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Tuesday News: “A heat wave not seen in decades”; “Biden to Give Legal Protections to Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens”; “White House slams ‘bad faith’ viral clips of Biden”; “Trump Seeks Payback by Targeting Virginia Republican”

By
lowkell
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20

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, June 18 – primary day in Virginia (polls opened at 6 am, close at 7 pm – make sure you vote!).

Chairs of Virginia Courts of Justice Committees: Attorney General Miyares’s Opposition to ABA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Standards Does Not Reflect Virginia’s Values

By
lowkell
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2

From VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell:

Chairs of Virginia Courts of Justice Committees: Attorney General Miyares’s Opposition to ABA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Standards Does Not Reflect Virginia’s Values

Mount Vernon, VA—Today, Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon) and Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Chairs of the Virginia Senate and House Courts of Justice Committees, wrote to the Council of the American Bar Association (ABA) condemning Attorney General Miyares’ recent attack on the ABA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion standards for law schools.

Earlier this month, Attorney General Miyares joined with 20 of his Republican colleagues in signing a letter demanding that the ABA revoke its standards requiring law schools to work towards diversity and inclusion in law school hiring and broad access to legal education and the legal profession for everyone, regardless of their background or identity. The Attorney General’s position does not reflect Virginia’s laws, which emphasize the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Virginia’s code specifically establishes a Director and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, aimed at promoting inclusive practices in Virginia’s state government.

Surovell and Hope wrote in their letter today: “The Attorney General—who won his election by .8% of the vote or 26,000 people out of over 3.2 million votes cast —does not speak for Virginia or its attorneys. As chairs of the Senate and House Courts of Justice Committees in Virginia, we value the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession and support the American Bar Association’s efforts to ensure diversity in law school faculty and staff and to promote access to the study of law for every individual, regardless of race, gender, or other protected classifications.”

“Virginia is a very diverse place, with our citizens coming from many different backgrounds. We value inclusion, equity, and accessibility, and strive to ensure that everyone in our Commonwealth feels welcome and safe, and has the opportunity to succeed. We have worked hard to dismantle systemic inequities in our Commonwealth, and have made significant progress in those efforts. The Attorney General’s letter is a step backward, is not reflective of the Virginia laws he swore an obligation to uphold, and does not reflect our values as Virginians.”

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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents the 34th Senate District encompassing Southeastern Fairfax County. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon.  He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.

Video: Team Biden-Harris Takes Aim at Convicted Felon Donald Trump as Part of $50M June Ad Campaign

By
Blue Virginia
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4

Great stuff from the Biden-Harris reelection campaign:

Team Biden-Harris Takes Aim at Convicted Felon Donald Trump as Part of $50M June Ad Campaign

Ahead of June Debate, “Character Matters” Highlights Central Dynamic of the Race: Joe Biden Fighting for the American People, While Trump Only Cares About Himself

Broader $50 Million Campaign for the Month of June Includes Historic Investments into African American, Hispanic, and AAPI Media

Today, Team Biden-Harris is announcing a historic $50 million paid media campaign targeting voters in battleground states for the month of June alone, as part of its aggressive and comprehensive efforts to engage and activate the voters who will decide this election. The campaign includes historic, seven-figure investments into reaching Black, Latino, and AANHPI voters – the largest investments to date.

Just over a week before the first presidential debate, the campaign is releasing a new ad that lays out the choice Americans will see on the debate stage on June 27 between President Biden, who is fighting for the American people every day, and convicted felon Donald Trump who is fighting for himself.

“Character Matters,” reminds voters who Donald Trump is: a criminal convicted on 34 felony counts and found liable for sexual assault and financial fraud. The ad makes clear that Trump’s status as a convicted felon isn’t just a label – it’s a reflection of a spiraling and unhinged man who will do anything for power, revenge, and retribution. “Character Matters” draws a sharp and startling contrast to President Biden who is focused on improving the lives of hardworking Americans, lowering costs, and taking on corporate greed, forcing big corporations to pay their fair share.

As a part of the June $50 million paid media campaign, “Character Matters” will run on general market television and Connected TV in all battleground states and on national cable.

“Trump approaches the first debate as a convicted felon who continues to prove that he will do anything and harm anyone if it means more power and vengeance for Donald Trump,” said Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director Michael Tyler. “That’s why he was convicted, that’s why he encouraged a violent mob to storm the Capitol on January 6, and it’s why his entire campaign is an exercise in revenge and retribution; because that man is blind to the people a president should be serving and will do absolutely anything for his own personal gain and for his own power.

“Character matters, and the President of the United States should be someone who understands that the highest office in the land is about you and your family – not a vehicle to enrich yourself. That is the ethos Joe Biden puts into the job every day: to fight for safer communities, for the middle class, and to ensure that corporations are paying their fair share. It’s a stark contrast, and it’s one that matters deeply to the American people. And it’s why we will make sure that every single day we are reminding voters about how Joe Biden is fighting for them, while Donald Trump runs a campaign focused on one man and one man only: himself.”

The Road to Atlanta

The launch of this ad campaign comes alongside Team Biden-Harris’ aggressive efforts to lay out the stakes to voters ahead of the Atlanta debate. Throughout June, the campaign has focused its efforts on the issues that Donald Trump has to answer for: his extreme agenda of ripping away Americans’ freedoms, undermining American democracy, and selling out the middle class. Throughout this month, we’ve taken that message to the voters that will decide this election:

  • Biden-Harris 2024 launched an organizing push around the two-year Dobbs decision anniversary to mobilize volunteers and to communicate to battleground voters about all that’s at stake in this election for reproductive freedom. Through battleground events, mobilizing storytellers that have been impacted by Trump’s cruel abortion bans, and an aggressive paid media campaign, the Biden-Harris campaign is reminding voters that Trump is the architect of the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
  • Led by Dr. Jill Biden, Team Biden-Harris has mobilized and energized seniors across the country in the fight for lower health care costs, lower drug costs, and highlighting Trump’s plans to cut Social Security and Medicare. Doug Emhoff has also traveled, and across every battleground, events from bingo to pickleball have brought the stakes of this election to seniors.
  • The brave officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 and risked death – all because of a violent mob inspired by Donald Trump – have been traveling to battleground states this month with a simple message: our democracy cannot afford Donald Trump.

June’s historic paid media campaign also continues Team Biden-Harris’ aggressive efforts to reach voters of color – the backbone of the Biden-Harris coalition. The investments announced today into Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI), Latino, and African American media are the largest to date for the campaign. These ads will also be placed in critical channels across television, radio, print, and online and focus on the issues that matter most to these communities. For example:

  • “Protect” and Thrive,” focus on the importance of the Affordable Care Act for AANHPI voters.
  • “No One,” featuring both English and Spanish, emphasizes President Biden’s relentless fight to lower costs and fight corporate greed – even when he’s going up against a billionaire like Donald Trump.
  • And on the heels of an eight-figure investment in outreach to Black voters with the launch of Black Voters for Biden-Harris, Team Biden-Harris also launched “Promises Kept,” a radio ad underscoring the promises made and kept by President Biden and Vice President Harris for Black communities.

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Paid for by Biden for President

Republican-Friendly Politico Article Asks, “What Happened to Glenn Youngkin?” The Answer: Relentless Failure, No Significant Accomplishments, a Pathetic Attempt to Curry Favor with the MAGA/Trumpist Extreme-Right, etc.

By
lowkell
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7

What happened to Glenn Youngkin? That’s the question Politico asked Sunday morning, with the answers being overwhelmingly NOT flattering to Youngkin. Of course, if the news media had done its friggin’ job in 2021, instead of relentlessly pushing the false narrative that Youngkin was some sort of “mystery date” or “moderate” or whatever, Youngkin probably never would have been elected governor in the first place.  But the WaPo in particular, along with numerous other media outlets, clearly valued their precious “access” above their integrity as journalists. They also were – and remain – terrified of angering the right wing, or feeding into the false narrative that they’re some sort of “liberal media,” which is of course beyond laughable. Anyway, check out the article by Politico – which is normally VERY friendly to Republicans! – about Youngkin, including the following highlights.

  • “…while Youngkin has been insufficiently Trumpish to please the MAGA gatekeepers, he’s also failed to forge the relationships in Richmond crucial to building a record and eventual legacy, even if it would have chiefly been breaking ground on a $2 billion sports-and-concerts Taj Mahal on the Potomac.”
  • “Scott, the speaker, was even blunter about Youngkin’s failure to court State Senator L. Louise Lucas, the Democratic legislator who torpedoed the so-called Glenndome: ‘They thought she was invisible — I bet they see her ass now.'”
  •  “’He doesn’t know Virginia politics and the Virginia governorship,’ said [former Gov. Doug] Wilder.”
  • “When I asked what signature accomplishment Youngkin would be known for, Allen paused, acknowledged it was a good question…”
  • “Scott told me that when he attended the Kennedy Center Honors late last year with Warner, the two encountered David Rubenstein, the former Carlyle Group CEO who worked with Youngkin at the private equity firm. Rubenstein, Scott recalled, said Youngkin is focused on one objective: becoming president.”

“What happened to Glenn Youngkin? One word: Failure! 🤷‍♂️ From flopped legislative control to losing the FBI HQ to Maryland, Youngkin’s tenure is a series of epic fails. Networking issues, failed deals, and no signature accomplishments – promises made, promises broken, legacy: nada” – Marc Broklawski

In fact, by saying things like “President Trump represents so much of why I’m running,” campaigning for extremists like Kari Lake, endorsing Trump for president, etc., Youngkin VERY MUCH has made his choice – MAGA all the way, not “pragmatic” at all.

“The media loves pumping up people like Youngkin even though there was never any evidence his appeal extended nationally and then wonder why he never gained any traction …”

“Youngkin‘s win required a perfect storm of Dem voters being disengaged (this was pre-Dobbs) and facing a weak opponent in Terry McAuliffe, who made serious errors. Democrats decided McAuliffe was a great candidate after he narrowly beat an immensely flawed Ken Cuccinelli in 2013.”

 

In other words, Youngkin has had no serious accomplishments…per former Gov. George Allen, a conservative Republican.

Chesterfield County Officials and Dominion Move to Deny Public Engagement in Gas Plant Review

By
Blue Virginia
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1

From Friends of Chesterfield: 

Chesterfield County officials and Dominion move to Deny Public Engagement in gas plant review

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  

Glen Besa, Board Chair, Friends of Chesterfield, 

June 17, 2024

Chesterfield, VA – Friends of Chesterfield is challenging how county officials have handled the decision-making process for a 1000-megawatt gas plant Dominion Energy is proposing near the James River. The resident group outlined its objections in a letter sent on June 12th, highlighting the importance of community input around a project located near thousands of households and with serious health and financial impacts. 

“Chesterfield residents have made it crystal clear to county officials and to Dominion that we do not want another source of pollution in our backyard. Rather than responding meaningfully to these concerns, Dominion and the county appear to be cutting us out of the process entirely,” said Glen Besa, a founding member of the  Friends of Chesterfield County.  

The county’s position, stated in a May 24 letter to Dominion Energy, is that they are unable to make a determination and are not required to sign a Suitability and Value form the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality needs to move forward with permitting for the project.  In response, Friends of Chesterfield advised Board Chairman James Holland that “the Board has both the legal authority to take up the question of site suitability and the insight into local needs and values to make a principled decision” on the siting of the gas plant.

“Dominion is deliberately shutting the community members who stand the most to lose out of the decision making process; this is a textbook case of environmental injustice. I am one of tens of thousands of people who live near this proposed plant, and our community deserves a say when it comes to the air we and our families are breathing.” said Ann Butler, a county resident and mother.

County opposition has manifested itself in hundreds of letters and postcards as well as a petition signed by 300 residents to the supervisors opposing the gas plant.  At the April Board of Supervisors meeting more than 80 residents rallied in opposition to the gas plant.  In March of this year, nine state lawmakers released a public letter denouncing the plant, citing concerns over its fiscal impacts and threats to the state’s clean energy goals.

County residents will rally at the June 26th Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting at 10001 Iron Bridge Road at 6 p.m. to continue vocal opposition to the plant. To register, visit the Friends of Chesterfield website. 

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Friends of Chesterfield is a community-based group in Chesterfield County dedicated to bringing residents together around the issues that impact our lives. Friends was formed in 2023 in response to Dominion Energy’s proposed 1000-megawatt methane gas power plant.

Monday News: “Epic heat wave” Another Clear Sign of the Climate Crisis; “Unhinged Psychopath” Trump’s Father’s Day Message From Hell; Defeating Trump the “only real priority…we should focus on. Nothing else matters.”; “Bob Good’s Republican Primary Has Split the MAGA Movement”

By
lowkell
-
15

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, June 17. Under 24 hours until polls open for Virginia’s primaries tomorrow.

Video: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Argues Dems “have to be…as tough as Republicans,” Use “raw power” Like Mitch McConnell Did

By
lowkell
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1

On MSNBC this morning, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) argued something that SHOULD be obvious to all Democrats, but for some absurd reason isn’t.

  • “I think Democrats have to be willing to be as tough as Republicans…[when they go low, Democrats] go toe to toe; It would be nice to go high, but we’ll put that off for a little while. The stakes are just too high. You showed a picture of Judge Cannon in Florida; that’s what goes wrong when you put MAGA Republicans on the bench…she’s willing to thwart justice for a partisan political purpose to protect Trump. So we need to do what Mitch McConnell did in putting a Supreme Court justice on the Supreme Court, ignoring every past statement and just using raw power to make sure that his president’s appointments got confirmed. Well, we need to do the same.”

Bingo.

UPDATE 3:30 pm – More from Rep. Connolly (see video, below):

  • “It is really sad that the Republican majority has decided to use the annual defense authorization bill as sort of a vehicle for their favorite causes, knowing cynically that, as you indicated, it is not going to pass the firewall of the Senate and won’t be signed Into law by President Biden. But that has not stopped them. And it is a sad day. In the past, we had strong bipartisan coalitions to protect the national security and national defense and not use it as some kind of punching bag.”
  • “I think it is important to remember that when we voted on the Ukraine aid package last month, it passed with 311 Votes. That is a pretty strong bipartisan vote in the  House. And so a future president has to take cognizance of that, that there is strong bipartisan support…we have a strong base of support for this agreement and possible future agreements. We are going to see Ukraine through until it prevails…There was certainly a five-month period in which I felt embarrassed. Democrats gave Speaker Mike Johnson a lot of credit for bringing up the Ukraine vote. I don’t…We lost five months and Ukrainians died and territory was lost during that five-month period. No excuse for it. We had the same 311 votes five months ago that we had when we finally [passed it]. And it was dithering, because a new Speaker did not know how to put together the coalition or allow a free vote on the floor that had overwhelming bipartisan support.”
  • “I think people vote their interests. So what’s in it for me? I don’t like inflation…And we have to remind them…You know, I love the question, ‘are you better off today than you were four years ago’? Four years ago, we were rationing and hoarding toilet paper. Remember  that? And we had shortages everywhere. The economy was tanking. Here we are four years later in the ideal economy leading the world – breaking records in the stock market, with unemployment and job creation. And we have kind of forgotten what it was like four years ago. A lot got done and we have to be not only taking credit for that but we have to be bringing that narrative to people and reminding them what it was like and how far we have come. And that is a huge accomplishment.”
  • “I think sometimes in messaging, Democrats tend to appeal to logos – the reason, cerebrally.  And most human beings kind of live a combination of that and my gut. And we can’t be ashamed about appealing to people’s self interest. We’ve got a lot to talk about in having satisfied your self interest. We have not persuaded them of that.  And I think also, we don’t get it that you’ve got to repeat repeat, rinse, repeat…We’ve got to get a lot better at boringly repeating messages until they penetrate and sink in.”

Sam Shirazi: Virginia Congressional Primary Preview

By
Blue Virginia
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7

by Sam Shirazi

This November, Virginia will be getting at least two new members of Congress, with Democratic retirements in VA-7 (Abigail Spanberger, who’s running for governor) and in VA-10 (Jennifer Wexton, due to serious health reasons). It’s also possible incumbent Republicans could lose in VA-5 (during the primary) and VA-2 (during the general election).

The choices for who might ultimately fill these seats in November will first be decided during the June 18 primary. There will also be a statewide GOP primary to pick a nominee to take on Tim Kaine for U.S. Senate.

VA-10: The Most Unpredictable Race 

The crowded Democratic primary in VA-10 is the most unpredictable race of next Tuesday night. Rep. Jennifer Wexton unfortunately had to retire due to health reasons, which has led to 12 Democrats seeking the seat.

Rep. Wexton ultimately gave her endorsement to State Senator Suhas Subramanyam. Subramanyam represents the most voters currently in the district and comes from the growing Indian-American community. He is also the leading candidate who lives in Loudoun County, which makes up the majority of the district – so that could give him a leg up heading into June 18.

There are plenty of outside groups getting involved in the VA10 Democratic primary, making the race more unpredictable. The chief beneficiary has been Del. Dan Helmer, who has also won the Washington Post endorsement. Helmer saw late spending by different PACs on his behalf, such as VoteVets and one linked to the Crypto industry. Helmer also gave himself a late $250,000 donation and leads all the candidates in fundraising giving him a clear financial advantage. However, in the final days of the campaign, Helmer has faced allegations of sexual harassment, leading to several other candidates calling for him to drop out. At this point, it remains unclear what impact this late story will have on the race or his chances.

While Subramanyam and Helmer seem like the top contenders, several of the other candidates are still in the mix. Former Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn has also seen outside spending on her behalf from the Democratic Majority for Israel, and has the endorsement of former Governor Ralph Northam. But she has also seen the most negative advertisements against her, with progressive PACs attacking her record as former Speaker of the House of Delegates. She has pushed back against these attacks, and might also get a boost from women – who will make up the majority of primary voters – backing her.

State Senator Jennifer Boysko’s previous State Senate district included a large portion of Loudoun County, so she is also well known in VA-10. However, Boysko’s new State Senate district after redistricting is outside VA-10, and she suffered a setback by not getting Wexton’s endorsement. Still in such a fractured field, any candidate with a base of support can’t be counted out.

Other elected official running in VA-10 include Del. David Reid, and Del. Michelle Maldonado. Former Virginia Education Secretary Atif Qarni and 2023 House of Delegates candidate Travis Nembhard are also running. Rounding out the list of candidates are self-funder Krystal Kaul, Mark Leighton, Marion Devoe, and Adrian Pokharel.

Republicans also have a number of people running in their primary, including 2020 VA10 GOP nominee Aliscia Andrews, Mike Clancy, Alex Isaac, and Manga Anantatmula. It’s not obvious if any of them is clearly ahead of the pack, given the less attention the GOP primary has gotten as compared to the Democratic primary. Clancy might have a slight edge, as he is positioning himself as more of the “outsider” candidate, who often do well in GOP primaries.

Ultimately, this seat is very likely to stay in Democratic hands in a Presidential year. That means the winner of the Democratic primary is likely to be the next member of Congress for VA-10. The nature of the primary is such that there isn’t much certainty about who will win on either side, hence the “tilt” ratings for the primary.

Dem Primary rating: Tilt Subramanyam

GOP Primary rating: Tilt Clancy

General Rating: Safe Dem

 

VA-7: A National Figure as the Favorite 

In the VA-7 Democratic primary, there is more of a frontrunner (compared to VA10), with Eugene Vindman holding a big fundraising advantage and also endorsed by the Washington Post. Vindman rose to fame during the first impeachment of Trump, and has subsequently kept a national profile being critical of the former president. Vindman’s other big advantage in the Democratic primary is facing a divided field, with no clear alternative to take him on.

In addition to Vindman, there are six other Democratic candidates running in VA07, including Del. Brianna Sewell, former Del. Elizabeth Guzman, Prince William County Supervisor Andrea Bailey, Prince William County Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, Carl Bedell, and Clifford Heinzer.  It is likely that the vote will be split among the rest of the field, and in this scenario, it’s hard not to see Vindman as the favorite.

Republicans also have a primary here, with the Republican establishment backing Derrick Anderson, who also sought the nomination in 2022. But Cameron Hamilton is challenging Anderson, with more of an outsider appeal as he seeks the upset. Other Republicans running include Jon Myers, John Prabhudoss, Terris Todd, and Maria Martin.

VA-7 is one of two battleground districts in Virginia this year, with this one being more Democratic leaning. In a presidential year, Vindman should start off with an advantage in the general if he’s the Democratic nominee.

Dem Primary Rating: Likely Vindman

GOP Primary Rating: Lean Anderson

General Rating: Lean Dem

 

VA-5: Incumbent as an Underdog 

Incumbent Rep. Bob Good (R) is the underdog now that Trump endorsed his primary opponent State Senator John McGuire. Good was already in trouble before the endorsement, but Trump’s subsequent bashing of the incumbent only makes things worse for him. Still an incumbent is always hard to knock off in a primary, so Good can’t be fully counted out.

Democrats also have a primary here with Garry Terry, Gloria Tinsley Witt, and Paul Riley running. However, this race has gotten much less attention than the GOP primary and it’s not clear if any of them have an advantage.

While VA-5 is not the reddest district in Virginia, it certainly leans heavily towards Republicans and has been trending in the GOP direction over time. That means that if McGuire is able to knock off Good, he’s likely to be the next Congressman from VA-5.

Dem Primary Rating: Tilt Wilt

GOP Primary Rating: Lean McGuire

General Rating: Safe GOP

 

VA-2: Sleepy Primary But Big General

There is not much drama in VA-2, as incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans does not have any other Republican running against her. And in the Democratic primary, Missy Cotter Smasal is the heavy favorite, as the entire Virginia Democratic Congressional delegation has endorsed her over her Democratic opponent, Jake Denton.

VA-2 is one of top two battleground districts in Virginia this year, with this one being the more GOP-friendly one. After redistricting, the district became more Republican, so it will be tough to knock off the incumbent. But if Democrats improve from their current standing in the polls, it’s certainly possible in this district, which has traditionally flipped between the parties.

 

Dem Primary Rating: Safe Cotter Smasal

General Rating: Lean GOP

 

VA-1: An Important Endorsement 

In the Democratic primary to take on GOP Rep. Rob Wittman (R), Leslie Mehta scored an important endorsement from Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who used to represent the Richmond suburbs before redistricting. This should boost Mehta, because the majority of primary voters will come from this part of the district.

But 2022 Democratic nominee Herb Jones has already been on the ballot in this district and could have goodwill from voters after having stepped up to run last time. Ultimately, whoever wins the nomination will face a tough race in this district where Republicans are still favored, despite recent trends toward Democrats.

Dem Primary Rating: Lean Mehta

General Rating: Safe Republican

 

VA-11: A Safe Incumbent 

Rep. Gerry Connolly is facing a primary challenge from Ahsan Nasar, who is challenging Connolly primarily on the issue of Connolly’s support for Israel. Nasar’s pro-Palestinian position should win him support from some progressives and the growing Muslim-American community in the district

Ultimately, though, Connolly’s long history and popularity with most rank-and-file Democrats should carry the day. Connolly is almost certainly going to win the primary and then the general election.

Dem Primary Rating: Safe Connolly

General Rating: Safe Dem

 

VA-Senate: A Flawed Republican Frontrunner 

In the Virginia GOP Senate primary, the late endorsement of Donald Trump for Hung Cao gave Cao’s campaign a much-needed boost. However, Cao has had a number of gaffes during the campaign generating negative headlines. These gaffes provided an opening for some of his primary opponents to attempt an upset of the frontrunner. But with the Trump endorsement, Cao heads into the primary as the favorite. The other Republicans running are Scott Parkinson, Eddie Garcia, Jonathan Emord, and Chuck Smith, all of whom will try to overcome the Trump endorsement.

Ultimately, Tim Kaine does not seem to be in much trouble, as Republicans are reluctant to invest in Virginia, given many other more tempting targets on the map. If Cao ends up the Republican nominee, it is unlikely Kaine will have much trouble winning a third term.

GOP Primary Rating: Lean Cao

General Rating: Safe Dem

Sunday News: “Extreme heat scorches US before summer’s official start”; “Biden knows ‘exactly what he is doing’ and will likely win election, says German chancellor”; “Trump gets name of his doctor wrong as he challenges Biden to cognitive test”;

By
lowkell
-
11

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, June 16.

Trump’s 78 Radical Right-Wing Wishes for His 78th Birthday

By
Blue Virginia
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2

From the DNC War Room:

Trump’s 78 Radical Right-Wing Wishes for His 78th Birthday
DNC National Press Secretary Emilia Rowland released the following statement: 

“On Donald Trump’s 78th birthday, we want to make sure the American people know 78 of Trump and his extreme MAGA allies’ radical right-wing wishes for his second term.”
  1. Force American women to live under a wildly unpopular nationwide abortion ban, stripping them of their fundamental freedoms.
  2. Terminate the Affordable Care Act, ripping health care coverage away from millions of hardworking Americans and potentially allowing health insurance companies to discriminate against the millions of people with preexisting conditions.
  3. Gut critical, hard-earned benefits such as  Social Security and Medicare for America’s seniors.
  4. Give more tax handouts to big corporations and the ultra-wealthy and make working Americans foot the bill.
  5. Roll back gun regulations on pistol braces that have been used in mass shootings.
  6. Trump’s Project 2025 is plotting to eliminate the Department of Education.
  7. Praise Putin for his invasion of Ukraine instead of supporting U.S. allies and defending democracy.
  8. Trump and his extreme Project 2025 allies have a plan to ban abortion medication, making it even more difficult for women to access reproductive health care.
  9. Allow red states to monitor women’s pregnancies, supporting extremist Republicans in violating Americans’ fundamental right to privacy.
  10. Threaten to allow Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to our NATO allies.
  11. Allow states to throw women, doctors, and nurses in jail for attempting to provide or receive life-saving reproductive health care.
  12. Appoint more extreme right-wing judges.
  13. Trump and his Project 2025 allies have a plan to oust federal officials who would stand in the way of Trump’s conspiracy-backed agenda and replace them with Trump’s MAGA minions.
  14. Restrict access to contraception.
  15. Trump and his radical Project 2025 allies have a plan to recommit to restructuring eligibility to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), threatening to leave individuals and families without the benefits they need.
  16. Threaten Americans’ access to using IVF to grow their families.
  17. Allow big corporations to charge bogus junk fees that some of Trump’s allies defend instead of bringing down the costs for working families.
  18. Two-time unions by courting their endorsements but also have an anti-labor record that prioritized billionaires and corporations at the expense of hardworking Americans and their labor rights.
  19. Dismiss efforts to raise the minimum wage to put more money into the pockets of American workers.
  20. Threaten to appoint anti-union officials to the National Labor Relations Board like he did in his first term who will consistently side against the American worker.
  21. Worsen inflation with reckless policies that his policy advisors have plotted to “devalue the US dollar.”
  22. Encourage an economic crash for his own political benefit.
  23. Impose an across the board 10% tariff on imported goods, adding to the $230 billion that Americans have already paid thanks to his previous trade wars.
  24. Wrongfully take credit for all of President Biden’s hard work to cap insulin prices at $35 a month for seniors after failing to cap insulin costs or hold Big Pharma accountable during his four years in the White House.
  25. Undermine Medicare’s ability to negotiate fair drug prices for seniors.
  26. Arm classroom teachers with weapons instead of implementing common-sense gun laws that would help keep our children safe in schools.
  27. Roll back President Biden’s “zero-tolerance” policy that revokes federal licenses from firearms dealers that have violated gun laws.
  28. Threaten to diminish funding for Pell Grant recipients, affecting over 8 million students every year.
  29. Prioritize the National Rifle Association over the American people.
  30. Enforce sex discrimination laws on the basis of biological sex, including banning transgender Americans from serving their country in the military, according to Trump’s Project 2025 Playbook.
  31. Rip away access to gender-affirming care for minors, preventing people from receiving access to health care they deserve.
  32. Trump’s Project 2025 allies want to defund the Department of Energy, including the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the Loan Programs Office.
  33. Reverse the Biden Administration’s focus on the LGBTQ+ community and equity.
  34. Stack his cabinet with extreme-right allies.
  35. Destroy the United States’ democracy and freedom and acting as a dictator on “day one.”
  36. Dream of a “unified reich.”
  37. Pardon January 6 insurrectionists, letting them off the hook for the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol.
  38. Slash civil service protections and seize tighter control over bureaucratic operations.
  39. Weaponize the Department of Justice to spearhead his personal revenge tour by prosecuting political opponents.
  40. Gut President Biden’s historic climate legislation, putting clean energy subsidies and regulations that incentivize electric vehicles on the chopping block.
  41. Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement again, disregarding international efforts to fight climate change.
  42. Dismantle regulations on Big Oil and Gas.
  43. Promise to roll back regulations for Big Oil after asking them to donate $1 billion to his campaign.
  44. Unravel Biden’s investments in American EV manufacturing.
  45. Trump’s extreme allies want to eliminate the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice, threatening its efforts to reduce harm to lower-income and minority communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution.
  46. Recommit to his disastrous first term agenda of rolling back environmental regulations and undermining the EPA.
  47. Threaten to double down on his first term agenda that put regulations regarding toxic chemicals on the chopping block, despite the fact that they pose serious health threats to the American people.
  48. Defund the Federal Transit Administration, hurting millions of Americans who rely on local public transportation every day, according to the plan from Project 2025.
  49. Continue to applaud and cozy up to white supremacists, who he’s called “very fine people” and “my people.”
  50. Push for an unconstitutional third term if he retakes power.
  51. Attack diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and work to shift the narrative to “anti-white” racism, upending efforts to counter racism and support minority groups.
  52. Trump and his Project 2025 allies have a plan to cut federal K-12 public school universal meal programs, threatening to allow more children to go hungry.
  53. Continue to inspire allies to censor and ban books in states.
  54. Try to insert his extremism and political interference into public school curriculums.
  55. Funnel money away from public education, plans for which are further outlined in his extreme allies’ Project 2025 playbook.
  56. Threaten to eliminate over 490,000 (approximately 14% nationwide) public school teachers instead of addressing the teacher shortage.
  57. Trump Project 2025 allies want to halt all student loan forgiveness initiatives and programs, exacerbating the ongoing student debt crisis.
  58. Rip apart families with his cruel immigration policies.
  59. Enable the mass deportation and detention of undocumented immigrants.
  60. Create detention camps near the Southern border.
  61. Deploy the American military to round up immigrants.
  62. Try to terminate DACA (again).
  63. Ban entry for people coming from Muslim-majority countries, again.
  64. Abolish birthright citizenship in the United States.
  65. Continue to praise foreign dictators including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, despite human rights abuses.
  66. Move to withdraw from the World Health Organization and undermine global health operations, again.
  67. Fire career diplomats and replace them with his MAGA cronies.
  68. Undermine criminal justice reform efforts, as planned with Trump’s Project 2025 playbook.
  69. Expand and increase the use of the death penalty.
  70. Go after television companies that report what he deems “fake news” and jeopardize First Amendment rights.
  71. Deploy the military against American civilians.
  72. Mobilize the National Guard to combat crime.
  73. Use the Department of Justice to investigate his political enemies.
  74. Threaten to disregard Mexico’s sovereignty and send armed forces into Mexico to combat the drug cartels.
  75. Bring back large mental institutions instead of actually addressing the mental health crisis.
  76. Force unhoused people off of the street by moving them to tent cities.
  77. Potentially gut funding for rural schools by $175 million.
  78.  Become the first U.S. president to be a convicted felon (oh wait, he already did that).

MAGA Malarkey: The Extremism You Missed From Republicans This Week

MAGA Republicans stooped to new lows this week with their extremism, hypocrisy, chaos, and — as President Biden would call it — malarkey. In case you missed it: Trump went off the rails as he met with his MAGA minions in Congress to further discuss their extreme 2025 blueprint in his first visit to Capitol Hill since January 6; Trump called Milwaukee — the site of the 2024 GOP convention —  a “horrible city”; he then said he would work “side by side” with an anti-choice extremist group that wants abortion “eradicated entirely”; some of Trump’s VP contenders voted against protecting access to IVF; VP contender Marco Rubio defended Trump’s horrifying comments that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of our nation; Trump told voters he doesn’t care about them, only their votes; Trump and MAGA Republicans doubled-down on slashing the corporate tax rate for big corporations while letting hardworking families suffer; and a bunch of Republicans voted against new investments for their constituents, but took credit for it anyway.

Trump returned to Capitol Hill for the first time since a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol and attacked our democracy on January 6, and met with his MAGA minions to conspire on an extreme blueprint for 2025.

NBC News: “DNC to tail Trump with mobile billboard of Jan. 6 attack during visit to Capitol Hill”

“The billboard will play a loop of an 11-minute video montage from the riot and Trump’s speech before it. The video was released by the House committee that investigated the attack.

“DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd said: ‘Donald Trump is on Capitol Hill for the first time since the American people watched him rally his supporters to storm the Capitol, launching a violent insurrection to overturn our democracy. Trump has only doubled down on his dangerous record since then.’”

Washington Post: “Thursday marked Trump’s first trip back to Capitol Hill since he urged his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, to head to the joint congressional meeting to try to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory. Since then, Trump and many GOP lawmakers have tried to revise the history of that day and suggested that some of the rioters are political ‘hostages,’ some of whom he plans to pardon, baselessly labeling them ‘warriors’ and ‘victims’ last weekend in Las Vegas.”

Axios: “The Democratic National Committee went so far as to deploy a mobile billboard outside Trump’s Business Roundtable meeting calling him ‘unfit’ for office.”

Trump then called Milwaukee — the site of the 2024 GOP convention — a “horrible city.”

Wisconsin Examiner: “In a closed door meeting with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, the location of this summer’s Republican National Convention, a ‘horrible city.’

“Trump’s comments were reported by Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman. 

“‘Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,’ Trump is reported to have said on Thursday.”

New York Times: “In a closed-door meeting with G.O.P. House members, the former president disparaged the city where his party’s convention will be held, according to people in the room.

“Democrats, likely eager for an edge in a battleground state, immediately seized on the comments. ‘Let’s be clear: Milwaukee is not a horrible city — and Wisconsinites should remember what Donald Trump thinks of them when they vote in November,’ Alex Floyd, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement.”

Trump vowed to work “side by side” with an anti-choice extremist group that calls abortion “child sacrifice” and wants abortion to be “eradicated entirely.”

Washington Post: “Trump vows to be ‘side by side’ with group that wants abortion ‘eradicated’”

“Former president Donald Trump pledged Monday to walk ‘side by side’ with the Danbury Institute, a coalition of Christian groups that opposes abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, and has called the procedure ‘child sacrifice.’”

“The Christian group has also asserted in statements that ‘abortion is never medically necessary to save the life of a mother’ and that ‘aborting an innocent child conceived in rape or incest only compounds the injustice and pain caused by the initial crime.’”

MSNBC: “Trump tells extreme anti-abortion group it would make a ‘comeback’ if he’s re-elected”

Politico: “Trump to make virtual appearance at event with group that calls abortion ‘child sacrifice’”

Then, some of Trump’s MAGA VP contenders voted against protecting access to IVF, in yet another move to rip away reproductive freedoms.

The Hill: “Senate Republicans block legislation to codify IVF access”

“Thursday’s vote comes a week after Republicans blocked a similar bill from Democrats that would have guaranteed the right to contraception.

“Republicans who voted against include: J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, Tom Cotton, Bill Hagerty, Katie Britt, Marsha Blackburn, Joni Ernst, and Mike Lee.”

VP contender Marco Rubio defended Trump’s horrifying comments that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of our nation.

CBS News: “Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a possible vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump, defended Trump’s previous remarks on immigrants ‘poisoning the blood of our country’ in a Spanish-language interview Wednesday with Telemundo.

“The Democratic Party sharply criticized Rubio for defending Trump’s characterization of immigrants.

“‘Donald Trump’s statement that immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country’ is the kind of dangerous language used by the likes of Hitler and Mussolini — and Marco Rubio is willing to defend him just for the chance to be Trump’s running mate,’ DNC spokesperson Kenia Guerrero said after Rubio’s interview. ‘Rubio has lost his last shred of dignity just to compete in a race to the bottom to be on an extreme MAGA ticket this November that is wildly out-of-touch with voters who will decide this election.’”

Trump reminded voters exactly how little he cares about the political issues and problems affecting their everyday lives last weekend. 

Trump: “I don’t care about you, I just want your vote. I don’t care.”

The Independent: “Trump tells rally-goers not to die in searing Vegas heat: ‘I don’t care about you, I just want your vote’”

Trump and his MAGA allies are planning to put big business ahead of the American people by making Trump’s expensive “MAGAnomics” tax scam permanent.

New York Times: “Trump Vows to Lower Prices. Some of His Policies May Raise Them.”

“And several of [Trump’s] policies — whatever their merits on other grounds — would instead put new upward pressure on prices, according to interviews with half a dozen economists.

“Mr. Trump says he plans the ‘largest domestic deportation in American history,’ which would most likely increase the cost of labor. He intends to impose a new tariff on nearly all imported goods, which would probably raise their prices and those of any domestic-made competitors.

“And he not only wants to make permanent the entire deficit-financed tax cut law he and congressional Republicans enacted in 2017, but also to add some kind of new ‘big tax cut’ for individuals and businesses, which would stimulate an economy already at full employment.

“As a matter of textbook economics, each of those three signature Trump policy plans would be likely to raise prices. Some could even cause continued, rather than one-time, price increases — adding to the possibility of inflation.” 

Washington Post: “Republicans pitch tax cuts for corporations, the wealthy in 2025”

“Republicans in Congress are preparing to not just extend former president Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts if they win control of Washington in November’s elections, but also lower rates even more for corporations, laying the early groundwork for a ferocious debate over taxes and spending next year and beyond.

“Now GOP lawmakers and some of Trump’s economic advisers are considering more corporate tax breaks — which could expand the national debt by roughly $1 trillion over the next decade…  

“Extending all of the Trump tax law would add $4.6 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, Congress’s nonpartisan bookkeeper.”

Voted no but took the dough: House Republicans continue to take credit for funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law after railing against it.

Politico: “The Republicans taking credit for federal funding they voted against”

“Billions of dollars in infrastructure funding are flowing into cities and towns nationwide, nearly three years after Congress passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill approving the cash.

“And some vulnerable House Republicans are tacitly taking credit for the local funds, despite opposing that bill.

“Those battleground Republicans who opposed the law are careful not to tout their personal involvement in it on Capitol Hill — instead, they’re showing up at opening ceremonies and praising the actions of local leaders.”
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