RELEASE: DLCC Announces More Virginia House of Delegates Target Races
WASHINGTON—Today, the DLCC announced four additional target races for the Virginia House of Delegates. Earlier this month, the DLCC launched its Roadmap to Victory in Virginia memo, including anongoing seven-figure investment to maintain the Democratic majority in the House of Delegates. Our strongest opportunities to build power and move policy are in state legislatures– including protecting the razor-slim majority in the Virginia House this November.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“The DLCC is ready to fight for every single seat in the Virginia House of Delegates to defend and expand on our Democratic majority. These four returning Spotlight candidates are mounting strong challenges against unpopular Republicans who have rubber-stamped Trump’s reckless agenda that’s tanking the economy and threatening jobs. State Democrats in Virginia and across the country are holding the line against extremism in Washington. All eyes should be on the commonwealth as competitive campaigns ramp up and voters prepare to hold Republicans accountable for their extremism this November.”
The following Spotlight candidates are running in some of the most competitive districts to flip Republican-held seats:
Kimberly Pope Adams (HD-82) is a financial audit expert running again to flip her Virginia House district blue after mounting an incredibly strong campaign in 2023 that came within just 53 votes of unseating a Republican incumbent. Kimberly was raised by working-class parents and went on to earn a degree from Virginia Tech. She used the opportunities her education gave her to become a public servant working to bring efficiency and fiscal responsibility to the commonwealth’s finances. If she is elected to the Virginia House, Kimberly will fight to ensure every taxpayer has a voice in Richmond and that every working family has the economic stability they need to thrive.
Elizabeth Guzman (HD-22) is a social worker and former state delegate running for the Virginia House this November to flip her district blue and protect Democratic control of the chamber. After immigrating to the United States as a young single mother, Elizabeth earned two master’s degrees and has devoted her career to serving the commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations. As a state legislator, Elizabeth championed legislation to uplift working families, including bills guaranteeing paid sick leave and restoring collective bargaining rights.
Jessica Anderson (HD-71) is returning to the ballot for the Virginia House this November to flip her district blue after a Republican was elected by less than 700 votes in 2023. Jessica knows that many working families like hers are grappling with economic insecurity, and her vision for the future of the commonwealth includes access to basic necessities like high-quality education, housing, and health care for all. If Jessica wins her race this fall, she will be a champion for all working Virginians by pushing to strengthen social safety nets and protect personal liberty.
Lily Franklin (HD-41) came incredibly close to winning a Republican-leaning seat in 2023, coming just 183 votes short of victory. On the campaign trail, Lily has met with thousands of her fellow Virginians on both sides of the political aisle and understands the ways working families are struggling to make ends meet. If she is elected this fall, she’s committed to fighting for economic opportunities that uplift every resident of the commonwealth.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
Bottom line: you can’t have rule of law or a democracy, really, if you can have masked, unbadged people supposedly from Homeland Security just seize whoever they want, whenever/wherever they want, with no due process or transparency. So…good that State Senator Creigh Deeds and Del. Katrina Callsen are trying to get to the bottom of this disturbing incident (“Three men who identified themselves as Homeland Security officers raided a courthouse in downtown Charlottesville Tuesday, detaining two men without explanation”). But *damn* do we have major problems in this country right now, with the Trump administration defying court orders, acting lawlessly and recklessly, and with our entire constitutional order under sustained and vicious assault. Bad, bad, bad.
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, April 24.
The World Seems to Be Surrendering to Climate Change (“From 2019 to 2021, governments around the world added more than 300 climate adaptation and mitigation policies each year. In 2023 the figure was under 200. In 2024 it was under 50.”)
‘The Art of the Deal’ meets global reality (“The president is finding out that geopolitics and world trade negotiations have little in common with selling a condo” This whole “Art of the Deal” thing has always been bulls***.)
What Happened to Marco Rubio? (“The worst Republican lickspittle in the Trump administration could have been anyone. But it was always going to be him.”)
Trump Suddenly in Retreat on Many Fronts as Poll Reveals Key Weakness (“As President Trump abruptly starts backpedaling on numerous issues at once, Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg explains why Democrats should make Trump’s weakness central to their case against him.” The problem with Simon Rosenberg is that he’s been consistently too optimistic – wildly so, in many cases.)
State Democrats roll out endorsements in Virginia (“The committee is targeting the 82nd, 22nd, 71st and 41st state House districts. Democratic candidate Jessica Anderson is seeking to unseat Anne Ferrell Tata (R) in the 82nd district, while Democrat Elizabeth Guzman is running against state Rep. Ian Lovejoy (R) in the 22nd state House district. In the 71st state House district, Democrat Jessica Anderson is seeking to unseat state Rep. Amanda Batten (R) in the 71st district, while Democrat Lily Franklin is running against incumbent Chris Obenshain (R).”)
See below for video and highlights from this evening’s “Red Wine and Blue” Democratic Lt. Governor candidates’ forum in Roanoke. Participants were VA State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, VA State Senator Aaron Rouse, attorney Victor Salgado, and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney.
UPDATE 8:22 pm – Candidates’ closing statements. All emphasized the high stakes and how they’ll fight back. Levar Stoney said we can turn the page for better in the Commonwealth, win the election and then “we have to deliver.” Victor Salgado talked about the need for campaign finance reform. Aaron Rouse talked about how “character matters,” that he’s a “servant leader” who will fight to make sure our rights aren’t taken away. Babur Lateef said he’s been involved in Democratic politics his whole life, that Democrats need to have a strong narrative and fight everywhere in Virginia. Ghazala Hashmi said she was told she couldn’t do it, that she was too “mild-mannered,” etc., but she fought and won – “strength is not measured by the decibel of your voice, it’s measured by the steel in your spine.”
UPDATE 8:10 pm – The last question was about what experience the candidate has to make them the best candidate for LG. Ghazala Hashmi said she’s been in the Senate for six years, fighting on all these issues we’ve been talking about, is ready from day 1 to be president of the Senate; also talked about how this is personal to her, with Trump’s Muslim ban/registry, etc. – “we’re facing a constitutional crisis” and we need leadership to fight back. Babur Lateef said he’s served for 7 years on the School Board, that this has prepared him to confront all the challenges we face, that he’s been elected three times in a large county that’s gone from red to blue. Aaron Rouse said he’s an effective leader, joked that he put together a bipartisan team that beat the House of Delegates in basketball, talked about his endorements, that he “gets it done,” that he flipped a red district, that he knows about winning, that he knows his way in and out of the Senate, etc. Victor Salgado said there aren’t major differences between the candidates on the issues, that he wouldn’t have run if Kamala Harris had won in November 2024, that he’s prepared his entire career for a fight like this one. Levar Stoney talked about the importance of knowing who you’re fighting for, that he’s the most experienced leader on the stage – as Secretary of the Commonwealth and Mayor of Richmond – and that he had a bunch of important accomplishments as mayor, including removal of Confederate monuments, which demonstrates he’s willing to “fight like hell for the least, the left-out, the forgotten and the underdog.”
UPDATE 7:58 pm – The fifth question gave candidates a choice of which issue to talk about. Levar Stoney talked about the need for gun violence prevention. Ghazala Hashmi talked about Medicaid and the crisis we’re facing in Virginia right now with the Trump administration talking about slashing Medicaid funding and how that would endanger Virginia’ entire Medicaid expansion program. Babur Lateef talked about the “critical issue” of Medicaid expansion – real people could lose their healthcare, that Virginia needs to step up on this and defend it. Aaron Rouse talked about gun violence – at Virginia Tech, in Virginia Beach, etc. – and how this can’t keep happening, that we need commonsense gun laws. Victor Salgado talked about Trump’s war on immigrants, due process, etc. and how we need to fight back.
UPDATE 7:48 pm – The fourth question was about abolishing so-called “Right to Work” laws in Virginia. Victor Salgado said he supports repealing “Right to Work” laws, that people have the right to negotiate/bargain for better wages, that he’d make employee misclassification illegal, and that he’d support everyone having a living wage. Levar Stoney said he supports repealing “Right to Work,” which is actually a “right to work for LESS,” that we should be the best state for workers – not just for business, that he supports collective bargaining at the local level. Ghazala Hashmi said she’s the only LG candidate who’s received the endorsement of a major labor organization, that she absolutely supports the repeal of the “right to work for less,” that she’s fought for worker safety (e.g., adequate rest, shade and water) and collective bargaining rights. Babur Lateef said he’d vote to repeal the “Right to Work,” that he’s committed to workers’ rights, raising the minimum wage, project labor agreements, collective bargaining, etc. Aaron Rouse said he’s absolutely support repealing “Right to Work,” that he’s the “only union member on this stage” and has been endorsed by a major union, the Teamsters, that he worked construction when he was in college, that too much wealth is accumulated in the top 1% vs the “have nots,” that “we have to do better.”
UPDATE 7:36 pm – The third question was on reproductive freedom and healthcare for women. Aaron Rouse noted that he has a 5-month-old baby girl at home, that Republicans want to take away women’s rights and that he stepped up to fight back and won a special election in a district that Republicans won by 5 points, that he has “ushered in a constitutional amendment that protects women’s reproductive freedom,” that the Trump administration is coming for women’s rights and everyone’s rights and we need to fight back. Victor Salgado said this issue is very personal to him as a father of two daughters, that he’s strongly pro-reproductive-freedom, that the Dobbs decision by a “radical activist court” upended reproductive freedom, that he supports a constitutional amendment protecting women’s reproductive freedom, etc. Levar Stoney said he has a 13-month-old girl at home as well, that potential cuts to Medicaid could seriously harm healthcare for women, that we have to invest in free health clinics in the Roanoke Valley and beyond, that we have to stand up to the Family Foundation and others, etc. Ghazala Hashmi said as a woman and mother of two grown daughters, this issue is “paramount” for her, that the Dobbs decision was devastating, that this is a critical crisis we’re facing, that she helped to write the constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom, that she carried the Right to Contraception Act which Youngkin vetoed. Babur Lateef said he’s the only one on the stage who’s delivered babies (Ghazala Hashmi got a laugh when she stood up and pointed at herself), that he doesn’t want the government in the exam room telling him what to do, that we have to solve problems created by lousy public policy decisions.
UPDATE 7:26 pm – The second question was on priorities for public education, which is under attack by the Trump administration. Babur Lateef talked about the many threats and attacks by the Trump administration on the Prince William County public schools, DEI and even free speech, and how he’s been fighting back – in the courts, and with civil disobedience if necessary. Aaron Rouse said the Trump administration wants to support charter schools at the expense of public education, how we need to invest in public education, the importance of public education to the economy, support for vocational education, etc. Victor Salgado said Trump wants to take federal funds out of public education and has attacked our university system, pushing “cultural wedge issues,” and how we need to step up to make sure kids have access to high-quality education. Levar Stoney said it’s been “tragic” that kids are experiencing learning loss coming out of the COVID pandemic, that Virginia ranks dead last in math recovery and 41st in reading recovery, that we need to put “our shoulder to the wheel” and invest in public education/increase teacher pay. Ghazala Hashmi said she’s a “30-year educator” and chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Health, said this issue is “near and dear” to her, that Glenn Youngkin is anything but a “moderate Republican,” that Youngkin has spent his time as governor attacking public education, teachers, school librarians, and that she led the effort to stop Youngkin’s attacks.
UPDATE 7:14 pm – The first question was on what the candidates would do to support the SW Virginia region, especially those who are struggling. Sen. Hashmi emphasized high-quality education, ensuring that there are good careers/jobs for graduates, broadband expansion, addressing the “healthcare desert.” Babur Lateef talked about access to high-quality healthcare and the threat from Trump to Medicaid, access to high-quality educational opportunities, the need for school construction. Aaron Rouse talked about reining in public utilities, increasing affordable housing, making sure people have access to their prescriptions, investing in public education. Victor Salgado talked about Trump’s tariffs raising prices and exposing our companies to retaliation, and how this will hurt companies in SW Virginia; also about making Virginia’s tax code less regressive/more progressive (e.g., impose a surtax on incomes over $5 million). Levar Stoney said “we all love our kids and we want our kids to be successful,” and that means “investing in our kids” – including educational facilities that aren’t falling apart, the importance of Democrats showing up and being the champions for prosperity, building more housing, etc.
NEW POLLING: Trump Job Approval Plummets As Americans’ Pessimism About The Economy Hits Record High
The American people are rapidly losing confidence in Donald Trump over his failed economic agenda that’s running the economy “off the cliff.” As the country braces for a recession and costs hit recordhighs, it’s no surprise that 3 in 4 Americans think the economy is faltering and a majority say their financial situation is getting worse for the first time since 2001.
Americans’ confidence in Trump is tanking as his approval rating on the economy plummets to its lowest point ever.
A majority of Americans (55%) are not confident in Trump’s ability to make good decisions about economic policy
Just 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, his lowest rating ever
Americans are scared for the future as pessimism about Trump’s economy hits record highs.
53% of Americans say their financial situation is getting worse, marking the first time since 2001 that a majority has expressed financial pessimism
58% say it is a bad time to find a quality job — the most pessimistic outlook since the peak of the pandemic in January 2021
3 in 4 Americans — including two-thirds of Republicans — say they are concerned about the future of Social Security under Trump and shadow President Elon Musk
A majority of Americans — including Republicans — are rejecting Trump’s failed economic agenda as prices hit record highs and a recession looms.
60% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation
57% of Americans say we are, or soon will be, in a recession
Only 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, with 1 in 3 Republicans saying the cost of living is on the wrong track
52% of Americans say Trump’s actions could make it more expensive and harder for them to retire
Under Trump, inflation expectations are rising, retirement savings are going up in smoke, and the stock market’s performance since Inauguration Day is “the worst for any president” since the Great Depression — and polling makes it clear the American people know that Trump is to blame.
See below for a press release from the Democratic Party of Virginia regarding this story. And yes, Youngkin *should* know better, probably *does* know better, but simply doesn’t give a you-know-what, because ALL he really cares about is his own political ambitions in MAGA (including possible runs for US Senate in 2026 and/or president in 2028). Hence, Youngkin’s need to constantly lick Trump’s boots, kiss his butt, etc. It’s really, really sick.
NEW: Glenn Youngkin Says Tariffs Are a “Great Opportunity,” Dismissing Harm They Are Causing Virginians
On Tuesday, as reported by Radio IQ/WVTF, Governor Glenn Youngkin said Trump’s tariffs are a “great opportunity for Virginia.” His doubling down of support for Trump’s tariffs came the same day that the Volvo Group North America announced 250 to 350 workers would be laid off at its plant in Pulaski County due in part to the reckless tariffs.
Last week in Hampton Roads, home to one of the largest ports in the United States, economists warned that Trump’s escalating trade war will cause an “economic slowdown” across the region.
“Every time Glenn Youngkin opens his mouth, he shows just how out of touch he is with everyday Virginians. Calling harmful tariffs a ‘great opportunity’ on the very day hundreds of workers learn they could be losing their jobs is not leadership,” said DPVA Communications Director Kelsey Carolan. “The reality that Youngkin refuses to acknowledge is that families, farmers, and small businesses are facing real economic pain. Virginia needs a leader who will put Virginians first — that’s why we need Abigail Spanberger as our next Governor.”
“Governor Glenn Youngkin gave the thumbs up to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies Tuesday. The remarks came at an agricultural trade conference held Tuesday in Richmond where the impacts of Trump’s policy were also discussed.”
“[…] I do think this is a great opportunity for Virginia,” Youngkin said.
“[…] International trade consultant Ned Steiner also addressed the crowd Tuesday. When asked about how Americans should view Trump’s tariffs in the short-term Steiner warned: ‘All of those small ecommerce businesses, if they source from China, how are they going to deal with a 125% tariff? The result of this is going to be consolidation, the disappearance of a lot of these smaller companies.’”
According to the Greater Washington Board of Trade,there are more than 800,000 small businesses in Virginia; they employ almost half of the Commonwealth’s residents.
The Trump “Final” Proposal For Ukraine (“It’s all there—Russia keeping the territory, Russia getting sanctions relief, no new aid for Ukraine, no NATO for Ukraine, no security guarantees for Ukraine. Even the negotiating respectfully with Putin and suspiciously with Zelensky was exactly what we have seen. Trump is what he has always been. The sad thing is still, even now, not all Europeans understand this.”)
Hegseth Aides’ Civil War Plunged the Pentagon Into Chaos (“The defense secretary’s senior aides were locked in a brutal power struggle with his chief of staff when they were fired for allegedly leaking information to the press.”)
Trump’s inner circle weighs push for higher taxes on millionaires (At this point, I’d support going back to a top marginal income tax rate of 80% or whatever for those with wealth over $1 billion or whatever. Maybe a special 95% marginal tax rate for those over $100 billion? Also, slap a steep wealth tax on Musk, Bezos, etc.)
What the Democratic Infighting Reveals (“The party remains in a state of disunion—not only about their future, but about how to address the present catastrophe.”)
3 Adams Case Prosecutors Resign Rather Than Express Regret to Justice Dept. (Adams is a scumbag and criminal who richly deserves to be prosecuted. By the way, if voters had done literally 5 minutes of Googling prior to the NY City Democratic primary four years ago, there’s NO WAY Adams would ever have been nominated. I looked at him back then and was like, this guy is going to be a DISASTER! But, apparently, most voters did no research at all. Pathetic.)
A brighter future for Virginia’s rural schools (“Bipartisan-backed House Bill 1934 and Senate Bill 1192 provide a way for schools to significantly reduce their electric bills with rooftop solar, writes guest columnist Dr. Pete Gretz of Fluvanna County Public Schools”)
See below for video and a few highlights from Sen. Mark Warner’s weekly press availability, held earlier this afternoon.
“First I wanted to give you a quick overview, particularly for those of you who aren’t in Southwest Virginia, about my trip last week – six days that included a NASCAR race in Bristol and throwing out a first pitch for the Salem Red Sox in minor league ball, but it also included a huge amount of consternation and fear from communities all across the region…others who came across the region were saying that if Medicaid gets cut or particularly if Virginia rolls back the expansion, then that clinic and candidly others across the region will probably have to close. Matter of fact, depending on how deep the Medicaid cuts go, we could see virtually every hospital west of Roanoke close down...So there is real concern and consternation – and these are communities that voted for the president, many of them north of 70% – with some of the effects that are going to hit them if the proposed cuts and the continued chaos keeps coming down from Washington. So I’m going to do all I can to try to reassure, but we’ve also got to make sure that some of these cuts don’t stand.”
“It really just baffles me that if Congress is continued to be ignored as we appropriate funds and dedicate them towards programs and if this administration can then pull back those funds regardless of what Congress says, why do you even have a Congress? And we’re at that level of fundamental question and again I just hope my my Republican colleagues you will stand up and say, ‘No, the Constitution gives us the power of the purse; we’re not going to let that be taken by an executive of any party.”
“[It’s] frankly just stunning to me that action hasn’t been taken…the continuing dribbling out of stories about Secretary Pete Hegseth… the fact now that the secretary – and he’s not denied this – shared that same information on his personal phone with family members, his wife, his brother, his lawyer, all who by the way have jobs now at the Pentagon; if that’s not nepotism, I don’t know what is. But the fact that he continues – if this comes out as true, where he took this information that got conveyed to the Pentagon in a classified form as NBC is reporting…and then took that information and simply copied and pasted it onto a nonsecure chat on his personal device…he’s been clearly lying…If this came over a classified channel, and the commanders in the region thought it was classified, and as I’ve mentioned before, I challenged the secretary to go down to Hampton Roads to visit Norfolk Naval Station and to visit with the family and friends and crew mates of those folks who were on the USS Truman home port in Norfolk…those families know and I heard it big time at a town hall a couple weeks back, those families knew that if that information had got out their loved ones would have been put in harm’s way. So this is again a case…regardless of all the other chaos that’s coming out of the Pentagon and the disarray, our men and women in our armed services deserve better. They deserve a secretary that they’re going to have faith in. And I feel that Mr. Hegseth has clearly lost the faith of both the civilian and the military commands. And clearly by this careless treatment of of secret information is also I think interfering with our intelligence alliances, because our allies won’t share their classified information with us if we don’t take appropriate care. So I’m hoping that the president will stand up and do the right thing. If he doesn’t, I do hope that my Republican Senate friends who care about national security – and I know they care – will find their voices and say ‘This is just a bridge too far with this careless handling of information on a personal phone that includes your family members, from information that clearly the commander in the region thought was classified, and conveyed it in such a appropriate manner to the Pentagon.'”
“These unjustified attacks against Jay Powell, as chairman of the Fed, would be bad enough in and of themselves. But remember what’s happened already beforehand, this administration has already treated our allies around the world as if they’re enemies, instead trying to side for example with Russia against our European allies. So those alliances are frayed. Then you had these tariffs, which attacked friend and foe alike…Why are we tariffing Australia – a country we have a free trade agreement with, a country we have a surplus agreement with, a country that we’re going to be building submarines with for Australia in Virginia? No answer. Then you take on, so you’ve got this uncertainty in the markets already, and then you have a direct attack on the independence of the Fed. The Fed has been set up for over a hundred years to be appointed by the president, the Fed governors, but then independent. And much of the faith that resides in our government, and the dollar being the ultimate backstop, the safe currency, is based upon the idea that the Fed will do the appropriate things to rein inflation and try to lower unemployment. And they don’t need politics interfering. If the president were to try to fire Jay Powell, it would end up in court and we would see a market meltdown that is unprecedented. We could literally see the security of the dollar being the world’s reserve currency put in play. No one would like that more than China, who is using this time to frankly reopen a series of of trading conversations with countries that we’ve been saying for the last 10 years under Biden, under the first Trump, even back to Obama, be careful about how you do business with China, they don’t play fair, it’s not a system that protects your intellectual property. But when then we become so erratic, we are pushing literally countries particularly in Asia back into China’s arms. It is bad policy, it is bad politics, it is bad for our economy. And if this threat were to be carried out, you think the market turndown we’ve seen right now, it would turn into a meltdown. And people’s… their interest cost would go up; you want to buy a home...there would be a much higher interest costs, because people would not be willing to buy treasuries, because they wouldn’t trust that they’re not going to be potentially manipulated by politics if Trump took over the the Fed’s independence. And we’ve seen this in other nations, we’ve seen it when you we saw Liz Truss get thrown out in a very short time in her time in the UK because she had such a screwy economic plan, and she tried to undermine to a bit the the integrity of the Bank of England and the markets just kicked her out and her party kicked her out. We are seeing that – we’re on that path here in this country with consequences that would…be much worse for our economy and frankly much worse for the global economy. So this is playing with a level of fire that is unprecedented. And again the question is going to be, you know the law states that the Fed chair is independent, that’s what it was set for…Is anyone on the Republican side going to call that out and say don’t do it? You hear a lot of quiet rumblings, but it doesn’t mean much unless you’re willing to talk to the press or talk to your people about this, the concern that every person who knows Econ 101 should have about these unwarranted threats against the independence of the Fed chair.”
“Remember, candidate Trump promised he’d end the Russia Ukraine war on day one. We’re now approaching day 100 and we’ve seen no resolution. And I think frankly, the administration has been suckered into believing Vladimir Putin. And again this administration has been willing to defame and denigrate the Ukrainian president, the efforts of the Ukrainian people to fight back against the aggressor. He’s been willing to kind of put in play a relationship with our NATO allies who strongly support Ukraine. And I think he’s been played by Putin. I think…Putin has no interest in a real truce; he is winning on the ground because we have pulled back some of our support, the Europeans are trying to fill that but there are certain things that only we can fill. And if America walks away, I think Putin will feel they have an even freer hand to try to take back more territory from Ukraine and ultimately dictate terms. That is bad for the Ukrainian people, it is bad for security in Eastern Europe. A Putin unleashed that’s successful in Ukraine I believe will go after the Baltic states, will go after Poland. And we will either be honoring our Article 5 commitments to NATO and have American troops in harm’s way, or we will see a reconstitution of a Russia/Soviet empire on nation states that have turned into democracies and that have assumed that by being allies with America they would have mutual protection. All that is at stake if we walk away from something that anyone who was familiar with this problem and this issue would have realized could not be solved in a simple fashion. And being suckered by Putin is in my mind one more example of this strange hold that Vladimir Putin seems to have on Donald Trump. Remember, Russia was only one of the only countries that wasn’t had additional tariffs put on on so-called liberation day – more than a little bit bizarre here.”
“On the broader question… this kind of chaos, our adversaries – and I don’t just mean China and Russia who use this potentially for cyber attacks – but whether we’re talking about the Houthis who are continuing to launch missiles against ships in the Red Sea…they see chaos and they also see opportunity…So our men and women in uniform deserve better, they deserve a secretary that has got the experience to lead the largest military and the most powerful military in the world. Clearly this guy does not have it, that treats classified information with the appropriate level of secrecy, because lives depend upon it. And I think these actions make us less safe. And it also undermines hugely the morale inside the DoD. I see it more firsthand in the intelligence community, because as vice chair of the [committee] I have deep ties with a lot of our agencies. And people are enormously concerned that allies may not share intelligence with us anymore. They’re concerned because their workforce as well feels threatened by the DOGE actions…Who’s going to work for the intelligence community, or for that matter DoD, if you feel like you can get fired with no cause. And that is what is happening with this DOGE efforts – firing with no cause, no performance review, pure trying to hit a number. So you’ve got the lack of morale, you’ve got the chaos by all of the folks at the top and the feuds that are going on, and then you’ve got this mistreatment of classified information. That triple whammy is again a clear reason why Secretary Hegseth should resign or be fired.”
Elected Leaders and VEA President Call on Winsome Earle-Sears to Stand Up for Virginia Students
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – Today, ahead of Winsome Earle-Sears’ stop in Charlottesville, the Democratic Party of Virginia held a press conference with elected officials and the Virginia Education Association president calling on Sears to stand up to the chaos that threatens opportunities for Virginia students.
Winsome Earle-Sears supports an extreme agenda that would strip funding from Virginia public schools and create chaos and uncertainty for Virginia students and their families.
“Winsome Earle-Sears is more interested in supporting Trump than fighting for Virginia students. She has yet to stand up for Virginia, but is trying to be Governor. Tonight, when she campaigns here in Charlottesville, she must explain why she wants to defund our schools and sell out our students,” said State Senator Creigh Deeds.
“As a member of the House of Delegates, a former teacher and a school board member, I believe education is one of the most pressing issues that our communities face,” said Virginia Delegate Katrina Callsen. “In this moment of uncertainty and instability, Virginians need a leader who is willing to take anyone on to protect the programs and institutions our students rely on. Winsome Earle-Sears is focused on doing the opposite – gutting education and selling our students out.”
“It’s even more important that Virginia has strong statewide leaders like Abigail Spanberger who are focused on strengthening our education system, creating opportunity, and standing up when the programs that help students succeed are being targeted. Winsome Earle-Sears has proven again and again that they aren’t on the side of Virginia students and their families,” said Mayor Juandiego Wade.
“If you’re running to lead this Commonwealth, you should be focused on what’s best for our students — and it’s clear that Winsome Earle-Sears isn’t. We need leaders who will stand up against attacks on our students’ ability to thrive,” said Virginia Education Association President Carol Bauer.
Read more about Winsome Earle-Sears’ extreme record on education:
Winsome Earle-Sears has a long record of supporting legislation that would cut funding from Virginia’s public schools.
HD41 is a tough-but-potentially-winnable district for Democrats in a strong “blue” year (which this one could very well end up being), assuming we’ve got a strong Democratic candidate – which Lily Franklin definitely is. So…let’s see if we can win this one!
LILY FRANKLIN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING WORKING CLASS ROOTS, PLAN TO REBUILD SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA’S ECONOMY
Blacksburg, VA – Lily Franklin has officially launched her campaign for Virginia’s 41st House District with a powerful new video spotlighting her roots in Southwest Virginia and personal understanding of the challenges too many families face to make ends meet. In the video, Franklin explains how she worked 2-3 jobs to support herself through college, eventually becoming a teacher in Appalachia and now a community leader who has helped tackle some of our most pressing issues. Franklin knows the deck is stacked against too many and is running to reward hard work, create jobs and make life easier on working families.
After coming within just 183 votes of flipping the district in 2023, Franklin is back for a rematch—and this time, she’s entering the race with stronger momentum and broader support. This comes on the heels of Franklin raising the highest first-quarter fundraising haul of any battleground candidate.
Transcript of the ad: I was in my new empty apartment, home from my first full-time job holding something that felt like a future. I paycheck, benefits, hope, stability. I wasn’t just about the money, it was about the life I’d worked so hard to build. But nothing about getting here was easy.
I grew up in Roanoke, back when union jobs like my grandfathers gave hard working families a fair shot. Those jobs may have faded, but the values haven’t. My parents worked hard every single day, to give our family a chance at a better life. They taught me what it means to show up, do your part and keep going, even when it’s hard. So through college I did what I had to do, working multiple jobs. School during the day, the YMCA in the evenings, McDonalds overnight, three hours of sleep then I’d start again. But we made it though, I earned my degree, became a teacher, and worked to improve this community: expanding broadband, helping local farmers, and working to bring good jobs back home. Which brings us all back to this living room. And that’s why I’m running for delegate. Every child no matter their zip code deserves access to a world class education system. Working parents should be able to go to theory kids t-ball games on the weekends without having to worry about juggling two and three jobs to make ends meet. Our seniors, they shouldn’t have to choose between paying for their gas or groceries or paying for their electric bill. We don’t just need good new policies, we need new leaders. Leaders who show up, who see you, and who fight for you.
I’m Lily Franklin, and it’s past time that every hard working Southwest Virginia gets the paycheck and the future they deserve.
Lily Franklin is a lifelong resident of SWVA. She’s a former teacher, who transitioned to Chief of Staff for Delegate Sam Rasoul to serve her community. She championed legislation to support working families, protect our drinking water, and the development of a grant program to support local farming and food infrastructure. She resides in Blacksburg with her beagle, Poppy.
More information about Lily’s background can be found at lilyfordelegate.com
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