In the wake of the #MeToo movement, and given the number of sexual harassment and abuse allegations against members of other legislative bodies in the country, this Virginia General Assembly session – with 15 new Democrats, most of whom are women – would seem to be a time to take every precaution to make sure that House members and their staffs are well-informed about sexual harassment. And since it’s largely up to the legislative bodies to regulate themselves, there have been several bills proposed this year about sexual harassment training.
But when HB371 made it to the floor today, it had already morphed substantially from its original version, losing some of its teeth along the way. The original version, with bipartisan patrons Roxann Robinson (R) and Kaye Kory (D) in the House, plus Barbara Favola (D), Jennifer McClellan (D) and Glen Sturtevant (D) in the Senate, called for annual sexual harassment training to be offered through the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), with the records kept by the same agency.The House Rules Committee (you remember, the one that Speaker Cox stacked with nonproportional members against the very rules of proportional committees that the House itself had voted on) changed the bill so that the training would be only once every two years, and would be provided by the House or Senate Clerk’s office, with the records maintained by the Clerk’s office.
But is it putting the fox in charge of the hen house to have the Clerk’s office responsible for designing the training, overseeing its administration, and maintaining the records afterwards?
So Delegate Watts, whose own similar bill HB1057 had been rolled into HB371, proposed another substitute version on the House floor today. Her substitute allowed elected legislators and their assistants to take a training designed by and administered by the Clerk’s office, but adding additional stringent conditions that the training should cover:
The sexual harassment training course provided by the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate shall be available on-line 24 hours per day seven days a week and shall include but not be limited to discussion of (i) the inclusion of member actions when performing official duties covered under the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act (§ 30-100 et seq.); (ii) the inclusion of communications or actions undertaken with other state employees, contract employees, applicants for employment, customers, vendors, members of the media, lobbyists, members of the public, or volunteers; (iii) the Department of Human Resources Management Workplace Harassment Policy provision that managers, supervisors, and members who knowingly fail to take appropriate corrective action regarding allegations shall be in violation of the sexual harassment policy; (iv) the adopted policies of the House of Delegates or of the Senate governing how allegations of violations may be made, sharing of information, investigative procedures, determination of need for disclosure to law enforcement to protect public safety, committed violations of this chapter; and (v) the remedies available under this chapter and the Commonwealth Workplace Harassment Policy that are in addition to any other civil remedies and criminal sanctions provided under law.
As a backup plan to her substitute in case the substitute was voted down, she also drafted three separate amendments to HB371 that would accomplish the same more careful sexual harassment training, with the opportunity for any number of the three changes to be accepted.
All this caused the Republicans to be so flustered that Speaker Cox had to adjourn for a few minutes so that everyone could figure out how to vote. The Democrats also huddled up to get their strategy in place. When they reconvened, both sides took the opportunity to discuss the bill and the suggested changes. Delegate Robinson spoke about her bill, saying that it was important to have this training and that it wasn’t that SHE didn’t trust her peers, it was that the public needed to trust them–needed to know that when they legislated their own behavior, they did so in the most stringent way possible. Which was odd, since Delegate Watts’ substitute/amendments were adding additional conditions to make the training more thorough.
Delegate Watts spoke about her substitute, arguing for why having an outside agency administer the training was so important, and discussing the various ways that legislators interact with others where harassment issues might arise–not just in the chamber with each other, but back in their districts, with lobbyists, with their constituents, etc. The Republicans then proceeded to vote down the substitute.
And the amendments were discussed one by one. By this point, apparently Delegate Gilbert was getting annoyed and tired of the proceeding, because he asked to speak and then declared that this was “much ado about nothing.” And the entire chamber gasped–literally! (See about 2:40)
After the year that we’ve seen, with millions of women speaking out and saying #MeToo, and dozens of news stories about politicians and Hollywood producers and company CEOs being accused of sexual harassment, Delegate Gilbert thought that a discussion about how to get the training right was “much ado about nothing!” The rest of the amendments were voted down–on party lines, because apparently sexual harassment policy is a partisan issue too, and the weakened version of HB371 that the House Rules Committee wrote moved on to its third reading, presumably tomorrow.
I have two further thoughts about this. The first is that it is virtually impossible that of the 50 Republican members of the House in attendance today, every single one thinks that sexual harassment training should be administered by the Clerk’s office rather than DHRM–it’s probably also unlikely that all 49 of the Democratic members thinks it should not. So, we’ve clearly descended into a hyper-partisan world where everyone is entrenched in the position that their party peers are taking. Which is not good for anyone. The second is that it’s not a coincidence that the party with 47% of its Delegates being female wanted a more stringent sexual harassment policy than the party with 10% of its members being female.
UPDATE 6:00 pm Sunday: As promised, I have closed the poll on Sunday evening. The final results are Ralph Northam edging out Tom Perriello 2,416 (50.73%)-2,298 (48.26%), with a handful of votes for Ed Gillespie (0.48%), Frank Wagner (0.21%), Corey Stewart (0.17%) and Denver Riggleman (0.15%). Clearly, the two Democratic governor campaigns encouraged their supporters to vote in this poll, as we got a huge number of votes (4,762 total) in just 72 hours or so on a holiday weekend! Also, I could see the surges for each candidate as they pushed their supporters to vote via email, Facebook, etc. All of which is fine, by the way, as it indicates enthusiasm/intensity, organization, etc. Anyway, congratulations to Ralph Northam for edging out Tom Perriello in the first Blue Virginian non-scientific poll of the 2017 election cycle. I’ll probably do this again in a few weeks to see where we are then. Also, I’m going to post a Lt. Governor poll, so please vote in that one as well. Thanks!
UPDATE 5:22 pm Friday: It’s great to see so many people voting in this poll. I’ll probably keep it open until Sunday evening or so…
The following statement is from Matt Weinstein — Arlington Young Democrat, legislative aide to Del. Rip Sullivan and candidate for the 8th CD Democratic Committee. The election will be at the August ACDC meeting at 7 pm on August 3rd at the NRECA building in Ballston (4301 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203). I’ve endorsed Matt because I think he has the energy, talent and experience to do a great job on voter protection and in general as a member of the 8th CD Democratic Committee. Go Matt!
Arlingtonians are fortunate to live in one the most forward-thinking, progressive congressional districts in the United States.
Virginia’s 8th Congressional District (CD) votes overwhelmingly for the Democratic nominee every presidential year, and it repeatedly sends Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Don Beyer has given voice to the progressive values that embody our community.
The 8th CD is a Democratic stronghold because of the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC) and Virginia’s 8th CD Democratic Committee.
The 8th CD Democratic Committee—which includes 33 leaders from across the 8th district—provides political and fundraising support for Democrats throughout the 8th CD. The committee’s success makes it a model for congressional committees across Virginia.
One seat on the 8th CD Democratic Committee recently became available, and because of the committee’s seat allocation rules, the seat is reserved for an Arlington male.
I am running for the 8th CD Democratic Committee vacancy, and I am writing today to ask for your vote.
The election will be held at the August ACDC meeting at 7 pm on August 3rd at the NRECA building in Ballston (4301 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203). Any registered Arlington voter can vote in the election, but voters are required to sign a form saying that they will support Democrats.
I am the best candidate for the job because I have extensive experience working at the local, state, and federal level in Virginia, and I have devoted much of my career to protecting the right to vote for Virginians across the Commonwealth.
The right to vote is the cornerstone of American Democracy. As someone with significant experience protecting the right to vote, I would use my position on the 8th CD Democratic Committee to develop best practices for voter protection programs across the 8th district.
In 2012, I was fortunate to be part of the Obama Campaign’s voter protection team. Our team recruited 1,928 lawyers to volunteer on Election Day in Virginia, covered 1,055 polling locations, and resolved 3,283 voting issues at the polls. I continued the Obama voter protection model for the McAuliffe campaign in 2013, when we had over 500 lawyers protecting voters at polls across Virginia.
Every eligible voter in the 8th district should be able to vote regardless of race, religion, or party, and I will work hard to make that happen.
About me:
I am an Arlington Young Democrat, an attorney, and a political operative.
I am Delegate Rip Sullivan’s Legislative Aide.
I am currently ACDC’s Sergeant at Arms, and I am responsible for organizing caucuses and working with Arlington’s election board and registrar to make sure it is easy for voters to vote in Arlington.
I ran the 2016 Arlington School Board Caucus.
I was the parliamentarian for the 2016 8th CD Democratic Convention.
I worked for Senator Warner from 2009 to 2012.
I worked for the Obama Campaign in Virginia in 2012 as part of their voter protection team.
I ran the voter protection program for the McAuliffe Campaign in 2013.
I am the founding co-chair of the DPVA’s voter protection council in 2014.
My extensive local, state, and federal experience has allowed me to develop good relationships with some of the hardest-working Democrats in Arlington, the 8th CD, and across the Commonwealth.
Because of these relationships, I have been fortunate to receive broad, committed support for my candidacy from many Democratic leaders in the 8th CD.
A partial list of my supporters is provided below. Please note these endorsements were made in a personal capacity, and do not reflect a collective endorsement by any political organization.
Senator Barbara Favola (D-31)
Senator Adam Ebbin (D-30)
Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-48)
Delegate Patrick Hope (D-47)
Carla de la Pava, Arlington County Treasurer
Dave Leichtman, DPVA Vice Chair-Technology and Communications, 8th CD Member
Frank Leone, DNC Member
Josh Katcher, Voter Registration Chair, ACDC
Cragg Hines, ACDC Parliamentarian/National Delegate for Hillary Clinton
Lowell Feld, Blue Virginia
Laura Saul Edwards, Precinct Ops Vice Chair
Ian Redman, Precinct Ops Vice Chair, ACDC
Matt de Ferranti, Area Chair MetroEast, ACDC
Jill Caiazzo, Area Chair Central, ACDC
William Mark Habeeb, Area Chair River, ACDC
Kim Phillip, Director of Administration for ACDC
Chris Leyen, Aide to Senator Adam Ebbin
Zach Bowman, Outreach Vice Chair-LGBT, ACDC
Jarrod Nagurka, former Campaign Manager for Rip Sullivan and Christian Dorsey, ACDC Precinct Captain
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to speaking with you soon and hopefully seeing you at the election on August 3rd.
In Wise County earlier this month I met the candidate daring enough, or foolish enough, to run against the most powerful Republican member of Virginia’s House of Delegates.
When I walked into the community center in Norton, where I was to give a presentation at the invitation of the Clinch River Coalition, I found a volunteer wrangling wires to plug in the audio equipment. He was introduced to me as Josh Outsey, the man who had taken on the thankless job of Democratic challenger to Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, in this fall’s election.
Before I could stop myself, I laughed. Terry Kilgore has been in the House for 31 years, and ran unopposed in the last three elections. A politically powerful member of a politically powerful family, Kilgore represents a district that’s over 92% White and voted 83.1% for Donald J. Trump. The 63-year-old lawyer was recently elected House Republican leader.
Joshua Outsey (pronounced OOT-see), 38, is a Black actor, singer and community organizer. As of June 5, Kilgore had raised $469,509, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Outsey had raised $200.
Outsey gives a respectable pitch for his candidacy, grounded in both experience and policy. If this were a contest for a seat in a more balanced district, I’d have no business being amused. But no one, least of all Outsey, is under any illusions that he can unseat Kilgore.
Still, I am filled with admiration. It is one thing to say that democracy works best when voters have choices, and quite another to agree to make yourself that choice against impossible odds.
I’ve seen up close what even a hopeless campaign can require. A couple or three decades ago, my friend Tom Horton ran for Congress against a well-funded Republican incumbent who was firmly entrenched in Virginia politics. Tom had no trouble securing the Democratic nomination – nobody else wanted it – but he didn’t have money for a staff, and he needed a policy director. I was at home with young children and glad for the mental stimulation, so I signed on.
Unburdened by any real prospect of success, I had a great time writing position papers based largely on my own opinions. Every once in a while, I would stop and ask myself, “I wonder what Tom thinks about this?” then shrug and plunge on. Very occasionally, Tom would balk at a position I proposed he take, and then we would talk it out.
But mostly, he didn’t have time for that. Poor Tom spent every day of the campaign on the phone trying to raise money. In the evenings he knocked on doors. If he was lucky, sometimes he was interviewed on the radio or got a quote in the paper. It was an uphill slog all the way, and none of it mattered. He lost by about the same wide margin that polls had shown him losing by at the outset of the campaign.
He had to be disappointed, but Tom told me he loved every minute of it and would run again in a heartbeat, if he didn’t have a family to support.
Maybe this is why I have a special place in my heart for underdogs. People like Tom who try, knowing they are likely to fail, and then indeed do fail, only to pick themselves up and say it was worth it anyway – they are heroes to me. Winners are dull by comparison.
Outsey is far from being the only sacrificial lamb this election. Democrats are fielding candidates in every House race this fall, including other long-shot seats like those held by Will Morefield, another coalfields delegate who won in 2023 with 85% of the vote, and Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, who won his Shenandoah Valley district by more than 77%.
Republicans are not similarly contesting every seat, but some are taking on Democratic incumbents even in deep blue districts, including a few who are making a repeat appearance on the ballot.
These include retired technology professional Kristin Hoffman, who is challenging McLean Democratic Del. Rip Sullivan for the second time, in spite of losing by 23 points in the last election. A few miles to the east, in another Fairfax County district that voted overwhelmingly for Harris over Trump last fall, retired federal worker Ed McGovern will face Del. Kathy Tran for a third time. He lost by 20 points in 2021 and 30 points in 2023.
I was unsuccessful in trying to reach these folks, so I don’t know their motivations. Regardless, I salute them.
Running against impossible odds can serve a purpose beyond dedication to the democratic process. Democrat Melody Cartwright told a Cardinal News reporter that she sees running for a second time against Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry, after losing in 2023 by 40 points, as a way to support Abigail Spanberger’s gubernatorial campaign. She added candidly that forcing Republicans to spend money to defend Phillips’ seat would leave them less money to attack Democrats elsewhere.
Running for office with no expectation of winning can also be a tactic for raising awareness of a neglected cause, as many a Green Party candidate can attest. My colleague at the Mercury, Roger Chesley, recalls a candidate by the name of Gail Parker who ran for various local, state and federal offices seven times between 2006 and 2019. Calling herself “Gail for Rail,” she campaigned on the single issue of promoting light rail. A 2007 Washington Post headline snarkily called her a “One-Track Candidate.” Fair enough, but the record will reflect that Metro now extends out to Loudoun County.
Deep in the heart of every candidate, of course, is the hope that lightning may strike. The opponent might stumble badly enough, or voters suddenly realize that who they wanted all along was someone just like the scrappy upstart, leading to an upset victory.
It has happened. In a 2014 primary, libertarian college professor David Brat defeated Congressman Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader at the time, in an upset that shocked the political establishment and gave hope to long-shot candidates everywhere. Brat won the general election, too, and served two terms.
Brat’s win over Cantor, followed by his loss to a Democrat in 2018 – to Abigail Spanberger, as it happened – demonstrates a final point: the political winds can shift suddenly, and when it happens, the people who benefit are the ones who’ve got their sails ready.
Democrats have been able to field so many candidates this year because they sense such a shift coming as part of a backlash to the Trump presidency. Republicans say otherwise. Still, no matter which party wins control this fall, the outcome won’t help the longest of long-shot candidates.
But that’s okay. Just running is a win for democracy.
This article was originally published in the Virginia Mercury on June 30, 2025.
From Del. Rip Sullivan’s Project Blue Dominion – the big race to focus on in this week’s edition is HD57, a district held by a freshman Republican delegate, but which went for Kamala Harris by 9 points in November 2024 and which has a super-strong Democratic nominee, May Nivar, running to take the district back. In short, Democrats can and *must* win this seat in November – let’s do it!
Flip and Defend-a-District 2025
Volume 5
– July 4, 2025 –
I am more convinced than ever that we have something special building for this election. Beth and I hosted an event on Wednesday for Rep. Abigail Spanberger. Senator Tammy Duckworth, DPVA Chairman Lamont Bagby, and over 125 guests crammed into our house to help support Virginia’s next Governor. The energy was through the roof, and we all left determined to work hard to make sure we deliver a historic election for Democrats.
And Abigail made clear that part of her historic win has to include protecting and expanding our Democratic majority in the House of Delegates.
We have four more great candidates to highlight for you in this week’s Flip and Defend-a-District. I hope that you can take a moment to learn more about them and support them however you can.
At Project Blue Dominion, we are committed to uplifting every Virginia Democratic candidate with our Flip and Defend-a-District newsletter. This week, we are highlighting:
With Virginia in the national spotlight, the stakes are higher than ever—and you have the power to help elect Democrats. Every candidate highlighted in this newsletter deserves your support. As we race to election day, we need to stay energized, stay united, and seize this historic opportunity.
May Nivar
House District 57
With dozens of endorsements both local and national, May Nivar is running one of the most anticipated races this election cycle.
Born in Philadelphia to immigrant parents from China, May grew up in low-income housing and worked at a small takeout restaurant. After putting herself through college, she went on to a 30 year corporate career and raised her family in Central Virginia.
Over the past decade, May has held leadership roles and served on a variety of boards working to improve Virginia. This includes work to amplify the voices of women, Asian Americans, and other underrepresented communities. Her advocacy led Governor Terry McAuliffe to appoint her to the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, where she served as Vice Chair and Chair. In acknowledgement of her work, Governor Ralph Northam recognized her as a “Noteworthy Asian Pacific American of Virginia.”
With experience spanning small and large business, nonprofits, and government, May has proven she can step up to drive policy change. As the Delegate for the 57th District, she aims to build a Virginia where hard work is rewarded, opportunity is accessible, and the American Dream is within reach.
About House District 57 (Portions of Henrico and Goochland Counties)
Located in Western Henrico and Goochland Counties, House District 57 is one of the fastest growing in Central Virginia.
As the population has grown, so too has Democratic performance. Dems carried the seat in 2024 Presidential race, and we are ready to bring the House of Delegates seat back into the fold this year.
About Her Opponent
May is set to take on incumbent Republican David Owen in November. Though Owen claims to be a moderate, his voting record in the General Assembly tells a different story. He has towed the GOP line on most issues. Since taking office, Owen has voted in lockstep with his party on 92% of all recorded votes.
A former journalist who covered corruption, crime, and justice, Cat Porterfield is aiming to bring her investigative eye to the General Assembly.
With a focus on improving quality of life and affordability in the region, her message is resonating with neighbors struggling to maintain the quality of life that hard work and determination used to guarantee
Cat knows that affordable housing is one of the most urgent challenges in Virginia, especially in Virginia Beach. With a focus on driving down rent, property, and utility bills, she is aiming to make Virginia beach an attainable place for families to stay and grow. Beyond housing, her focus on healthcare access and quality education are helping her make waves on the campaign trail.
About House District 99 (Portions of Virginia Beach)
Wrapped around First Landing State Park, House District 99 is located entirely within Virginia Beach.
Once considered solid red, the district has been slipping away from Republicans, and fast. In 2024, Senator Kaine came within three points of his GOP challenger.
Considering the district voted to elect Governor Youngkin by double digits, this is one of the most dramatic shifts we have seen in the Commonwealth. With a strong candidate like Cat and a fired up electorate, Democrats are looking to make a breakthrough this November.
About Her Opponent
Cat is aiming to unseat GOP incumbent Anne Ferrell Tata in the general election. A social conservative with a fixation on transgender women, Ferrell Tata has proven herself to be out of touch with the changing concerns of her constituents.
After a 22 year military career, Mario Haggerty is running to bring meaningful change and better representation to his neighbors in House District 67.
Mario spent over two decades in the Navy, enlisting in 1996, earning his commission in 2005, and serving as a naval officer until his retirement in 2019. Following his military career, he continued his commitment to national security, working with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division and the Missile Defense Agency.
On the campaign trail, Mario is advocating for the pocketbook issues he believes most resonate with Virginians in the Northern Neck. That includes detailed policy plans to bring greater economic development, defend rural healthcare providers, and protect the environment and coastline upon which the region depends.
About House District 67 (King George, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond Counties with Portions of Caroline County)
A beautiful stretch of coastline and farming communities, House District 67 essentially contains the entirety of Virginia’s Northern Neck.
While it has been considered GOP territory for years, Democratic performance has risen steadily every year since 2021.
About His Opponent
Mario is set to take on incumbent GOP freshman Hillary Pugh Kent. Pugh Kent has been an almost unwavering vote for the GOP establishment in Richmond, voting with her party on 94% of all recorded votes.
Closing out this week’s Flip and Defend-a-District newsletter is my fellow Fairfax Delegate, a living example of the power of the American Dream, the one and only Kathy Tran.
After fleeing Vietnam with her parents at just seven months old, Kathy has gone on to study at prestigious universities, work as a civil servant with the U.S. Department of Labor, advocate for her fellow immigrants with the National Immigration Forum, and raise a family with her husband and five kids in West Springfield.
Since Kathy was first elected in 2017, she has introduced and supported legislation to expand healthcare and reproductive rights, strengthen our public schools, reduce gun violence, increase affordable housing, improve voting access, protect our environment, and make Virginia a more welcoming and inclusive place for all.
About House District 18 (Portions of Fairfax County)
Located mostly (but not entirely) outside the beltway on the 95 corridor, House District 18 is a diverse cluster of neighborhoods in every sense of the word.
A reliable Democratic voter bank, turning out the district will be key to retaking the Governorship in November.
About Her Opponent
In November, Kathy will take on Republican nominee Ed McGovern. A retiree who has spent his recent years serving on his HOA board and coaching youth basketball, McGovern has not made a splash on the campaign trail or at fundraisers, likely due to his out-of-touch positions on reproductive care and the Trump administration’s attack on the federal workforce.
That’s it for Volume 5 of our Flip and Defend-a-District Friday series. We’ll be back next week and every week until Election Day to share more about our great candidates. In the meantime, I encourage you to review this email and future editions to find a candidate or candidates whom you would like to support with your time or financial resources.
Project Blue Dominion is committed to supporting Democratic candidates in every corner of the Commonwealth. Join us. The fight to protect and expand our House majority is on.
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, July 4 – definitely the most troubling Independence Day for our country in many years, probably since the Civil War (because on July 4, 1942, at least we knew what we had to do and were overwhelmingly unified as a nation)…
See below for reactions by Virginia elected officials, nominees – and others – to US House passage earlier this afternoon, along party lines, of Trump’s “One Big Ugly Bill” – aka, a “cruel and immoral tax and budget scheme that prioritizes billionaires over working people.” As Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner put it, congressional Republicans’ bill will “explode the debt and kill tens of thousands of jobs and rip health care and nutrition assistance away from hundreds of thousands of people in Virginia alone.” This is, they add, Republicans “willing to sell out America’s well-being and future to give the ultra-wealthy a tax handout,” and the consequences “will be stark.” Let’s just hope that Americans “know who is to blame” – 100% Trump and the Republican Party – and vote accordingly!
Spanberger Statement on U.S. House Passage of GOP Tax Bill That Threatens Health Insurance for More than 322,000 Virginians
Spanberger: “Right Now, Any Governor or Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Should Be Standing up for the People They Were Elected to Represent and Preparing for the Many Challenges Ahead”
RICHMOND, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement following passage of Congressional Republicans’ tax bill in the U.S. House of Representatives — legislation that threatens to take away healthcare coverage from more than 322,000 Virginians.
“I first ran for office after watching my Congressman vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and eliminate protections for his constituents with pre-existing conditions. Now, nearly a decade later, I am once again hearing from Virginia parents, families, and healthcare providers who are terrified about what misguided legislation in Washington means for the healthcare of hundreds of thousands of our Virginia neighbors.
“The people of our Commonwealth deserve elected officials who will stand up against attacks on Virginians’ healthcare. That’s why I would like to thank every Democratic Member of Virginia’s congressional delegation for voting against this bill. Amid the chaos, they chose to stand with our neighbors on Medicaid, our rural hospitals, and our Commonwealth’s healthcare system.
“Virginians deserve a Governor who understands, not ignores or dismisses, the severe consequences of this bill. They deserve a Governor who recognizes the severity of this moment — for the health of our neighbors with chronic conditions, the fiscal health of our Commonwealth, and even the ability of Virginia’s food banks to feed those who are hungry. Right now, any Governor or Lieutenant Governor of Virginia should be standing up for the people they were elected to represent and preparing for the many challenges ahead. As the next Governor of Virginia, I will never put politics before my obligations to the health, safety, and financial security of every Virginian in our Commonwealth.”
BACKGROUND
The GOP’s tax bill would hurt access to affordable healthcare coverage across the Commonwealth:
More than 388,000 Virginians on the Marketplace would see their premiums increase significantly – if they don’t lose coverage entirely. A 60-year old couple who lives in Roanoke and makes approximately $81,000 a year would see their premiums rise by over $1,000 per month.
At least six rural hospitals, including four in Southwest and Southside Virginia, one in Hampton Roads, and one in the Northern Neck — would be at risk of closure.
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam’s Statement on the Passage of the One Big Ugly Bill
“This One Big Ugly Bill is a betrayal of the promises this administration made to the American people. At a time when families and small businesses are facing high costs and difficulty accessing care, this bill will raise prices, strip health care and food from millions, and bankrupt our country by adding trillions to the national debt.
As if that weren’t enough, this bill includes several measures that specifically target Virginia, including singling out our local airports to make flying in and out of our region more expensive and allocating tens of millions of dollars to relocate the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to Texas. It also empowers the administration with a hundred-million-dollar slush fund to continue cutting essential programs and firing the region’s federal workforce. All of this to fund tax breaks that will disproportionately benefit billionaires and the wealthiest corporations.
This bill will hurt every Virginian and every American. I will make it my mission to reverse the damage that it will do. The American people deserve better.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement after House passage of the Senate-amended budget plan:
“Today, House Republicans passed a cruel and immoral tax and budget scheme that prioritizes billionaires over working people and puts the health, safety, and economic security of Virginians at risk. Their “One Big Ugly Bill” to enact President Trump’s agenda is not just unpopular — it’s one of the largest transfers of wealth from the poor and middle class to the ultra-rich in U.S. history, with the bottom-earning 80 percent of Americans paying for tax cuts for the wealthiest few.
“This bill rips health insurance away from nearly 17 million people, including hundreds of thousands of Virginians, and slashes federal support for Medicaid, forcing Virginians to foot the bill while getting less.
“Moreover, by shifting more Medicaid and SNAP costs to the states, this bill will force the Virginia General Assembly to make the impossible choice of raising taxes or cutting essential services.
“Every Virginian will feel the impact — through shuttered hospitals, overcrowded emergency rooms, and rising health care costs across the board.
“This legislation does the exact opposite of what Americans voted for last November, and I was proud to vote no on this harmful and heartless legislation.”
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After All-Nighter, Vindman Votes Against Cruel Republican Bill That Strips Virginians of Health Care, Food Assistance
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) released the following statement after once again voting against President Trump and extreme Washington Republicans’ dangerous budget that threatens vital health care and food assistance while handing massive tax breaks to billionaires.
“The economy is struggling and costs are out of control. Meanwhile, extreme Washington Republicans just voted to make sure 3-year-old Luka, my constituent who relies on Medicaid, has a much harder life – it’s just cruel. I don’t know how my colleagues sleep soundly after voting for a bill that will cost people their lives.
“It rips health care away from 17 million Americans, including over 300,000 Virginians, and slashes food assistance for families already struggling to put dinner on the table. All to fund more tax breaks for their ultra-wealthy friends.
“I didn’t come to Congress to sit idly by while children lose access to care, seniors go hungry, and veterans are denied lifesaving services. And I certainly didn’t come here to help billionaires get richer while hardworking families get kicked to the curb.
“That’s why I voted no — twice. This tax bill raises costs on American families when we need to do the opposite. I’ll keep standing up for families because they deserve lower costs and peace of mind – not this constant chaos.”
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Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA03):
“Once again, Republicans rushed to jam their Big, Ugly Bill through Congress. Their bill will have serious consequences for America’s working families. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make college less affordable. Three million people will lose access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And up to 16 million students could lose access to free school meals. The Republican bill does all of this to fund tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires and corporations. And it makes annual deficits and the national debt worse than they would be if we did nothing. For years, we have heard Congressional Republicans preach about fiscal responsibility and complain about deficits and the national debt. Yet they just voted for a bill that will add an estimated 3.4 trillion dollars to our deficit and that does not even include the cost of interest. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, because every Republican administration since President Nixon has left for their Democratic successors a worse budget deficit than the one they inherited. And every Democratic administration since President Kennedy has left for their Republican successors a better deficit situation than the one they inherited. All without exception. This bill is a collection of policies that will harm America’s working families, bestow tax breaks on the wealthy, and significantly increase the national debt. Every single Democrat in Congress voted against it, while almost every Republican in Congress voted for it while having the audacity to try to call the legislation ‘beautiful.'”
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VA11 Democratic nominee James Walkinshaw: “History was made on the House floor today. Leader @HakeemJeffries delivered a powerful, record-breaking speech exposing the cruelty of Trump’s Big BS Bill—a bill that would devastate Virginia. As the Democratic nominee in VA-11, I stand with him.”
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Affordable Virginia Calls Out Kiggans for Voting to Strip Virginians of Food and Health Care
Virginia Beach, VA – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Republican Tax Scam. Of the few Republicans who stood up for their constituents, Rep. Jen Kiggans was not one of them. As expected, she chose even deeper cuts to Medicaid and SNAP to give tax cuts to billionaires and corporations.
“Growing up, my family struggled and made ends meet with the help of programs like SNAP. As an adult, I volunteer with ForKids because I want to give back to families in my community like mine,” said Natasha Baird, Suffolk resident. “The work ForKids and other organizations do is crucial for families who would struggle to provide the best for their children without these essential programs. ForKids also provides cooked meals and food pantry supplies to the families in their care. Every child deserves a full belly so that they can learn, grow, and thrive, and today’s bill, supported by Rep. Kiggans, means fewer kids will get the nutrition they need previously provided by SNAP.”
“Unfortunately, Rep. Kiggans’ vote was predictable. Despite months of claiming to support Medicaid, writing letter after letter urging everyone else to protect it, when given the opportunity to protect it herself, she folded,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaigns Director. “Now, because of her reckless and cruel vote, hundreds of thousands of Virginians will lose their healthcare. Communities will see clinics and hospitals close, especially those in rural areas. Children who rely on SNAP for their most basic needs will go hungry. This isn’t fear-mongering, this is the ugly truth. Rep. Kiggans sold out working families so that billionaires can continue to have lavish weddings and pay cities to remove bridges to make room for their yachts.”
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Republicans Send Budget to Trump’s Desk to Be Signed Into Law, Stripping Health Care From 300,000+ Virginians
Republicans in the U.S. House today passed an extreme budget with the largest Medicaid cuts in U.S. history, which is estimated to strip health care coverage from more than 300,000 Virginians. In addition, the bill will shut down rural hospitals and nursing homes, spike energy costs by 8%, rip away food assistance from hungry families and children, and trigger hundreds of job losses across the Commonwealth.
DPVA Chairman Lamont Bagby shared the following statement:
“Let’s call what we just witnessed on the House floor what it is: cruelty. Republicans knowingly voted to rip life-saving health care from millions of Americans, including more than 300,000 Virginians. They knowingly voted to shutter hospitals and rip away food assistance from children. This vote will go down as one of the most heartless in our nation’s history, plain and simple. And just like every other time they’ve voted to take away critical services and benefits from their constituents, Virginia’s five Republican House members—including Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman, who broke their promise to protect Medicaid—will try to hide and dodge accountability. But they can’t outrun the truth, and they can’t outrun the blue wave coming for them in 2026. We’ll spend every single day between now and then making sure Virginians know exactly who turned their backs on them. And in November, we will elect Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones, and expand our majority in the House of Delegates, to protect Virginians from the Trump administration’s dangerous agenda.”
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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Statement on House Republicans’ Vote to Send Backdoor Abortion Ban to President Trump’s Desk
Legislation Would “Defund” Planned Parenthood, Could Close Nearly 200 Health Centers
RICHMOND, VA — Today, despite public outrage and their own political misgivings, congressional Republicans voted AGAIN to “defund” Planned Parenthood and implement a backdoor abortion ban. The bill now goes to President Trump, who has promised to sign it and strip millions of people of their health care.
In response, Jamie Lockhart, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia issued the following statement:
“House Republicans like Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) and Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA-02) know exactly what ‘defunding’ Planned Parenthood will do: block 1.1 million Planned Parenthood patients from getting care, put nearly 200 health centers at risk of closing, and make it much harder for everyone, everywhere to get abortion care. Every cancer that goes undetected, every STI that goes untreated, every patient who can’t get birth control or abortion care when they need it — all of it is on their hands.”
“It doesn’t stop there. These same politicians voted for devastating cuts to Medicaid — threatening health coverage for over 300,000 Virginians — even after signing a letter promising they wouldn’t support Medicaid cuts for vulnerable populations.”
“Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia will never give in to those who want to tell people what to do with their bodies and lives. When we say care no matter what, we mean it. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia will never stop working to build a world where all people can get the care they need.”
Planned Parenthood health centers are essential providers in Virginia:
Planned Parenthood health centers serve nearly 25,000 patients annually across six locations, including rural and medically underserved areas. In 2023, Virginia health centers provided:
12,081 patients with birth control
Conducted 12,027 tests for chlamydia — the leading cause of preventable infertility — that resulted in 673 positive results and follow-up treatment
Performed 705 cervical cancer screenings (i.e., Pap tests) that detected 53 abnormal results that required further diagnosis and treatment and 1,295 breast exams.
No other provider can step in and replace Planned Parenthood for the patients that will lose care, according to new Guttmacher Institute research.
“Defunding” Planned Parenthood for just one year will cost taxpayers nearly $52 million over 10 years.
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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) is a statewide advocacy organization committed to preserving and expanding access to reproductive health care through legislative action, public education, and electoral engagement. We fight to ensure every Virginian has the freedom, information, and power to make their own informed reproductive choices.
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Democratic Nominee for Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones’ Statement on House Republicans Passing Reconciliation Bill
Norfolk, VA – Today, Jay Jones, Democratic nominee for Attorney General in Virginia, released the following statement in response to Republicans passing their disastrous budget bill:
“Today’s passage of the Republican Budget is a complete betrayal of Virginia families – and Jason Miyares is complicit.
“Miyares fought against improving access to quality, affordable healthcare for Virginians – including opposing Medicaid expansion and attempting to pass the same schemes MAGA Republicans in Washington are using right now to gut Medicaid. Now, as Republicans gut healthcare from more than 302,000 people across the Commonwealth and put five rural hospitals at risk of shutting their doors – all to pay for tax cuts for big corporations and MAGA donors – Miyares will do nothing to help Virginia’s working families.
“We need an Attorney General who will stand up for all Virginians, not sit on the sidelines while MAGA billionaires profit off of the biggest cuts to Medicaid in history. As Delegate, I was proud to expand Medicaid coverage to over 400,000 Virginians, and as Attorney General, I’ll work to strengthen Medicaid, protect Virginians from price gouging, and defend against MAGA politicians’ attacks on our fundamental rights and freedoms.”
DCCC Chair Statement on Kiggans and Wittman Forfeiting Their House Majority By Voting For Republicans’ Disastrous Tax Scam – AGAIN
DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene released the following statement after Jen Kiggans, Rob Wittman, and House Republicans once AGAIN passed their deeply unpopular tax scam that rips away health care and food access from millions of children and families, all to pay for massive tax breaks for their billionaire campaign donors:
“Jen Kiggans, Rob Wittman, and House Republicans have doubled down on their broken promise to working Virginians. Their vote to once again pass their Big, Ugly Bill — bigger and uglier than ever — is the latest and loudest declaration of the fact that they will always prioritize serving Republicans’ billionaire campaign donors at the expense of the children, families, and workers they’re supposed to represent.
“Let’s be clear — vulnerable Republicans have admitted time and time again that even they know their bill would obliterate access to health care, raise costs, cut jobs, threaten rural hospitals, and lead to families going hungry, but they voted to pass it anyway.
“This Big, Ugly Bill is a laundry list of Republicans’ betrayal to the American people. The DCCC will make sure every battleground voter knows how vulnerable House Republicans — including Kiggans and Wittman — abandoned them by passing the most unpopular piece of legislation in modern American history, and we’re going to take back the House majority because of it.”
Nice job by Affordable Virginia in putting this together and working to hold Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) for her votes in favor of Trump’s cruel, devastating budget. Next year, VA02 has a chance to replace Kiggans with somebody who actually cares about the people of the district – and hopefully they wll take advantage of that opportunity!
Suffolk, VA – Over 50 Suffolk residentsgathered Wednesday evening to discuss how they would be affected by the Republican Tax Scam, especially the cuts to essential programs many families in rural Virginia rely on.
Constituents in VA-02 expressed their concern about losing access to health care and view it as being under attack by congressional Republicans, including their representative, Rep. Jen Kiggans. After she signed a do-nothing letter last week, her constituents had a few things to say about her attempt to save face while they continue to struggle and brace for the worst, as the Republican Tax Scam is expected to pass out of the House as soon as today.
“Because of no longer having a job, due to my epilepsy, I rely on Medicaid to pay for my drugs. I have three drugs that I am on that cost $2,500 a month. I also have an implant in my body that keeps me from having life-threatening seizures. It contains a battery, and that battery needs to be changed in two years. So, if I’m off Medicaid, what will I do? I am trying to figure out my alternatives, but I really don’t have any,” said Lynn Frieden, resident of Chesapeake. “Without Medicaid, I don’t know what I’ll do. I keep thinking about all the other people who are wondering the same thing. I am, however, grateful that this room has so many people.”
Photo credit: Josh Stubbs
“I’m here because I’ve volunteered with food pantries in Suffolk and want to talk a little about SNAP. People literally need food and water for survival. Children, most especially, as they need fuel to grow and learn. According to the figures I received from the Suffolk library, about 67% of the kids in Suffolk in 2022 were eligible for nutrition benefits. It’s not like things are on an upswing lately. I was doing some cleaning in the community pantry and chatting with a lady who was shopping; she was saying how her niece could use the baby food there, and adding it to her bag, only to take it right back out and pass it on when a family with a young toddler in tow walked up,” said Natasha Baird, Suffolk resident. “It boggles my mind how many people Republican members of Congress are willing to harm to get this bill passed. Who is really hoarding and taking more than their fair share here? Please join me in telling Kiggans to vote NO on cuts to our social safety net!”
“As expected, Rep. Kiggans was a no-show,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaigns Director. “The stories we heard last night were heartbreaking. Too many families already have too much to worry about. They are trying to make ends meet, and can barely afford to do that, and the few programs in place to help are on the chopping block. Medicaid, SNAP, veteran benefits – these are all programs families in Suffolk rely on, and it’s not because they’re home playing video games. These are military families, children with special needs, seniors, minors – it’s absurd to suggest that people who benefit from these programs are anything less than deserving, but that’s what Rep. Jen Kiggans keeps doing, and we are not optimistic that will change with today’s expected vote.”
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About Affordable Virginia
Affordable Virginia is fighting to make Virginia an affordable place for all. Virginians work hard day in and day out to make ends meet and build a better future for themselves and their families.
Good stuff from Ranked Choice Virginia, which finds that ” 80% of respondents strongly support using RCV in future [Charlottesville] City Council elections, with another 9% expressing some support” and “Less than 10% oppos[ing] continued use.” As the press release from Ranked Choice Virginia points out, “Critics of ranked choice voting often raise concerns about voter confusion, suppressed turnout, and ballot errors, but these concerns proved unfounded.” But in Charlottesville’s primary elections last month, none of that seemed to happen. Nor did any of that seem to happen in NY City or pretty much anywhere else Ranked Choice Voting has been used.
So why aren’t we using Ranked Choice Voting in all Virginia Democratic primaries – such as the recent “firehouse primary” in VA11 or last June’s VA10 Democratic primary, both of which had large numbers of candidates running – at this point? Mostly what you hear is: 1) for state-run primaries, Ranked Choice Voting isn’t allowed, which is why we need the next Democratic “trifecta,” hopefully starting in January 2026, to change the law; 2) for Democratic-run nomination contests, mostly what seems to be cited is cost, as well as difficulty tabulating the ballots and unfamiliarity with the process, software, etc.
On #2, those are real issues for sure. But IMHO, they can be overcome with the help of Ranked Choice Voting advocates/experts and financial support if needed. But the bottom line is that we need to get this done moving forward, as it’s, let’s just say less-than-ideal to have someone winning a nomination with 28% of the vote (as in the recent Democratic LG primary – nothing against Ghazala Hashmi, who’s excellent, and maybe with RCV she would have gotten 50%+); last June’s 13-candidate (!) VA10 Democratic primary,, won by Suhas Subramanyam (again, nothing against him at all; he also might have gotten 50%+ with RCV) with 30.4% of the vote. So sure, we might end up with perfectly good or even excellent nominees regardless of the method use, but we have a lot better chance of doing that conistently if we require that the winning candidate get a majority of the preference vote…not just a (sometimes small) plurality.
Charlottesville Voters Embrace Ranked Choice
80% strongly support using the system in future elections
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – A survey of Charlottesville primary voters conducted one week after the City’s first ranked choice election found decisive support for continuing the system. Fully 80% of respondents strongly support using RCV in future City Council elections, with another 9% expressing some support. Less than 10% opposed continued use.
Support was strong across demographic groups, including age, race, gender, education, and homeownership. The only group with majority opposition was the small subset of voters (5%) who were also dissatisfied with the election winners.
Voters Were Ready to Rank
The City of Charlottesville and Ranked Choice Virginia conducted voter education campaigns ahead of the election, and survey results show voters were prepared:
More than 9 in 10 voters knew they would be using ranked choice voting before they received their ballot—either by mail or in person.
Voters were comfortable marking their ballots, with 96% expressing confidence in the process. Less than 4% reported major questions or concerns about completing their ballots.
More than 9 in 10 voters understood how their votes were counted, with 62% expressing complete confidence and 30% saying they were “pretty sure.”
Winners Had Deep and Broad Support
As the reported results show, Jen Fleisher won 51% of first-choice votes, followed by incumbent Mayor Juandiego Wade with 36%, so in total, 87% of voters will be represented by their first-choice candidate on Council next year.
In addition, data from the City’s ballot scanners reveal how voters used their second-choice rankings and show the winners earned broad support from the electorate. More than 47% of voters saw their top two candidates elected. No other pair of winners could have made as many voters fully satisfied with the results: not incumbents Wade and Brian Pinkston (35%) or Fleisher and Pinkston (27%).
The results also illustrate how multi-winner ranked choice delivers proportional representation: roughly half the voters ranked the incumbent councilors first and half preferred newcomer Fleisher, so voters got one of each.
Common Concerns Dispelled
Critics of ranked choice voting often raise concerns about voter confusion, suppressed turnout, and ballot errors, but these concerns proved unfounded.
Turnout in this year’s City Council election mirrored past off-year primaries: the 2019 and 2021 Democratic primary elections also saw roughly 6,200 ballots cast. In addition, more people voted in this year’s City Council race than either of the statewide races on the same ballot.
Ballot scanners also saw few errors. Just 30 ballots were unable to be counted due to marking errors, and half were from in-person voters who were offered replacement ballots but chose not to use them.
Methodology
The survey was sent to Charlottesville primary voters via text message one week after Election Day. All 8,699 people who had voted in a local primary election in 2021, 2023, or early in 2025 were eligible to take the survey, and 4.4% of voters who received the message completed the questions. Survey participants closely mirrored actual primary voters across neighborhood, voting patterns, and demographics.
Ranked Choice Future in Virginia
“The results show what RCV cities across the country already know: when voters finally get to use ranked choice voting, they get it, they like it, and they want to do it again,” said Sally Hudson, Executive Director of Ranked Choice Virginia.
A formal report will be presented to City Council later this summer as the City considers whether to continue using ranked choice voting in future elections. Charlottesville is the second community in Virginia to use RCV in local elections. Arlington County has used ranked choice to elect its County Board since 2023.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia says he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture in El Salvador jail (“He said he was kicked and hit so often after arrival that by the following day, he had visible bruises and lumps all over his body. He said he and 20 others were forced to kneel all night long and guards hit anyone who fell…Abrego Garcia said he saw others in nearby cells violently harm each other and heard screams from people throughout the night…His condition deteriorated and he lost more than 30 pounds in his first two weeks there, he said.” EVIL.)
Why some fear government data on the economy is losing integrity (“U.S. policymakers are increasingly anxious about the integrity of certain government benchmarks, crucial data points that help the Federal Reserve assess the economy’s health and guide interest rate decisions.”)
Biden’s climate law boosted red states. Their lawmakers are now gutting it. (“The former president bet that the economic benefits of his policies would protect them over time. Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress have upended that wager.” Not only did Democrats not get credit for this from red-state and rural voters, if anything they were penalized for it. Wildly perverse incentive structure.)
WARNER & KAINE STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ILLEGALLY WITHHOLDING $108 MILLION FROM VIRGINIA SCHOOLS
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration missed a key deadline to distribute $6.2 billion in federal K-12 funding, including $108 million for Virginia schools, to support teacher training, after school programming, mental health resources, and more:
“Virginians know that high-quality public schools and the well-being of our children are critical to the Commonwealth’s future and economic success. The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold over $6 billion in funding that Congress appropriated for schools across the country, while pushing for a disastrous megabill that slashes programs Virginians rely on to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy, tells you everything you need to know about their priorities. This move will devastate our students, especially those in our rural communities. We demand that the Administration immediately provide Virginia schools with the $108 million in funding we voted to secure, and urge all of Virginia’s leaders to do the same.”
The $108 million being withheld from Virginia represents over 12 percent of the Commonwealth’s total K-12 funding.
Excellent question by VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell:
“VA loses the fight for the FBI HQ and its 11K employees for a 2nd time after FBI selection committee say VA is best –what has our Governor going full MAGA netted our state besides a UVA president firing?“
The thing is, of course, that Youngkin doesn’t give a flying you-know-what about Virginia – and he never has. Remember how in the spring of 2021 Youngkin talked about how he wasn’t having a midlife crisis, he was having a “Virginia crisis,” because the Democrats supposedly put Virginia “in the ditch,” blah blah blah – and, yep, Glenn Youngkin to the rescue, by running for governor and *saving us* from those dastardly, horrible Democrats!
Except…nah, that was never serious by Youngkin in terms of his motivations. Instead, what actually happened was that Youngkin “flamed out” at the Carlyle Group, “racked up bad bets,” had a “checkered record” and “little choice but to leave.” So then, after being pushed out of Carlyle in 2020, at the age of 53, he was like – OH NOOOOOOZ, what am I going to do now? Also, he had more money than he could ever spend in 100 lifetimes, so making more money probably wasn’t it. Which left…of course, what the hell, run for governor of Virginia! Not out of some deep calling to public service, or out of experise and interest in state governance, or caring about Virginia/Virginians, or anything like that. Nope, it was simply a midlife crisis, and specifically something to spend his time and energy on after making a fortune and then getting pushed out of the Carlyle Group.
And now, 3 1/2 years into Youngkin’s single term as governor, what are his accoplishments exactly? I mean, other than riding the tailwind of the overall national and international economic recovery coming out of the COVID pandemic – which of course helped every state, including Virginia – and also enjoying the fruits of a strong Virginia economy, infrastructure, etc, built over many years and strengthened during the Northam administration/Democratic “trifecta” of 2020-2021? Uhhhh…yeah, very hard to think of any major accomplishments, unless of course you count *negative* accomplishments, like vetoing a ton of excellent legislation for no good reason, completely failing in his quest to get the Commanders or Caps/Wizards to relocate to Virginia, driving away thousands of jobs and billions in investment, actively aiding/abetting (or, at the minimum, not trying to stop) Trump’s assault on Virginia’s flagship university, completely failing to fight back against – and, if anything, SUPPORTING – Trump’s assault on Virginia’s huge workforce of federal employes and contractors, and now losing the fight for the FBI headquarters “and its 11k employees for a 2nd time,” etc.
But that’s not really the right question for Youngkin, anyway, because again, he doesn’t give a you-know-what about Virginia or Virginians; *all* he cares about his own burning ambitions, specifically to be president of the United States, which means he will never do a single thing to anger the Cult Leader, Donald Trump, and WILL do as much as he possibly can to ingratiate himself with the Cult Leader, even if it does severe, long-term damage to Virginia. As always with Glenn Youngkin, the thing you have to understand more than anything is, he doesn’t give a flying you-know-what about you, only about himself. And once you understand that, everything else becomes crystal clear…
P.S. A snarky, smart friend pointed out, “it appears one of the Governor’s biggest economic development deals he has announced is… a gas station?”
Mamdani on Trump’s deportation threat: We won’t ‘accept this intimidation’ (“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation”)
They Didn’t Have to Do This (“By passing Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, congressional Republicans have talked themselves into an incomprehensibly reckless plan.”)
The Disaster That Just Passed the Senate (EVERYONE who voted for this monstrosity needs to be defeated. They all won’t be, of course, but as many as possible need to lose in 2026 or whenever…)
Editorial: Hoos your daddy, Virginia? (“Youngkin and the UVa board left the gate open and then stood by while Trump’s DOJ rushed in, took out the switch and publicly whipped Virginia’s highest-profile university, and its president — in our own backyard…Turns out growing campus diversity was just too much to bear. So Youngkin and UVa’s board members tucked their tails, kept their mouths shut and looked the other way as the DOJ gave Trump his trophy kill. Rest assured, it won’t be the last time. Thanks to Youngkin, the gate’s now wide open.”)
Meet the candidate: Jessica Anderson (“Democratic House of Delegates candidate Jessica Anderson is challenging Republican incumbent Del. Amanda Batten in the 71st District.”)
The following statement is from 
