DPVA puts out gubernatorial opposition memo, McAuliffe receives 35 state legislator endorsements, Youngkin receives a new endorsement, and Cox releases new video against negative campaigning
Audio: Former RPV executive director Shaun Kenney discusses the upcoming nominating convention
Shaun Kenney was once the executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia and served on the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors as its chair. He has also been a conservative blogger writing about Virginia politics for years. Listen to his views on the upcoming Republican nomination convention.
Dan Helmer becomes 35th General Assembly member to endorse Terry McAuliffe for governor
Terry McAuliffe picks up another endorsement from a state legislator putting him at 35 members of the General Assembly supporting his campaign for governor. Del. Dan Helmer D-Fairfax is the latest to endorse the former governor that is heavily favored to win the gubernatorial primary next month.
“As an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, I am proud to stand with Terry McAuliffe because as Virginia’s 72nd Governor, he stood with veterans across our Commonwealth. He made fighting veteran homelessness a priority and Virginia became the first state in the nation to functionally end veterans homelessness by ensuring every community has a sustainable, systematic response to prevent it,” Helmer said in his endorsement announcement Tuesday. “As our next governor, Terry will address housing inequities and make sure every Virginian has access to a place to call home. After this pandemic, we need a bold leader who acts big and that is Terry McAuliffe.”
McAuliffe is vying for the Democratic nomination against Del. Lee Carter, Jennifer Carroll Foy, state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax.
Democratic voters decide in a primary election on June 8 who will be their statewide candidates in the November general election. Republican nominees will be chosen this weekend in a closed-party unassembled convention.
Kirk Cox Releases New Video on Negative Campaigning
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Endorses Glenn Youngkin
In a video message to Virginia Republicans, Stitt says, “I truly believe Glenn Youngkin is the best chance Republicans have of winning Virginia this November,” and urges voters to “rank Glenn as your first choice May 8th.”
The Democratic Party of Virginia sent out a memo as they look towards November
Virginia Scope obtained a memo from the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA) where they highlight their potential Republican gubernatorial opponents in November.
“In Virginia this year, the Republican primary for governor has attracted significant attention due to the disastrous convention and a great deal of brutally divisive GOP infighting,” reads the memo, which says it was written by Andrew Whitley, the executive director of DPVA. “The candidates have repeatedly attacked each other and party leadership amid widespread allegations of corruption and rigging in the convention process.”
Here are the top lines for each candidate from the DPVA memo:
“Kirk Cox is a hardline, Trump-supporting 30+ year career politician whose track record is that of a hyper-partisan extremist. Before Donald Trump said that women should be punished for having abortions, Kirk Cox voted to make it a felony. Before Donald Trump gutted critical environmental protections, Kirk Cox voted to help polluters dump toxins in our air and water. Before Donald Trump led the racist charge to build a wall, Kirk Cox voted to let businesses discriminate against immigrants.”
“Throughout this primary campaign, Glenn Youngkin has been a very weak, unsteady candidate -- which is unsurprising for an extremely wealthy insider who parachuted into Republican politics convinced he deserves to be governor. Youngkin has been faced with relentless attacks from his right flank from the moment he entered the race. As a result, Youngkin has aligned himself completely with Donald Trump in order to try and win over GOP activists who view him skeptically at best.”
“Pete Snyder is a complete and total Donald Trump acolyte. On his first day in the race, Pete Snyder said that he “absolutely” supports Donald Trump and “the America First agenda.” Snyder also says that he thinks “Donald Trump's policies were phenomenal” and that he wants “to make sure that we have ‘America First’ policies in Virginia.”
“Amanda Chase would be hands down the most extreme governor in all of America. Throughout this primary, Chase has become the face of the Virginia GOP through her ceaseless attempts to imitate Donald Trump. Chase has grabbed headlines nationwide as she refers to herself as “Trump in Heels” and espouses the most alienating, fringe-right views Virginia has seen in generations.”
All elected Democratic attorney generals are endorsing Mark Herring in Virginia
In a statement released this morning, all sitting elected Democratic Attorneys General across the country have announced their support for Mark Herring’s re-election bid for Attorney General of Virginia. It reads:
“A successful state Attorney General is someone who is driven to pursue justice, who uses the law both as a sword and a shield to protect the people of their state, and who provides stable and constant leadership while pushing for progress. Having worked side by side with Attorney General Mark Herring, there is no doubt he’s the progressive leader that meets the moment for the people of Virginia. Whether it's eliminating the rape kit backlog, extending eviction protections through the pandemic or reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth, AG Herring has consistently taken on the tough fights. We’ve stood side by side with Mark in the fight for equality, safety, and justice; and resoundingly support his campaign for re-election as Virginia's Attorney General.”
Delegate Sally Hudson Endorses Del. Sam Rasoul for Lt. Governor
"Sam is the leader we need to unite every corner of Virginia. We’ve got big challenges ahead and we’re at our best with every hand on deck. In his eight years in the House, Sam has earned the trust it takes to tackle big projects that leave no one behind," said Hudson. "Our to-do list is long: health care, housing, schools, jobs, and protecting the planet that we call home. With Sam as our Lieutenant Governor, everybody in Virginia will know they have a real voice in how it all gets done."
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