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Is John McGuire trolling his constituents?
Republican U.S. Rep. John McGuire is making a concerted effort to evade his constituents. Not all of them, though; just those who didn’t vote for him. The freshman representative from Virginia’s 5th Congressional District has not held a single in-person town hall since taking office Jan. 3. But he does hold private events for a select group of his constituents, like the one April 24 at the S&P Global building in downtown Charlottesville, where roughly 70 company employees were in attendance to hear the congressman speak.
Sports wagering rises more than 20% in March
Sports wagering in Virginia rebounded during March, rising 23.9% compared to the prior month, according to a new report from the Virginia Lottery. Total wagers reached nearly $690 million statewide during the 31 days of March, hitting $689.66 million. That is up noticeably compared to the $556.83 million wagered during February, lottery figures show.
As early voting begins, a committed few turn out in Hampton Roads
Early voting began Friday for primary elections in Virginia, and a few Hampton Roads residents decided to show up as soon as possible. Noel Craig was among the first 30 people to vote early in Norfolk. A retired social worker, Craig said his biggest concerns were the threats to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and the threats to voting rights. He said the governor’s race was the most important to him because it has the most direct effect on taxes and quality of life. Specifically, he wants the governor to address the high tolls in Hampton Roads and lower auto insurance rates.
‘Don't get discouraged’: State Republican chair says politics can turn on a dime
As Gov. Glenn Youngkin shifts course and pledges to support the entire GOP ticket after asking the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor to withdraw a week ago, Republican leaders in Virginia are telling the party’s grass roots to keep their hopes up because the general election is still six months away. During this election year, Republicans also will be dealing with forecasts that see Virginia’s economy lagging in 2025 due to major cuts in federal government spending and growing unemployment.
Va. GOP roiled by controversy over sexually explicit photos
The blast radius from the controversy surrounding Virginia’s Republican lieutenant governor candidate expanded [last] week, when a top political aide to Gov. Glenn Youngkin stepped down from his post. His departure was the latest event in a week of turmoil that has pitted Republican leaders in the state against the GOP’s grassroots, upending a party that was already confronting a difficult election year.
Martinsville-Henry County Chamber holds post-legislative meeting
About 50 people gathered early Tuesday morning at New College Institute where they heard from local and state elected officials. Each year, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce hosts a post-legislative meeting, an opportunity for legislators representing the area to bring Chamber members up-to-date on the happenings in local and state politics. Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry, represents the 48th House District, which includes the city of Martinsville and part of the counties of Henry and Pittsylvania.
Analysts: Youngkin’s record vetoes are a new approach to executive power
In Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s view, vetoing bills—nearly four times as many as any other governor — and making case-by-case decisions on restoring voting rights is what governors are supposed to do. But some political scientists and at least one former governor aren’t so sure. Just as with the flood of directives from President Donald Trump, flexing of executive muscle on such a scale is something new in politics, they say. And they say it might have less to do with getting things done in Virginia than with creating a brand.
From VPAP New Episode: The Virginia Press Room Podcast
In the latest episode of the podcast from VaNews and VPM, Michael Pope is joined by Dwayne Yancey of Cardinal News, Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post, and Jeff Schapiro of Radio IQ. They discuss the week's top headlines from news and commentary: low early voting in rural communities, sparring between GOP lieutenant governor nominee John Reid and Youngkin aide Matthew Moran over an extortion claim, and Youngkin's Republican Party schism. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Trump’s tariffs added $4M to this Virginia wind project in just a few weeks
Off the coast of Virginia, Dominion Energy is building what will be the largest offshore wind facility in the U.S., a 2.6-gigawatt project that will provide energy to as many as 660,000 homes. It has been under construction since 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2026—but President Donald Trump’s tariffs are adding to the project’s costs. Already, through the first quarter of 2025, Dominion’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project has incurred tariff costs of $4 million, CEO Bob Blue said on a recent earnings call. That increase came from Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel, which the president announced in early February and which went into effect March 12.
VPAP Visual Early Voting By House District: June Primaries
Early voting has begun for the June 17 primaries. Check back daily for the latest count of early ballots cast, broken down by House of Delegates districts. The data include votes for statewide, House, and local primaries where available, so there may be votes in districts that do not have a House primary.