Presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is slated to speak at an annual fundraising gala for the Democratic Party of Virginia on Feb. 15 in Richmond. The “Blue Commonwealth Gala,” which was held in June last year, will be held in February to coincide with primary season and increased activity by candidates vying for support in Super Tuesday states like Virginia.
Eight Virginia lawmakers are endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential bid, Biden’s campaign announced Thursday. The list includes prominent members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus like Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, president pro tempore of the Senate; Sen. Lionell Spruill, D-Chesapeake; Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond; Del. Roslyn Tyler, D-Sussex; and Del. Cliff Hayes, D-Chesapeake.
When Tim Kaine was pushing Republicans to support his effort to curb military action in Iran, he kept hearing concerns that the resolution was an attack on President Donald Trump. The Virginia Democrat recalled that Republican Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) in particular asked whether the resolution was really about the Trump administration.
Touting his history of advocating for gun control, Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg visited Richmond the day before the legislature goes into session and urged Virginia lawmakers to take action on the issue.
U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria is endorsing Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 Democratic primary, calling him “battle-tested on the world stage” and pitching him as the candidate most prepared to take on President Donald Trump. Luria announced her endorsement Sunday night along with two other U.S. Reps., both from battleground districts in Pennsylvania: Chrissy Houlahan, of Chester County, and Conor Lamb, of Pittsburgh suburbs. All three share a military background and represent districts that have traditionally been held by Republicans but flipped in 2018.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is the only Democratic presidential hopeful currently outpacing President Donald Trump in Virginia, according to a new year-end survey. Trump edges three other top-tier Democrats — Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, according to a poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy.
Former vice president Joe Biden has appointed a campaign director for Virginia, underscoring the state’s status as a prize for Democrats in next year’s Super Tuesday presidential primaries. Biden has tapped Fernando Mercado to coordinate his efforts in Virginia
All but one of the 15 Democratic candidates for president will officially appear on Virginia’s primary ballot, starting with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. Booker’s name was the first drawn at random Wednesday from the 14 candidates who filed the necessary signatures and paperwork to qualify, according to the State Board of Elections.
All but two candidates in the crowded Democratic field for president filed petition signatures and other paperwork in an effort to appear on Virginia’s primary ballot on March 3. Julian Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and Obama administration housing secretary, and former U.S. Rep. John Delaney of Maryland did not file by the deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on Virginia’s Democratic governor to repeal the state’s anti-union “right-to-work” law on Wednesday, adding to pressure from progressives frustrated with the governor’s doubts about passing such a repeal bill. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) had said at an economic and revenue forecasting meeting on Monday that, despite Democrats winning unified control of the state government earlier this month, he did not “foresee” the party moving to undo the state’s decadeslong status as a hotbed of union hostility.