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Democrats' statewide ticket boasts unity at first joint meeting in Richmond
The statewide Democratic ticket appeared together for the first time on Saturday afternoon in Richmond, four days after voters picked the party’s nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general. The GOP ticket, which was finalized in April, still has not appeared together. The Democratic trio includes former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, the party’s nominee for governor; state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, the Democratic lieutenant governor nominee; and former Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, the party’s nominee for attorney general.
Spanberger, Earle-Sears top ticket, but Trump will top the talk
Formally, the candidates in this year’s statewide election campaign will debate the advantages of a political trifecta (governor, House and Senate) versus divided government, casting outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin either as a roadblock to Virginians’ desires or a brake on legislative extremism. But the central character in this year’s drama over whether Abigail Spanberger or Winsome Earle-Sears will be the state’s next chief executive will likely be neither, political scientists agree.
New York City’s mayoral election is going like it’s supposed to. Virginia shows why.
Virginia state Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi won Tuesday’s six-way Democratic primary for lieutenant governor with 27.4 percent of the vote, barely edging out former Richmond mayor Levar Stoney, who received 26.6 percent, and state Sen. Aaron Rouse, who garnered 26.3 percent. The bunch-up — along with the three other candidates each pulling more than five percent — means a supermajority of Virginia Democrats preferred someone besides the winner. In contrast, the Democratic primary for attorney general offered just two choices: Jerrauld C. “Jay” Jones beat Shannon Taylor 51 percent to 49 percent, narrowly but cleanly.
Kaine, Warner criticize U.S. strikes on Iran; Youngkin backs Trump’s actions
Virginia’s U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner criticized the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites without congressional authorization, while Gov. Glenn Youngkin supported President Donald Trump’s actions. Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation faulted the president for acting without congressional backing or consultation, while Republicans supported the U.S. effort to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat.
Virginia Bar Association cancels gubernatorial debate after candidates don’t RSVP
The Virginia Bar Association has canceled its scheduled July 19 gubernatorial debate after neither candidate accepted an invitation before the organization’s June 9 deadline. The VBA said April 28 that it invited the two nominees, Democrat former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, to debate during the association’s summer meeting at the Omni Homestead Resort in Bath County. The VBA hosted debates for the statewide races for governor and U.S. senator from 1985 to 2020.
Petersburg mayor among prominent names chosen for new Richard Bland College Board of Visitors
Petersburg’s mayor and the general manager of one of the city’s pharmaceutical manufacturers will be among the charter members of Richard Bland College’s Board of Visitors. The list, released June 20 by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office, also includes a former state education official and a longtime area business professional. The Board of Visitors creation is the crown jewel in RBC’s yearlong effort to establish its independence from the College of William & Mary ...
Fauquier Planning Commission recommends denial of Gigaland data center project in Remington
The Fauquier County Planning Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday night to recommend denial of a proposal for a data center campus near Remington. The vote followed a three-hour public hearing that drew significant community interest. The application, known as Gigaland, seeks approval for a 2.2-million-square-foot data center complex spanning 202 acres south of Lucky Hill Road, just outside Remington town limits. The project would include seven two-story buildings up to 80 feet in height — comprising a 65-foot structure with a 15-foot parapet — alongside public water infrastructure such as a water treatment facility, an aboveground water storage tank, two wells and four electrical substations.
Virginia hospitals could lose more than $2 billion annually under latest version of Trump budget
Advocates have been warning for weeks that federal cuts to Medicaid would impact Virginia’s healthcare system. Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration briefed legislators on those cuts for the first time [last] week. And they are significant if amendments aren’t made. Cheryl Roberts, Director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, tried to lighten the mood during Wednesday’s Senate Finance meeting by offering both good and bad news:
Citizens tell Griffith’s staffer of the power of ‘A thousand whispers’
More staff from the Blue Ridge Job Corps wanted to speak to Rep. Morgan Griffith’s staffer Thursday in Marion, but a Rapid Response Team was at the educational institution to help employees prepare for unemployment while they’re trying to help students prepare for their uncertain future. Jeanette Winston was one of the BRJC staffers who did come and told the gathering of like-minded citizens and Griffith’s representative that the proposed closure “just breaks my heart.” If BRJC is closed, she said, many of the students will be going to nothing. About 12%, she said, are homeless. Yet, at BRJC, those students have a home, a bed.
Loudoun congressional delegation critical of U.S. bombing of Iran
Members of Loudoun County's congressional [delegation] condemned President Trump's bombing of Iran on Saturday, saying it was unconstitutional. After the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, said in an online statement that the majority of Americans oppose war with Iran and noted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on June 20 that Israeli bombing had set back Iran's nuclear program "at least two or three years."