Cao for Senate?
Youngkin is taking heat for removing LGBTQ resources from state websites.
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Hung Cao filed paperwork to run for US Senate
Former VA-10 Republican nominee Hung Cao has filed paperwork to run for the United States Senate in 2024. He would be running against Sen. Tim Kaine (D) if he actually moves forward with a campaign. He would first have to earn the nomination against what is expected to be a long list of Republicans looking to run against Kaine.
Cao lost to Rep. Jennifer Wextion in 2022. He has not made any public statements about a new potential campaign at this time.
Youngkin taking heat for removing LGBTQ resources from state website
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office removed LGBTQ resources from a state website after an inquiry from the Daily Wire, a right-wing website started by Ben Shapiro.
Here is coverage of how it went down:
From Virginia Mercury:
After an inquiry from the right-wing media outlet Daily Wire this May about two websites listed on a Virginia Department of Health webpage offering resources for LGBTQ youth, internal agency emails indicate Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration took the entire page down, leaving agency employees who oversaw it bewildered.
“Did someone request this?” asked Emily Yeatts, a supervisor for the Department of Health’s Division of Child and Family Health, in a May 31 email to other staff members. “This request did not come from the program.”
At roughly the same time, Vanessa Walker Harris, director of the Office of Family Health Services — the office responsible for managing content on the page — also sent out an email to employees in the division, as well as communications staff and Deputy VDH Commissioner Robert Hicks.
From the Washington Post:
The presence of the materials — and their subsequent disappearance on May 31 — generated two headlines and a flurry of online reaction from conservative readers of the outlet, co-founded by right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro. The decision elicited concern from department leaders who had not been consulted and began emailing their higher-ups asking why this had happened — again.
Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter framed the decision to remove LGBTQ+ youth resources as part of the governor’s emphasis on parents’ rights, a focus that helped him win in 2021 amid politically charged grievances over critical race theory, an academic framework for studying the history of systemic racism that teachers have said is not in Virginia public schools’ curriculum.
“In Virginia, the governor will always reaffirm a parent’s role in their child’s life. Children belong to their parents, not the state,” Porter said in a statement. “The governor supports providing resources that are age appropriate however the government should not facilitate anonymous conversations between adults and children without a parent’s approval. Sexualizing children against a parent’s wishes doesn’t belong on a taxpayer supported website.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) attacked Youngkin after the news broke from the Washington Post Thursday. “Glenn Youngkin is hoping you won't notice that he caved to the Daily Wire and secretly eliminated suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ youth,” Newsom tweeted. “You should DEFINITELY not retweet this so others know as well.”
Who Was The Big Winner In Virginia’s Primaries? - Competitive campaigns in Hampton Roads, Richmond drew big money
BY JIMMY CLOUTIER
In the hotly-contested June primaries to decide the balance of power in the Virginia General Assembly, one party can claim victory: big donors.
The overwhelming share of campaign funding in the low-turnout, yet expensive, primaries in Greater Richmond and the Hampton Roads came from political organizations, business interests and corporate-aligned political action committees, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of campaign finance reports. Most candidates who raised big-donor money won.
Candidates in 19 contested races in the two regions raised more than $12 million when excluding self-funding. Less than 5% of that money came from small donors giving $100 or less, OpenSecrets found.
Virginia’s Elections Shaping Up As Clearest Test Yet of Democratic Messaging Around Abortion - The Messenger
by Dan Merica
The fight over reproductive rights was critical to Democratic successes in 2022. Whether that energy continues into 2024 is an open question – one that will be tested this year in Virginia.
Virginia is the only Southern state that has yet to pass a more restrictive abortion law in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year. An effort by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to enact a 15-week limit was thwarted by the state’s Democratic-majority Senate after the governor said in 2022 that “any bill that comes to my desk I will sign happily and gleefully in order to protect life.” Whether voters believe the state should follow Youngkin and Republicans will be critical to a slate of legislative races in November. And both Republicans and Democrats are already preparing for several of these contests to turn on where the candidates stand on reproductive rights.
Youngkin is not interested in legalizing recreational marijuana sales - Daily Progress
by Haley Sandlow
The sale of recreational marijuana in Virginia will remain prohibited so long as Gov. Glenn Youngkin is in the Executive Mansion, members of his administration said last week. Marijuana sales were expected to begin in 2024 after former Gov. Ralph Northam signed the 2021 Cannabis Control Act.
Provisions in that law, however, required additional action from state lawmakers that was blocked by Republicans in the House of Delegates in 2022 and again in 2023. “Governor Youngkin has stated that he is not interested in any further moves towards legalization of adult recreational use marijuana,” said Joseph Guthrie, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, during a Virginia Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council meeting last week.
Most of $60M in Youngkin's learning recovery grants went to to higher income households - RTD
by Anna Bryson
The K-12 “learning recovery grants” touted by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in March as a way to “combat severe learning losses“ went mostly to higher-income families. Originally announced as a $30 million initiative, the fund was doubled to $60 million to meet demand, Youngkin announced Thursday.
Less than a quarter of the families who received a grant were eligible for the larger grant that was given to students whose family income does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level. For a family of three, that threshold is $74,580.
Republican primary in 29th Senate District officially heads to recount - Inside NOVA
By Jared Foretek
The Republican primary for State Senate District 29 is officially heading to a recount.
On Thursday, a day after the official vote tally was certified by the state’s Board of Elections, Republican candidate Maria Martin filed her petition for a recount in Prince William County Circuit Court.
With all votes tallied in the primary, Martin trails Nikki Baldwin by just two votes, 2,605 to 2,603. Per Virginia law, a candidate can request a recount at no charge if the margin is within .5%. Baldwin’s margin in the primary race is just .038%.
Miyares provides update on lowering crime, gun violence in Richmond and Petersburg - WRIC
by: Delaney Murray, Cheyenne Pagan
State and local leaders held a public safety forum in Chesterfield on Thursday to update the public about the ways they are trying to curb violence in the Greater Richmond area. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and local police leaders spoke at a public safety forum on what is being done about the rising tide of crime in the Greater Richmond area.
Miyares provided an update on “Ceasefire Virginia,” a statewide initiative to lower crime through prosecution and prevention. The program focuses on 12 high crime cities across Virginia, including Richmond and Petersburg.
Miyares challenges Biden on new proposed regulations for tailpipe emissions
Attorney General Jason Miyares joined 24 other state attorneys general challenging the Biden Administration’s proposed regulation on vehicle tailpipe emissions.
“Now is not the time for the federal government to complicate the manufacturing process for cars and raise the average price significantly,” Miyares said. “Many Virginians are unable to afford electric vehicles, even if they want them. Additionally, infrastructure required to support such a radical departure from the current transportation system does not exist, and it’s illogical to believe that such major changes to our national infrastructure could be completed and funded in accordance with an unelected agency's regulation change, completely sideswiping congressional approval.”