“The biggest point we drove home was that he doesn’t want to own the midterms if we don’t win back the House or Senate,” said one person familiar with the conversations.
The audio at the top of this email is from a Democratic canvas kickoff in Portsmouth on Sunday with former state Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy, Del. Jay Jones, and Nedarius Clark (HD-79).
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Nadarius Clark, at 26, is looking to bring a fresh voice to the General Assembly
Nadarius Clark defeated a three-term incumbent in a Democratic primary earlier this year to set himself up to likely become the youngest member of the General Assembly next year.
Clark upset the current representative for district 79, Del. Steve Heretick, earlier this year. Heretick was supported heavily by Dominion Energy, while Clark was supported nearly entirely by Michael Bills and Sonjia Smith, mega-donors from Charlottesville.
While he has a Republican opponent this year, Clark is the clear favorite as this is the first time the Democrats have faced any challenge for this seat since 2001.
Clark, only 26-years-old, said Sunday that he will be the youngest Democrat elected to the General Assembly in the last 200 years.
“He makes me feel really old I’ll tell you guys that,” said Jay Jones, a 32-year-old, two-term member of the House of Delegates representing Norfolk. “I feel like the old man coming in, but I can’t wait to see the wonderful things that he does.”
Listen to speeches from former delegate and gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carroll Foy, Del. Jay Jones, and Nadarius Clark at the top of this newsletter.
Listen: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Terry McAuliffe campaign in Richmond
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe and the Second Gentleman of the United States (Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband) Douglas Emhoff stopped in Richmond to campaign with Democrats Saturday.
'Do your job': McAuliffe watches closely as messy Capitol Hill negotiations threaten Virginia race - CNN
by Dan Merica
There is possibly no Democrat outside of Washington, DC, who is more closely watching the chaotic negotiations playing out on Capitol Hill than Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe.
The messy machinations of Congress rarely play a role in off-year races, but Virginia is the notable exception. Not only are the vote rich Northern Virginia suburbs full of federal workers who are more attuned to the inner workings of Congress, but every four years, this race often becomes a referendum on the party in power -- so Democrats struggling to pass anything through a Congress they control is front-of-mind for McAuliffe.
Democrats on defense as their new House majority faces its first electoral test - Virginia Mercury
by Ned Oliver
Virginia Democrats are playing defense in nearly a dozen competitive House of Delegates districts this year as they defend their new majority against GOP challengers hoping to win back ground lost during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Commentators, observers and strategists across the political spectrum say they would not be shocked if Democrats lost between two and three seats to Republicans, an outcome that would still leave the party with a narrow majority in a chamber where they currently hold a five-seat advantage.
Virginians marched for reproductive rights on Satuday
Cuccinelli hits Herring for taking Va. in ‘bad direction’ on crime - Washington Times
Former Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli said the choice could not be starker on who should be the state’s next top law enforcement officer.
Mr. Cuccinelli, who served in the position between 2010 and 2014, said crime is a top issue in the race between Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat seeking his third term, and GOP candidate Jason Miyares.
More Virginia Links:
Virginia Democrats rally to roll back Trump’s 2020 gains with Latinos
Virginia Delegate Alex Askew Denounces 'Overtly Racist' GOP Attack Mailer, Demands Apology
Real estate update: 11 charts that show the state of the housing market in Richmond
Leesburg police officers threaten to quit over vaccine mandate
In the face of frightening statistics, health officials push pregnant women to get vaccine
Ranking Redistricting Plans - VPAP
Just in time for public hearings, VPAP has an online tool that lets the public rank various redistricting plans by seven criteria, including how well they respect locality boundaries and organize Virginia's increasingly diverse population.
Rank the Most Recent Plans
National
For Democrats and the Biden agenda, it’s becoming a matter of trust
Trump, talked out of announcing a 2024 bid yet, settles on a wink-and-nod unofficial candidacy
No time frame for votes on Biden’s agenda, senior adviser says
Many Asian Republicans blame Trump, not GOP, for discrimination
White House set to blast China for failing to live up to Trump’s trade deal
Trauma and Trump make AAPI voters a more cohesive bloc, new poll reveals
Facebook whistleblower reveals herself, condemns company as dangerous
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Trump was talked out of already announcing his presidential candidacy to prevent Republicans from losing now