More on gubernatorial debates; a memo from Ayala; commentary on redistricting and more from Virginia
The latest in Virginia politics.
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While still no official debate, McAuliffe and Youngkin spar on Twitter
While an official debate has not taken place yet, Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates continue to spar on social media over debate participation. On Saturday, the day that the debate hosted by the Virginia Bar Association (VBA) was scheduled to take place before it was canceled, Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin and his Democratic opponent Terry McAuliffe went back-and-forth over their debate participation.
McAuliffe began the interaction by posting a video on Twitter calling out Youngkin after he declined to participate in the VBA debate — an event that has hosted both major-party gubernatorial candidates in each cycle since 1985. “Glenn Youngkin is a chicken who refused to debate me at the Virginia Bar Association – a 36 year Virginia tradition! – because he’s hiding his far-right views,” McAuliffe tweeted. “Weak and an insult to Virginia voters. Get it together, Glenn!
Youngkin then responded later in the day by calling out McAuliffe for not accepting a specific debate invitation scheduled for the end of August. “Terry McAuliffe still hasn’t agreed to debate me next month. I’ve said I’ll be there,” Youngkin tweeted Saturday afternoon. “What’s taking him so long?”
McAuliffe, who announced last month that he accepted five debate invitations, replied to Youngkin. “Oh give me a break, Glenn. If you really wanted to debate you’d have been up on stage with me at the VBA Debate TODAY,” McAuliffe tweeted. “I agreed to 5 debates. You’ve already chickened out of one. Let’s go.”
The August event is one of three debates in total that Youngkin recently announced he would attend. It is not listed among the five debates that McAuliffe previously announced he accepted an invitation to attend.
Besides the VBA debate, McAuliffe agreed to debates in the Hampton Roads hosted by Norfolk State University, in Southwest Virginia at the Appalachian School of Law during fall, in Northern Virginia with the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, NBC4/Telemundo 44 and the Schar School of Public Policy and Government at George Mason University on September 29, and in Richmond hosted by the AARP Virginia and WTVR on October 12.
Youngkin’s campaign says he will be participating in a debate hosted by Hampton University, Liberty University, and the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce in late August; a debate hosted by the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy on Sept. 16, and the NOVA Chamber debate at the end of September.
It is unclear what events the Independent candidate Princess Blanding will be participating in.
Culture war on education rages in Virginia governor's race - Reuters
by James Oliphant, Gabriella Borter, Joseph Ax
Suparna Dutta, an Indian immigrant, is incensed that new admissions standards aimed at boosting Black and Latino enrollment at her son's Alexandria, Virginia high school have resulted in fewer Asian Americans being admitted.
Across town, Marie Murphy, a white mother of an 8th grader, is alarmed by anti-racism discussions at her son's school, which she believes force white children to feel bad about their race.
‘People are scared’: Democrats lose ground on school equity plans - Politico
by Maggie Severns
Kaplan, who has launched an email list, set up meetings with state legislators and recruited people to meet with their school boards to discuss ethnic studies, is representative of Democrat-leaning or politically moderate suburbanites interviewed by POLITICO in six states, all but one of which were won by Biden. They are up in arms over their school systems’ new equity initiatives, which they argue are costly and divisive, encouraging students to group themselves by race and take pro-activist stances. Proponents of the initiatives say they are a long-overdue step toward getting rid of systemic racism in the school system.
On the national level, Democrats have insisted that the brush fires over critical race theory — which has become a political punching bag even for unrelated equity initiatives — are largely the work of right-wing activists who willfully misrepresent what it means, and they blame Fox News for fanning parents’ anger.
Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Hala Ayala releases state of the race memo
To: Interested Parties
From: Hala for Virginia
Re: 100 Days to Victory for Virginia
Date: July 25, 2021
With just 100 days until election day, the Hala for Virginia campaign continues to gain grassroots momentum. When elected, Delegate Hala Ayala will make history as the first woman and woman of color Lieutenant Governor — but this election is about much more than that.
Hala is the only candidate in the race for Lieutenant Governor with the life and legislative experience necessary to advance Virginians’ priorities. While the Republican party attempts to take the Commonwealth backwards, Hala and the Democratic ticket will continue to focus on building on Governor Northam and the Democratic majority’s success over the last few years.
Hala continues to connect with voters across the Commonwealth, reaching out to Virginians of all backgrounds and walks of life to hear about the issues they care most about and share her experience and vision for the future. Chief amongst these include expanding access to affordable healthcare, supporting students and teachers, and continuing to draw businesses into Virginia by investing in quality education and job training opportunities in high-demand sectors.
Commentary: The Roanoke Times and Other Newspaper Editorial Boards Relentlessly Pushed the Fatally Flawed Redistricting Amendment. Now They’re Shocked (?) That It’s the Debacle Many of Us Predicted?!? - Blue Virginia
by Lowell Feld
Last year at this time, Virginians were starting to tune in to the November 2020 elections. Of course, most of the attention was focused on the presidential contest between Joe Biden and the Orange Fascist. Also, here in Virginia, we had some hotly contested races for Congress (e.g., in VA07) and for local offices, like Virginia Beach Mayor. And then there was the Redistricting Amendment, which some of us warned over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again would absolutely NOT make things better, but if anything would make things WORSE, when it comes to partisan redistricting here in Virginia.
Despite all those warnings, sad to say, Virginia voters approved Amendment 1 easily last November, following a massive, well-funded campaign by out-of-state donors (including major GOP donors…to Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, etc.). Also pushing HARD for Amendment 1 were numerous newspaper editorial boards, including brain-dead drivel like this by the Roanoke Times (whose editorial board specializes in brain-dead drivel), this idiocy by the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, and this crap by the Washington Post editorial board.
‘We’re f---ed’: Dems fear turnout catastrophe from GOP voting laws - Politico
By MAYA KING, DAVID SIDERS and DANIEL LIPPMAN
After Georgia Republicans passed a restrictive voting law in March, Democrats here began doing the math.
The state’s new voter I.D. requirement for mail-in ballots could affect the more than 270,000 Georgians lacking identification. The provision cutting the number of ballot drop boxes could affect hundreds of thousands of voters who cast absentee ballots that way in 2020 — and that’s just in the populous Atlanta suburbs alone.
Virginia wants schools to adopt policies to protect transgender students. Will school boards go along? - Virginian Pilot
by Matt Jones
By the start of the school year, school boards are required to pass policies that protect transgender students under a law passed by the General Assembly in 2020. They’re required to base them on a set of model policies the Virginia Department of Education finalized in March.
Vee Lamneck, executive of Equality Virginia, which helped push for the legislation and policies, said it will help ensure the well-being of thousands of students across the state who don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth and who report higher rates of bullying and mental health issues than their peers.
Governor Northam’s latest administration appointments
Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments
Advisory Council on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANDAS/PANS)
Megan Bonfili of Midlothian, Registered Nurse, Chesterfield County Public Schools
Teresa L. Champion* of Springfield, Secretary, Virginia Autism Project
David Jaffe, MD* of Henrico, Pediatric Neurologist, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
Stefanie Levensalor* of Norfolk, Senior Loan Officer, Towne Mortgage
Melissa B. Nelson, MD* of Richmond, Partner, Pediatric Associates of Richmond, Inc.
Aradhana Bela Sood, MD, FAACAP* of Chesterfield, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University
Susan Swedo, MD* of McLean, Consulting Pediatrician, Healthy Foundations Group, LLC
Christina Teague of Charlottesville, Owner, CWT Consulting
Wei Zhao, MD, PhD* of Chesterfield, Professor and Chief, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University
Board of Optometry
Evan J. Kaufman of Charlottesville, Clinical Optometrist, University of Virginia Medical Center
Scientific Advisory Committee
Kathleen Corrado* of Jamesville, New York, Executive Director and Professor of Practice, Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute, Syracuse University
William E. Demuth II of Springfield, Illinois, Laboratory Director, Illinois State Police
Dr. Peter M. Vallone of Potomac, Maryland, Leader, Applied Genetics Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Virginia Board for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Mazen M. Basrawi* of Arlington, Attorney, United States Federal Government
Leo Kim, PhD* of Alexandria, Head of Business Planning and Operations, Hematology R&D, AstraZeneca
Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority
Kathy L. Still of Norton, Retired Communications Director, University of Virginia’s College at Wise
*denotes reappointment
728 bridges in Virginia are structurally deficient; Sen. Warner says infrastructure deal is near - Wavy 10
by Jackie Defusco
There are more than 700 structurally deficient bridges in Virginia, according to the Department of Transportation.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va) visited one of them on Friday as a bipartisan infrastructure deal stalls in Congress.
More News
Lagging vaccinations, variant spread and loosened restrictions fuel rise in Va. COVID cases
As more cases pile up for Virginia’s beleaguered unemployment system, so do frustrations
New Kent woman who helped journalists expose financial corruption may soon be imprisoned
Portsmouth community gathers to mourn 4-year-old boy killed in fire
Incoming UVa freshman Emma Weyant wins silver medal in 400 IM in Tokyo Olympics