Search
Southside House of Delegates race draws interest from both Democrats, Republicans
House District 49 is one of only two delegate races in the state that feature primaries among both Democrats and Republicans. The Danville-centered district includes portions of Pittsylvania and Halifax counties. Republican Del. Danny Marshall is retiring after representing the area in Richmond for more than two decades and the GOP is seeking to hold onto the seat.
Sierra Club’s Virginia chapter says data center growth is unsustainable
In a new report, the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter said business as usual on data centers is unsustainable. Lead author and researcher Ann Bennett used publicly available data on existing facilities, as well as those under construction or proposed to be built. She said that wasn’t an easy task because data was not available for all facilities due to a lack of transparency from developers and state and local governments. The Sierra Club’s estimate of total data center square footage either built or in the development pipeline is roughly 390,000,000 square feet, split among 1,295 facilities.
Spanberger to launch 40-stop bus tour across Virginia
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, is launching a 40-plus-stop, eight-day bus tour across Virginia in her campaign for governor, beginning on Saturday in Richmond and ending on June 28 in Virginia Beach. Spanberger, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, expects to appear at several campaign stops with her running mates, once voters determine the party nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general in primary elections on Tuesday.
States’ $7.4B settlement with Purdue Pharma nears closure
Fifty-five attorneys general have agreed to sign on to a $7.4 billion nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, the Virginia attorney general’s office announced Monday. If the settlement is approved by the federal bankruptcy court, Virginia would receive up to $103.8 million over the next 15 years. According to state Attorney General Jason Miyares‘ statement, the Sackler family has “indicated its plan to proceed with the settlement,” allowing them to resolve litigation for Purdue’s alleged role in causing widespread opioid abuse.
Louisa County landowner caught up in solar farm regulation debate
A landowner in Louisa County is tangled up in disputes over how her land should be developed, reflecting an ongoing debate over the state’s role in solar energy development in rural areas. She wants a solar project to be built on her property, but local authorities want her land to stay agricultural use-only. Two years into the process she’s still waiting for a resolution, as legislation addressing solar ordinances, which could help mitigate the situation, failed again in the General Assembly this year.
Federal cuts could raise Va. food stamp costs $540 million
Virginia lawmakers are getting a new lesson in national politics: when President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress talk about cutting federal spending, they also mean shifting the cost of safety net programs to states. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” that the U.S. House of Representatives passed could cost Virginia up to $540 million a year to administer food assistance for low-income residents and pay up to 25% of benefits, the state commissioner of social services told a General Assembly budget committee on Monday.
Democrats look to Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger for a win after rough patch
Democrats are touting former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who they hope will be a bright spot for the party in the state’s gubernatorial election later this year, after months of internal drama and political bruisings from the GOP. Spanberger has already clinched the Democratic nomination in the race to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), who is term-limited, ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Virginia Democrats set to pick nominees in closely watched 2025 primaries
Virginia Democrats are set on Tuesday to pick their nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, rounding out the statewide ticket and setting the stage for a bellwether election later this year. Most of the nominees slated to be at the top of the November ticket have already been picked, and Republicans aren’t even having a statewide primary. In the race for governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, whose candidacy thwarted prospective primary challengers, will go up against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears — the only Republican who qualified for the ballot. Republicans have also solidified nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Vindman, Kiggans cross aisle in bid to get phones out of classrooms
Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-7th, and Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, are top targets of each other's political party in next year's congressional midterm elections, but they are making a common cause of getting cellphones out of school classrooms. Vindman and Kiggans have introduced a pair of bills in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide incentives to schools that prohibit cellphones in classrooms from the first bell in the morning to the last bell in the afternoon.
Warner speaks out on Trump policies during Shenandoah University visit
Virginia’s general election in November will be watched closely by the entire country because the outcomes will serve as a report card on President Trump’s performance in the White House. That’s according to Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, who held a town hall meeting Friday morning with a crowd of about 150 people in Halpin-Harrison Hall at Shenandoah University (SU).