Sears has terminated her campaign staff; Trump and Chase respond to Lee statue removal; plus more from Virginia politics
The latest in Virginia politics.
This is a daily newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. Please consider supporting non-partisan, independent news by becoming a paid subscriber today.
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Winsome Sears terminates several members of her staff
In an event that is being referred to as a “Wednesday night massacre” by people close to the situation, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Winsome Sears has fired her campaign manager and several members of her staff.
“Like any campaign, we have to make strategic decisions that best position us for victory,” said Tucker Davis, a senior advisor to Sears. “We are focused on running a lean campaign over the next 55 days, and using all of our resources to get our message out to voters.”
An anonymous source with intimate knowledge of the situation says that the campaign manager for Sears, C.J. Jordan, was included among the staff terminations. Jordan has not responded to Virginia Scope.
The terminated staff was notified by an email from a law firm, according to Mike Allers, the former press secretary for Sears. They were not given a reason.
Close sources with knowledge of the inner workings of the campaign say that the Republican consulting firm Creative Direct was hired recently and is running the campaign now.
This is the second time that Sears has seen a complete staff turnover on her lieutenant governor campaign — the first being after winning the convention earlier this summer.
Recent polling from Monmouth shows Democratic nominee Hala Ayala with a one-point lead over Sears, who with just nine days until early voting begins, believes her position is strong and is making these drastic changes to her campaign.
“Winsome Sears is in strong position to become Virginia’s next Lieutenant Governor,” Davis said in his statement provided to Virginia Scope Wednesday night. “All recent public and private polling shows her leading or within the margin of error, even before beginning any substantial advertising. The environment is shifting as voters see what one party control means in Richmond and Washington. Virginia voters are prepared to reject the far left extremism of Hala Ayala.“
Glenn Youngkin, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, did not provide a comment Wednesday night.
Also on the ballot Nov. 2 are the governor, attorney general, and all 100 House of Delegates seats. Early voting begins on Sept. 17.
Youngkin responds to report that powerful House Democrat supports repealing right-to-work
Virginia Scope reported Tuesday that House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian D-Prince William sent an email to supporters on Labor Day stating his support of repealing Virginia’s right-to-work law.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin responded to the news in a statement through a campaign spokesperson: “It’s abundantly clear that the extreme left liberals in Richmond and Terry McAuliffe will stop at nothing to repeal right to work, force unionization, and decimate Virginia’s economy,” said Macaulay Porter, a spokeswoman for Youngkin. “McAuliffe is committed to repealing Right to Work, despite its devastating impacts, because he is more concerned with appeasing and receiving 2.7 million dollars from big labor special interest groups and fulfilling their wishlist than supporting Virginians. McAuliffe and his cronies can’t hide their dangerous anti-business and anti-worker agenda from Virginians.”
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe’s campaign responded to the statement from Youngkin: "Glenn Youngkin's aspiration to eliminate Virginia's income tax would blow a hole through our state budget, decimate state support for education and defund the police,” said Jake Rubenstein, a spokesperson for McAuliffe. “Glenn's plan to go ‘on offense’ against abortion and enact a Texas six-week ban in Virginia would drive businsess out of our Commonwealth. Virginians and Virginia businesses simply can't afford a Glenn Youngkin governorship."
State Sen. Amanda Chase R-Chesterfield responds on Facebook to the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue.
These screenshots were first posted by Blue Virginia.
Former President responds to removal of Lee statue
Former President Donald Trump responded to the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond Wednesday. His full statement is below:
“Just watched as a massive crane took down the magnificent and very famous statue of “Robert E. Lee On His Horse” in Richmond, Virginia. It has long been recognized as a beautiful piece of bronze sculpture. To add insult to injury, those who support this ‘taking now’ plan to cut it into three pieces, and throw this work of art into storage prior to its complete desecration.
“Robert E. Lee is considered by many Generals to be the greatest strategist of them all. President Lincoln wanted him to command the North, in which case the war would have been over in one day. Robert E. Lee instead chose the other side because of his great love of Virginia, and except for Gettysburg, would have won the war. He should be remembered as perhaps the greatest unifying force after the war was over, ardent in his resolve to bring the North and South together through many means of reconciliation and imploring his soldiers to do their duty in becoming good citizens of this Country.
“Our culture is being destroyed and our history and heritage, both good and bad, are being extinguished by the Radical Left, and we can’t let that happen! If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan, that disaster would have ended in a complete and total victory many years ago. What an embarrassment we are suffering because we don’t have the genius of a Robert E. Lee!”
Va. gov. debate set for Grundy - Bluefield Daily Telegraph
The first Virginia gubernatorial debate is set for next week in Grundy. Democrat candidate and former Governor Terry McAuliffe will debate Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin.
The debate will take place Sept. 16 at the Appalachian School of Law with Susan Page, a nationally acclaimed journalist and the Washington Bureau Chief of USA Today, moderating.
Confederate statues quiet issue in Virginia governor’s race, signaling shift from four years ago - Washington Times
The official, state-sanctioned removal of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond on Wednesday — politically unthinkable just a few years ago — caused little more than a ripple in Virginia’s governor’s race, with both candidates acknowledging changing time and attitudes.
The statue, which has stood over the former capital of the Confederacy for more than a century, came down after a pair of rulings from the state Supreme Court last week greenlighted its removal.
More Virginia News
Sen. Bill Stanley from Southside will fill a vacancy on Virginia's redistricting commission
House Agriculture Committee member tours Culpeper, Orange farms
With Confederates vanquished, what’s next for Richmond’s Monument Avenue?
Fairfax officials aim to get students back in class sooner after COVID-19 exposure
Poll shows Virginians support masks and vaccine requirements in schools
Majority of Virginia voters in new poll back UVA decision to disenroll unvaccinated students
Chesterfield County leaders announce plans to build two new middle schools
Lee statue’s 1887 time capsule to be removed; said to contain picture of Lincoln in coffin
Man pleads guilty in Roanoke in gas pump skimming case that took more than $40,000 from customers
National News
Frenemies no more. Harris stumps for Newsom as the Californians’ political interests align
Kabul airport ‘up and running’ as flight is poised to take off with foreign nationals
Democrats face many hurdles in advancing $3.5 trillion economic package
Xi Jinping’s crackdown on everything is remaking Chinese society
Apple’s effort to court ‘ethical’ hackers draws poor reviews
Inside the Ohio factory that could make or break Biden’s big solar energy push
Harris stumps with Gavin Newsom ahead of California recall election
Why no one wants to talk about this hot-button election tool in the California recall
We are so thankful for the support we have received, but we still need more help. A donation, a paid-subscription upgrade to our newsletter, or a sponsorship purchase provides immediate funding and allows Virginia Scope to continue to grow and cover more stories across Virginia.