Earle-Sears talks about criticism for being a Black Republican
Common Cause released its 2022 “Democracy Scorecard,”
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Story coming this afternoon for paid subscribers: Spanberger and Vega continue to beef over abortion in VA-07
Executive Schedule
9:30 AM: GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN ATTENDS CABINET MEETING
1:00 PM: GOVERNOR RECEIVES BRIEFING FROM SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND TRADE CAREN MERRICK
4:00 PM: GOVERNOR ATTENDS THE VIRGINIA DERBY
Campaign Trail
VA-07’s Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is making multiple campaign stops this afternoon. She will be at the IBEW Local 26 training facility in Manassas and the Career Works in Prince William County.
The New York Post recently published a Q&A with Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. These are some of her quotes from the article:
On being criticized for being a Black Republican
“In order for [Democrats] to continue to win,” she says, “they need to get 80 to 90% of the black vote. That’s why they are so full of hatred when conservatives like me, or libertarians, don’t think the way they do. . . . We don’t really care.
“The slaves did not die in the fields to be beholden to the Democrat Party. They wanted their freedom . . . their families to be reunited . . . and their children to get a good education.”
“the Democrat Party became synonymous with black people. [Democrats] were the ones who were keeping us from achieving. Then there’s this other thing that is happening with black women not having their babies. And they call me a white supremacist for saying we want more black babies. Democrats have to make up their minds.”
Would she endorse Trump in 2024
“I’m going to hold my fire. I want to see what he says, what he does and who else is out there.”
On her Christian faith
“I think what we have to be careful about as Christians is that no one is on the throne except Christ. . . . We know that God can use anyone. He even used a donkey to speak to Balaam [an Old Testament story] to tell him he was going down the wrong path. So, if He can use a jackass, He can use anybody.”
On her success
“Winsome wasn’t born here,” she said. “This is not her country, not her culture, and yet here she is — second in command in the former capital of the confederacy. The KKK must be turning over in their graves.”
Governor Youngkin still wants the Washington Commanders to relocate to Virginia.
“If the Commanders are going to relocate they should relocate to Virginia,” Youngkin said on Wednesday in Annandale. “We are the best state to live, work, raise a family, and have a professional sports team. But our legislators have got to do the work. Come back to me with a frame so that we then can negotiate the best deal on behalf of taxpayers. This is a moment where taxpayers have to be represented. And I feel I’m well-equipped to do that. But we need to get our legislators back and that’s not going to happen until January.”
A teen is running for the House of Delegates
Pungo teen running for seat in the House of Delegates - Virginian-Pilot
Richmond Business Moves
W. Lake Taylor, Jr. and Lawton Way from from Hunton Andrews Kurth are joining the McGuireWoods capital markets team.
“Lake and Lawton are highly respected corporate lawyers. Their experience helping companies structure securities offerings and navigate disclosure requirements will have enormous benefits for our clients,” said Richard W. Viola, deputy managing partner of McGuireWoods’ corporate practice.
“We are delighted to have Lake and Lawton on our team,” said Michael Herring, managing partner of the firm’s Richmond office. “They are highly respected by clients and peers, including many of their McGuireWoods colleagues in Richmond.”
Common Cause Scorecard
Common Cause released its 2022 “Democracy Scorecard,” a tracking resource with the positions of all members of Congress on campaign finance reform, ethics and transparency, and voting rights legislation.
The scorecard assessed senators’ votes on and co-sponsorship of 15 pieces of legislation and other actions, including confirming Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, a nonpartisan investigation into Jan. 6, the DISCLOSE Act, and reforming the filibuster to pass voting rights.
In the House, the scorecard also assessed votes on and co-sponsorship of 18 pieces of legislation, including the impeachment of Donald Trump, creation of the nonpartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee, the Protecting our Democracy Act, and the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
Below are the Virginia members of Congress with perfect or near perfect scores:
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D) (18/18)
Rep. Don Beyer (D) (17/18)
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) (17/18)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D) (14/15)
Rest of Virginia
Sen. Mark Warner (D) (13/15)
Rep. McEachin (D) (16/18)
Rep. Elaine Luria (D) (15/18)
Rep. Wexton (D) (16/18)
Rep. Scott (D) (16/18)
Rep. Bob Good (R) (1/18)
Rep Wittman (R) (0/18)
Rep. Griffith (R) (1/18)
Rep. Cline (R) (1/18)
Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner.
Del. Head campaigning ahead of 2023 Virginia Senate election - WDBJ
By Joe Dashiell
The annual Labor Day Parade in Buena Vista is a popular stop for candidates who are running in November. Some are looking beyond the next election, and this year was no exception.
In the wake of redistricting, Republican Delegate Chris Head is running for a seat in the Virginia Senate. And that election is coming up in November 2023. The new Senate District Three stretches from Craig County to Waynesboro, and has no incumbent.
University struggles to retain faculty in “war on talent” - Cavalier Daily
By John Bedell
The University is experiencing historically high vacancy rates among faculty and staff due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and limited state funding. This issue was discussed extensively at the Aug. 23 Board of Visitors meeting, which included a presentation from Chief Operating Officer J.J. Davis on the so-called “war on talent.”
A Freedom of Information Act completed by The Cavalier Daily revealed that a data set of 3,195 University faculty had a mean salary of $136,013 annually, with a median salary slightly above $100,000. Nearly 50 percent of all faculty listed make $100,000 or fewer, with roughly 5 percent of professors making $60,000 or less. These figures do not include statistics on staff compensation, though the portal will be updated soon with that information.
Rep. Bobby Scott's Labor Day picnic marks sprint to Election Day - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Dave Ress
he rain held off for a 45-year tradition that kicks off Virginia’s annual election campaign sprint — Rep. Bobby Scott’s old-fashioned get-out-the-vote rally and Labor Day picnic by the shore where the Chesapeake Bay meets the James River. And, as is tradition, Democratic politicians from across the state showed up.
The picnic hosted by Scott, a 3rd District Democrat and the dean of Virginia’s congressional delegation, is where aspiring Democratic candidates make connections and where Democratic activists — from across the deep blue cities of the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads — come to get fired up for the post-Labor Day push to Election Day.