression of our dissatisfaction. The time is up for trying to nudge him a step this way, can you vote that way can you protect us in this way. The train has left the station. We need to vote him out. We need to find a new representative.”
  • “I think that Rob Wittman is, not to put too fine a point on it, is pooping his pants because he understands that Henrico knows how to organize. When Henrico gets together, does our thing this year, we’re going to send a signal not just to Virginia but to the rest of the country. Because what happens in Henrico happens in Virginia inevitably the next year, where the canary down the mine it shows and sends a signal to the rest of the country about what’s coming next.”

So that’s just a short sampling of the remarks earlier today. Again, great job everybody, let’s keep this up – and watch Trump’s disapproval ratings rise and rise, while 2026 shapes up as the year when we take back the US House, maybe even take back the US Senate, after of course sweeping Virginia in November 2025!

 

 

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Rips House Oversight Committee Republicans’ Billionaire Giveaway to Make America More Expensive

By
lowkell
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0

From Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11), ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee:

Ranking Member Connolly’s Statement on Oversight Republicans’ Billionaire Giveaway to Make America More Expensive
Washington, D.C. (April 26, 2025)— Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement after Chairman James Comer and Oversight Committee Republicans published the text of their billionaire-subsidizing reconciliation bill that will cut Medicaid, make America more expensive, and escalate President Trump and Elon Musk’s political purge of federal workers:

“It isn’t enough for Republicans that President Trump is raising costs on American families with his tax and tariff agenda.  Republicans want to make President Trump’s destruction of the American economy law through this partisan budget reconciliation bill.  Their billionaire giveaway is such an unpopular effort, that they are going to try to do it with Republican votes alone.  I simply do not understand why someone would go into public service just to walk the plank for billionaires.

“House Republicans are rubber stamping the Trump-Musk Administration’s cruel and arbitrary attacks on life-saving federal programs and the dedicated public servants that keep our government running. 

Republicans are targeting the people who make sure Social Security checks go out on time, who make sure veterans get the benefits they deserve, who safeguard our nation’s defense, who care for our sick and injured, who help parents get the services they need to make ends meet, and more — all to subsidize tax giveaways for billionaires and force upon the American people their extremist, cost-raising agenda. 

“Democrats used reconciliation to beat a global pandemic, give families more breathing room by lowering costs on health care, energy, and everyday essentials, and create more opportunities for Americans nationwide.  Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will make Americans sicker and take money out of working families’ pockets to gift tax giveaways to their rich donors and billionaire buddies.  Know that if your representative supports this bill, they do not support you.”

###

Saturday News: “Ukraine has exposed Trump’s true identity: as a vandal, an autocrat, a gangster and a fool”; “The ‘F-ck You, Pay Me’ Presidency”; “The Arrest of Judge Dugan Is as Appalling as It Is Useless”; John Reid Says “I will not back down”

By
lowkell
-
11

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, April 26.

DNC War Room: “Brick by brick, Trump is trying to take apart our democracy to fulfill his dream of being a dictator”

By
lowkell
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1

From the DNC War Room:

NEW: FBI Arrests A Sitting Judge In Unprecedented Attack On Our Court System
In response to the FBI arresting a sitting judge, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Donald Trump has spent his presidency attacking the Constitution and our democracy. He incited a failed insurrection after losing an election. He’s launched an unprecedented assault on our nation’s courts after threatening to send Americans to foreign gulags. And he’s making it clear he’s plotting to run for an unconstitutional third term. Now, he’s having his federal goons arrest a duly elected judge. Brick by brick, Trump is trying to take apart our democracy to fulfill his dream of being a dictator on ‘Day One.’ How much longer before all of us — Republicans, Democrats, and everyone in between — draw a line in the sand?”

NEW: In an unprecedented attack on the judiciary, the FBI arrested Hannah Dugan — a duly elected, veteran judge. 

CNBC: “FBI arrests Wisconsin Judge Dugan on obstruction charge, escalates Trump immigration enforcement effort”

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Dugan is being charged with two federal felony counts: obstruction and concealing an individual. …

“The veteran judge handles misdemeanor cases exclusively. …

“Dugan was elected to Branch 31 of the Circuit Court in 2016 by knocking off an appointee of Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Her judicial term expires in 2028.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi: “I can confirm that our @FBI agents just arrested Hannah Dugan – a county judge in Milwaukee – for allegedly helping an illegal alien avoid an arrest by @ICEgov.”

Trump has a long history of ignoring court orders and attacking judges. 

The Guardian: “In a stunning move on Tuesday, Trump railed that a top Washington DC judge ought to be impeached for ruling to halt the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans allegedly including gang members, sparking the chief justice of the supreme court, John Roberts, hours later to issue a strong statement against calls to impeach judges for their rulings.”

Associated Press: “Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case”

Axios: “Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge’s order to turn back deportation flights” 

Reuters: “U.S. officials said in court filings on Sunday that they were not obligated to help a Maryland resident get out of prison in El Salvador after he was erroneously deported, despite a Supreme Court ruling directing the government to ‘facilitate’ his return to the United States.” 

Trump has spent his presidency attacking the checks and balances that keep our democracy intact — even calling to “terminate” the Constitution. 

PBS: “‘A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,’ [Trump] wrote.” 

ABC News: “Trump Store offers ‘Trump 2028’ hat amid tease that the president could again run for office”

“The 22nd Amendment bars Trump from running for a third term.” 

The Guardian: “Trump’s disregard for US constitution ‘a blitzkrieg on the law’, legal experts say”

“Donald Trump’s rapid-fire and controversial moves that have ranged from banning birthright citizenship to firing 18 inspectors general means the US president has shown a greater willingness than his predecessors to violate the constitution and federal law, some historians and legal scholars say.”

Associated Press: “Trump signed an order to reshape how elections in the US are run. Is it constitutional?”

“But the authority he’s claiming goes beyond what’s outlined in the Constitution, several election law experts said. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution says states get to determine the ‘times, places and manner’ of how elections are run.”
###

“Major Shakeup” for VA GOP’s 2025 Ticket as Gov. Youngkin Calls on Presumptive LG Nominee John Reid to Withdraw “after GOP researchers found sexually explicit posts online that they believe are connected to Reid”

By
lowkell
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22

Crazy story (scoop by Graham Moomaw of The Richmonder).

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has asked Richmond-area radio host John Reid to withdraw as the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor after GOP researchers found sexually explicit posts online that they believe are connected to Reid, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

Youngkin called Reid, the former host of a conservative talk show on WRVA, on Friday morning to ask him to drop out, the sources said.

In a statement to The Richmonder, Reid denied that the images are connected to him. 

As Sam Shirazi says, this is a “major shakeup”:

  • “Governor Youngkin would not do this unless it was serious. Makes things even harder for Virginia GOP in already hard year”
  • “Virginia GOP would need everything to go right to have a shot this year. This would certainly create a difficult distraction. Not sure where things go from here if Reid doesn’t withdraw. He’s the nominee since only other candidate withdrew.”
  • “During first Trump administration, Virginia GOP imploded. Went from 66 seat in House of Delegates to 45. Dems got first trifecta in 30 years. Governor Youngkin brought them from the brink. But he’s on the way out and Trump in WH. Could see something similar happen again.”

Meanwhile, the VA GOP was gearing up its ticket of Winsome Earle-Sears, John Reid and Jason Miyares, with the slogan “Ever Forward” (see below) and a unity event set for April 30 with that ticket, plus “Special Guest” Glenn Youngkin. After this, it’s hard to believe that will happen, while the slogan “Ever Forward” – which was laughable to begin with, given that the Trump Republican Party wants to send us all lurching backwards decades if not centuries – might be more accurate if it were “We’re Toast” or something like that. LOL

Absolutely – VA Democrats strongly support John Reid staying on the VA GOP 2025 ticket! LOL

How much of Youngkin calling for John Reid to drop out is because of opposition from Christian fundamentalists (like this) to Reid’s candidacy?

 

Donald Trump’s former Virginia state campaign director, John Fredericks, says “When Governor Youngkin called John Reid and requested he withdraw from the ticket, I believe that the governor’s decision has to be taken very seriously. Governor Youngkin is trying to avoid in Virginia what happened to Mark Robinson in North Carolina in 2024.”

Spanberger Calls on Youngkin to Sign Right to Contraception Act Ahead of May 2 Deadline

By
lowkell
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1

From the Abigail Spanberger for Governor campaign:

Spanberger Calls on Youngkin to Sign Right to Contraception Act Ahead of May 2 Deadline

Spanberger: “Virginians Deserve the Continued Right to Choose When They Start and Grow Their Families”

RICHMOND, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger today — one week ahead of the May 2 deadline to act on legislation — called on Governor Youngkin to sign legislation to protect Virginians’ right to access contraception and birth control.

“In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, anti-choice politicians across the country used this ruling as justification to attack Americans’ right to privacy and access to birth control and emergency contraception. But here in Virginia, Democrats in our General Assembly passed legislation to protect Virginians’ right to access contraception and birth control — and then stood firm after the Governor attempted to gut it.

“Politicians should not be dictating the personal healthcare decisions that Virginians can or can’t make. Virginians deserve the continued right to choose when to start and grow their families — and Governor Youngkin should use his signature to guarantee Virginians that freedom.

“As the next Governor of Virginia, I will always stand up for Virginians’ fundamental rights. When this legislation lands on my desk, I will sign it into law.”

BACKGROUND

Spanberger has long worked to protect Virginians’ fundamental rights. During her three terms representing Virginia’s Seventh District in the U.S. House of Representatives, Spanberger worked to protect the right to access reproductive care — particularly in the wake of the Dobbs decision. In July 2022, Spanberger helped lead the charge to pass legislation to codify Americans’ right to access and use birth control into federal law.

In February, after majorities of the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate sent legislation to Governor Youngkin’s desk to protect Virginians’ right to access contraception, Spanberger urged the Governor to “do the right thing” and sign the legislation into law. When Governor Youngkin gutted this legislation, Spanberger responded and emphasized how his action “leaves the rights of Virginians at risk.”

Governor Youngkin has until 11:59pm on Friday, May 2 to act on the Right to Contraception Act.
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