Uniting behind the nominee is crucial for Virginia Republicans this November
The latest updates in Virginia politics
Uniting behind the nominee is crucial for Virginia Republicans this November - Virginia Scope
After finally finding agreement in the State Central Committee on the nomination process, Republicans in Virginia now have to focus on nominating a gubernatorial candidate and uniting behind them in November. It looks easy on paper, but when the nomination contenders who span a wide spectrum of ideology and rhetoric spend several months beating each other up, the wounds and egos can be slow to heal.
Republicans have not won statewide in Virginia since 2009 and many people believe that this year is the best shot they will have after Trump’s loss in 2020. Excluding Terry McAuliffe’s win in 2013, Virginia has historically elected the opposite party of the White House when choosing a new governor — but even with that in their favor, it is still a tall order for Republicans in a Commonwealth that provided Biden with a 10-point victory last year.
That is why it is very important for the eventual nominee to bring the entire party together in November. They will need every single Republican vote as they attempt to push back the blue wave that continuously crashed across the Commonwealth from 2017 to 2020. In a series of Democratic wins over those years, they flipped three congressional seats and gained total control of the state government leading to hundreds of new progressive laws.
In an interview, former Republican lieutenant governor of Virginia Bill Bolling said he believes that victory for any of the GOP candidates will be impossible without complete support from the party. “There are obviously a lot of divisions in the Republican Party right now. That’s one of the reasons why Republicans haven’t won a statewide campaign in Virginia more than a decade,” Bolling said. “I’m not sure that any candidate can bridge all of those divisions, but if Republicans are going to have any chance of winning in November they have to figure out a way to rally around their eventual nominee. Otherwise, victory will be impossible.”
Candidates Amanda Chase and Pete Snyder have fully embraced the Trump voters and their talking points while Kirk Cox and Glenn Youngkin have moved towards the establishment and moderate voters — perhaps in an attempt to appeal to a larger electorate in November.
“The divide between a more ‘respectable’ establishment and much more conservative grassroots is a challenge for any candidate to navigate,” said Richard Meagher, associate professor of political science at Randolph Macon College. “But it’s particularly important right now for Virginia Republicans, who are on a state-wide losing streak in a state that is increasingly blue. If they have a hope of winning a statewide office this year, they will have to find a path to uniting behind their slate of candidates.”
In a statement Sunday, former House Speaker Kirk Cox said he doesn’t want Republicans to lose hope just because they have been experiencing a losing streak. “It’s been 12 years since Virginia has elected a Republican to statewide office, but we shouldn’t lose hope: More and more Virginia Republicans are showing up to get involved in the process to identify a candidate that can win in November,” he said. “Our party needs a proven conservative who has won under the toughest circumstances, and I currently hold the bluest district of any Republican. My message of fighting back against one party control and leading Virginia forward resonates, and gives us the best shot at victory in the general election.”
The Snyder campaign believes that the party will unite behind the policies of their candidate. “Virginia Republicans are lining up to support Pete because he is the trusted conservative outsider that is fighting for the issues that matter most to the people of the Commonwealth— opening the schools, saving the economy, and protecting constitutional rights,” said Lenze Morris, spokesperson for the Snyder campaign.
State Senator Amanda Chase has been leading in the early polls while also speaking out loudly against the recent actions of party leaders for months of disarray in choosing a nomination process. She said she isn’t worried about not gaining the full support of her party if she becomes the nominee. “I’m the People’s Governor and they have united behind me; together we will make America and Virginia FIRST,” she said in a text message Sunday. “I’ve already united the people I’m not worried about the politicians. It’s time to finally have a governor who is a voice for the people.”
The campaign for Glenn Youngkin, a newcomer to Virginia politics with a lot of his own money that he can use as a weapon in a statewide campaign, cited his Virginia Wins initiative, which is a commitment to investing in down-ballot Republicans across Virginia, as a reason the party will unite behind him. “Glenn Youngkin has already taken steps to support and unite the Republican party through his Virginia Wins initiative, which will help elect Republicans up and down the ballot in Virginia,” said Macaulay Porter, spokesperson for the Youngkin campaign. “As governor, Glenn will continue to bring people together to fix problems, get the job done, and make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
A common enemy, however, could be the perfect antidote for hurt feelings in November.
One former Republican Party official says it will be the current front runner for the Democratic nomination that brings the GOP together. “I suspect [Terry] McAuliffe will do all the uniting required,” said Shaun Kenney the former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia. “Bad policy makes for great cement.”
The unassembled GOP nominating convention will take place at 37 locations across Virginia.
In a meeting Friday night, the Republican State Central Committee approved a Convention Call that will allow Republicans to vote at remote locations spread across the Commonwealth in order to choose their nominee for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.
Voting for the convention will take place on May 8 from 9 am to 4 pm.
Northam is the last chance for the legalization of weed this year.
The General Assembly advanced legislation this year that would eventually legalize marijuana for Virginians in 2024. Advocates say that is not soon enough and that simple possession should be legal this year, noting that people will continue to face penalties for three years even though the state government has decided to make it legal.
Northam has until the end of March to either sign the legislation, veto it, or amend it. If the governor amends the bill to allow for legalization earlier, it would then need approval by a majority in both the state Senate and House of Delegates.
Both chambers will reconvene for a day in early-April to take up any changes from the governor.
Greg Schneider from the Washington Post reported in-depth on where the administration currently stands on the legalization bill:
Speeding up the date at which adults can legally possess small amounts of marijuana “is something we’re open to, something we’re talking about with both chambers,” Northam chief of staff Clark Mercer said in an interview.
“I feel pretty good that we will legalize simple possession before 2024 so that we can stop Black and Brown people being disproportionately charged,” said Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-Richmond), who had tried during the General Assembly session to amend the bill with an earlier date.
Terry McAuliffe wants to be Virginia's governor again. His opponents say it's time to move on. - CNN
By Dan Merica
The former governor of Virginia, four years removed from the end of his first term, is vying for another shot at leading the commonwealth, running as the closest thing to an incumbent in a place that bars governors from serving successive terms. McAuliffe enters the race as the clear frontrunner, buoyed by a significant fundraising advantage, a who's who list of endorsements and near total name recognition.
But both Democratic politics and Virginia have changed since McAuliffe's successful 2013 run, a shift exemplified by the Democratic legislature -- which went blue in 2019 with McAuliffe's help -- moving to abolish the death penalty, tighten gun laws and reckon with the legacy of the Confederacy in a commonwealth closely tied to the Civil War South.
It's Been One Year Since Our Schools First Closed - Kirk Cox
GOP candidate for governor Pete Snyder campaigns in Culpeper - Culpeper Star-Exponent
As the COVID-19 pandemic set in last spring, Snyder and his wife, who live in Charlottesville, launched the Virginia 30-Day Fund, a nonprofit with the goal of saving as many small businesses and Virginia jobs as possible by providing forgivable loans for small businesses in need. The fund inspired similar efforts not only in Virginia but across the nation as the pandemic has persisted.
Snyder took questions from Culpeper County residents at the GOP headquarters on Main Street, discussing his plan to open schools and calling for politicians to stand up to special interest groups.
More political headlines from around Virginia
'It appears that neither the rules nor the laws were followed' in votes to release convicted killers, prosecutor says - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Mark Bowes and Patrick Wilson
What started as an investigation of the Virginia Parole Board’s controversial decision to release a man convicted of killing a Richmond police officer 40 years ago has morphed into a much broader probe that has led the state’s watchdog agency to find violations of law and policy in at least eight other parole decisions involving convicted killers.
The nine cases show a pattern of violations that center on releasing inmates without first giving proper notice to state prosecutors or to victims’ family members, who are allowed to provide input on the impact a release may have on them or the community before the inmates are granted parole, according to reports by the Office of the State Inspector General that were obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Hunting for a shot: As vaccine eligibility expands, some Virginians are competing for doses - Virginia Mercury
by Kate Masters
Bonnie Hamilton had wanted a COVID-19 vaccine for weeks. The Henrico resident, currently pregnant with twins, said she pre-registered with her local health department as soon as officials introduced the sign-up form. She confirmed her information when Virginia launched its centralized system and browsed the news to stay up-to-date on the state’s rollout.
But when health districts across Virginia began to expand eligibility to new subcategories under Phase 1b — opening the shots to residents under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, including pregnancy, along with the seniors and certain essential workers prioritized earlier in the state’s campaign — she started looking for an appointment more seriously.
Northam signs 80 bills, including one to grant state-backed financial aid to undocumented students - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Mel Leonor
Undocumented students in Virginia will be eligible for state financial aid starting in the fall semester of 2022 under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Ralph Northam.
The legislation follows a related bill approved by the Democratic-controlled legislature last year that would allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at the state’s colleges and universities.
LaRock secures Republican nomination for 33rd District - The Winchester Star
by Josh Janney
The 33rd House of Delegates Republican Legislative District Committee announced Wednesday night that Del. Dave LaRock, R-Hamilton, is officially the Republican nominee, as no other candidates filed to run in the June 5th convention.
The convention will now be canceled. LaRock, a small business owner who lives in Loudoun County, has represented the 33rd District since January 2014. The 33rd District includes parts of Frederick, Clarke and Loudoun counties.
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