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Democratic AG candidates support review of Virginians pardoned by Trump
The Democratic candidates for Virginia Attorney General say they're open to reviewing criminal charges for Virginians pardoned by President Donald Trump. According to Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney and Democratic Attorney General candidate Shannon Taylor, presidential pardons are supposed to be reserved for those who’ve shown remorse, been rehabilitated or have evidence proving actual innocence. But she hasn’t seen either from those pardoned by President Donald Trump. ... A former Assistant Attorney General and Norfolk-area lawmaker, Jay Jones is the other Democratic candidate for AG. He said Trump’s use of pardons undermines the will of Virginians ...
‘Restore a sense of discipline’: Virginia GOP Lt. Gov. candidate floats school uniforms
With five months to go before the general election, Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee John Reid is already laying out policy goals and staking out ground on several hot-button issues that could shape Virginia’s political landscape in November. In a sit-down interview hosted by 7News, Reid — unopposed in the GOP primary — said he’s already spent time “working behind the scenes, talking to people about where we can cut and where we can recalibrate.”
Trump and Army plan to restore name of Fort Lee — but not for that Lee
President Donald Trump and the U.S. Army plan to restore the names of seven bases that had been named for Confederate officers. But the Army says the restored names, such as Virginia’s Fort Lee, Fort Pickett and Fort A.P. Hill, will not honor the Confederate officers, but decorated service members who had the same last names as the Confederates. For instance, the Army plans to rename the former Fort Lee in Prince George County — now Fort Gregg-Adams — for Fitz Lee, a Black Buffalo Soldier who received the Medal of Honor for helping rescue wounded comrades under fire during the Spanish American War.
Miyares, Surovell clash over university board appointments
In dueling letters to university rectors, Attorney General Jason Miyares and Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, each said the other doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to the status of college board of visitors members who a state Senate panel refused to confirm. The lightning rod is Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s appointment of former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to the University of Virginia board. Cuccinelli was one of eight appointees the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee refused to confirm this week.
Miyares breaks with Trump over pardon of convicted ex-Culpeper sheriff
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, saying the ex-lawman’s federal bribery conviction was well-founded and the pardon misguided. “I have to authorize any state investigation into any elected official. And so I was aware of a lot of the facts at that time,” Miyares told The Mercury in an interview Tuesday. “Given what I know, I would not have pardoned him.” The rare public break from Miyares, a Republican and rising star in Virginia politics who is seeking a second term this year, comes just weeks after Trump issued the controversial pardon in late May.
Lieutenant governor candidate Alex Bastani says Democrats are ‘trying to out-Republican Republicans’
Alex Bastani is a labor and employment attorney who describes himself as a “lifelong union member.” The Northern Virginia Democrat is a member of the American Federation of Government Employees and fought for workers’ rights as the leader of his local union for more than a decade. Now, he’s hoping to use his experience to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. He is one of six candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the June 17 primary. The winner will face Republican John Reid for the office currently occupied by Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears.
Kilgore, Va. House GOP members slam Spanberger’s newly unveiled energy plan
After Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger released her energy plan for the state this week, Virginia House GOP members wasted no time bashing it. Her plan emphasizes fair cost share, efficiency projects, and supporting a pilot program to handle peak energy consumption times. “Her plan leans heavily on demand-side management: programmable thermostats, weatherization programs, utility subsidies, and incentives to reduce consumption during peak hours. That might sound reasonable in theory, but here’s the problem: managing scarcity isn’t a solution — it’s a symptom of failure,” an op-ed penned by House GOP leaders and members read.
Strategy or slow start? Some in Virginia GOP question Earle-Sears campaign.
Democrat Abigail Spanberger reported a massive fundraising lead over Republican gubernatorial rival Winsome Earle-Sears this week, with her $14.3 million in campaign cash more than quadruple the $3 million on hand for Earle-Sears — aggravating concerns among some in the GOP that the campaign is off to a troubled start. Republican critics cited another number to explain their fears: zero, the number of times Earle-Sears has campaigned in public with the full GOP ticket of John Reid for lieutenant governor and Attorney General Jason S. Miyares seeking reelection. With Democrats awaiting June 17 primary elections to determine the rest of their ticket beyond Spanberger, Republicans had a clear opportunity for a head start.
Detainees more than double at Farmville Detention Center since October of 2024
The number of people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Farmville Detention Center in Prince Edward County has more than doubled since October of 2024, according to the agency’s data. According to data collected by ICE on May 27, 2025, there were reportedly 542 detainees at the Farmville Detention Center, located in Prince Edward County, which is more than double the number of detainees recorded by ICE on Oct. 7, 2024 — with that figure being 241.
Legislators call on Shannon Taylor to recuse herself from Dominion-related matters if she wins attorney general race
Multiple state legislators and a member of Congress have called on Democratic primary candidate Shannon Taylor to recuse herself from any matters related to Dominion Energy if she is elected attorney general. The attorney general’s office is tasked with regulatory oversight of Dominion, Virginia’s largest public utility company. “As elected officials, we write to express our serious concerns regarding the unprecedented campaign contributions you have received from Dominion Energy Virginia, totaling approximately $650,000 according to recent reports,” the letter begins, which is signed by 14 current and former elected officials. ... Taylor’s campaign pointed to several other powerful Democrats who receive Dominion’s money.