VA-02's nomination process is a race to the right
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Collins supports Ketanji Brown Jackson
Republican Senator Susan Collins said Wednesday morning that she will vote in support of Ketanji Brown Jackson joining the United States Supreme Court.
"After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court," Collins said in a statement. "I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position."
Collins’ vote wasn’t necessary, but it will provide some insurance to Democrats who hold a 1 vote majority in the Senate.
The rundown
Kiggans and Bell race to the right
A former member of Congress in Virginia endorsed Amanda Chase
A peak at congressional candidates’ fundraising emails
The latest actions from some of Virginia’s members of Congress
More news, headlines, and reactions from around Virginia politics
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VA-02 is gaining attention ahead of the June primary
State Sen. Jen Kiggans (R) and Jarome Bell (R) are racing to the right as they try to earn the Republican nomination to run against Rep. Elaine Luria (D) in VA-02 later this year.
Bell is a strong Trump supporter and has called for the execution of 2020 election officials. Kiggans has in general been a moderate Republican during her time as a state senator which is something that isn’t always helpful during the nomination process. During the last year, she has been moving to the right - especially on election issues - by being one of four state Senators to support Amanda Chase in her efforts to audit the 2020 election results.
Besides that vote, Kiggans has tried to appease her base on election integrity issues by walking lighter with legislation to not deter independent and moderate voters. She passed legislation that will require the list of deceased voters to be communicated with election officials more frequently, for example. “This may seem simple, and common sense, but this bill was two years in the making,” Kiggans said in a fundraising email about the legislation. “After much work, the Republican House AND the Democratic Senate got this done. This new law ensures the accuracy of our voter rolls and helps to restore the confidence in our elections!”
Voter integrity still remains an issue for Republicans, or so Kiggans appears to believe so. “I will keep fighting for election integrity so every American can vote, vote once, and trust whatever outcome comes from any given election,” she said in that same email.
Kiggans also would not answer the Washington Post recently when asked if she believes there was fraud in 2020.
From WaPo: “Kiggans has acknowledged Biden was legitimately elected, but when questioned she would not say whether she herself believed there was fraud in the 2020 election in Virginia necessitating an audit. She reiterated that she intended to be a voice for people who elected her and who did believe that. There is no evidence of significant fraud affecting the outcome of the 2020 election in Virginia or elsewhere, and the state performed its own audit last year affirming the results.”
In a statement Tuesday, the Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee called out Kiggans for moving to the right. “Every day, Jen Kiggans plants her flag further to the extreme right as she and Jarome Bell scramble to win over the same primary voters,” said DCCC spokesperson Monica Robinson. “No matter who manages to make it out of the GOP primary, Virginians have only losing options for their Republican nominee.”
****After redistricting in 2021, Luria’s district has become more friendly to Republicans. Luria first won in 2018 and then again in 2020, but this year appears to be tougher with Trump out of office and Republicans in Virginia appearing to be fired up.
VA-02 voted for the Republican gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin with 55% of the vote in 2021, according to VPAP.
Former Congressman Dave Brat endorsed Amanda Chase as she seeks reelection to the state Senate
Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) is seeking reelection to the state Senate in Senate District 12. She is facing a primary challenge from Tina Ramirez and former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant. Sturtevant lost to Sen. Ghazala Hashmi in 2019.
Chase announced the following endorsement from past VA-07 Congressman Dave Brat (R). Brat lost to Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) in 2018.
“Today, I'm announcing my endorsement of Virginia State Senator Amanda Chase as she seeks re-election to the Virginia State Senate,” former Congressman Dave Brat said in a statement released through the Chase campaign. “Senator Chase supported me before it was cool to be Pro Faith, Pro Constitution, Pro Free Markets and Pro American. She has courage. I ran on and supported the Republican Creed of Virginia. Many say they support this platform, but not everyone votes like it or messages constantly on it like Senator Chase. ‘We the People’ are tired of politicians who do not see the dangers right in front of us; from out of control schools to election integrity. We want people that can clearly articulate what these issues are and boldly lead the people to action. If we elect leaders that hold fast to the Virginia Republican Creed, there is no way we can end up with runaway spending, crime in the streets, crushing regulations and an economy that favors the Big and Powerful over small business and our great citizens. ‘We the People’ overwhelmingly love God, Country and our fellow citizens. But love does not mean that anything goes. We the People demand that politicians are accountable to us. They work for us. Senator Amanda Chase will listen to the vast majority who want truth and sanity back in Government. Unfortunately, that will take a fight, and we have someone who will fight the good fight to ensure that the City on a Hill remains bright for us and a light for generations to come.”
Fundraising Emails
VA-07 GOP candidate Yesli Vega: “Fellow Conservative,
This is not a drill. 2 days remain before our fundraising numbers are made public for everyone to see. This Thursday at midnight marks the end of the FEC’s (Federal Election Committee) first fundraising quarter. At that point, all of our fundraising numbers will be made public for the world to see. We need to make sure we start the year off strong by reporting big numbers, so we have decided to unlock a 100% match for each donation.Also from Vega: “Abigail Spanberger is enlisting the help of A-List Democrats such as Joe Biden to win back her seat. We saw what happened when Terry McAuliffe tried the same tactic against Governor Glenn Youngkin. We stopped the Radical Left right here in Virginia back in November - now it's time to stop them again.”
VA-01 Rep. Rob Wittman (R): “Rob Wittman: Fighting for you in America's First Congressional District. With Rob now having a Democrat opponent it is more vital than ever to show our support for strong, conservative values across Virginia.
By purchasing a Bumper Sticker below or on the WinRed Store you help us get one step closer to securing the First District. You will also be eligible to join the coalition of the bumper sticker you choose!”
More tidbits
Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s (D-VA07) Better Cybercrime Metrics Act — which passed Tuesday on a vote of 377 to 48, would improve how the federal government tracks, measures, analyzes, and prosecutes cybercrime. By starting the process of building an effective system to delineate and track cybercrime incidents, Spanberger’s office says this legislation would allow U.S. law enforcement agencies to better identify cyberthreats, prevent attacks, and take on the challenge of cybercrime. Spanberger introduced the bipartisan legislation in August 2021 — and the U.S. Senate passed the companion bill in December 2021. The legislation now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
Click here to watch Spanberger’s remarks about the bill
Certified Origins, an Italy-based company focused on providing fresh and authentic extra virgin olive oil, will invest $25 million to establish its first U.S. production facility in the City of Newport News to meet increased demand for its branded and private-label products. The company will select and import high-quality extra virgin olive oils through The Port of Virginia to offer craft blends and tailored packaging solutions for local and global markets. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for the project, which
will create 30 new jobs, according to Governor Youngkin’s office.
“The Port of Virginia’s strategic investments and transportation infrastructure enable international businesses to easily import, export and distribute their products, making the Commonwealth a prime launch point into the U.S. market,” Youngkin said. “These logistical advantages and workforce continue to attract high-caliber global companies and we are proud to welcome Certified Origins to Virginia.”
U.S. Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) wrote to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) emphasizing their concerns over delays in the completion of the Silver Line Phase 2 extension and requesting an update on outstanding issues that are impeding the declaration of operational readiness.
During a March 24, 2022 board meeting, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld revealed that operational readiness would not be achieved before the end of Metro’s fiscal year, as was the previously declared goal, due to several unresolved punch list items. The letter requests that MWAA share what actions are being taken to ensure these pending issues are addressed in a timely fashion.
“We understand that several punch list items remain for both the rail line and rail yard projects that must be resolved before operational readiness can be declared. Many of these items have been known about for months, and we therefore urge you to work diligently to address them in a timely manner and to ensure that there is accountability for any unnecessary delays. To that end, we request that you share with us what expectations for timely resolution of these items you have conveyed to your contractors and how those expectations are being enforced,” wrote the members of Congress.
The Members underscored the importance of the Silver Line extension to the Northern Virginia region’s economy and the benefit to constituents, including improved access to Dulles International Airport.
The full text of the letter can be found here
Judge dismisses criminal case against Del. LaRock - Loudoun Times-Mirror
Criminal charges against Del. David LaRock (R-33rd) were dismissed Tuesday morning after a specially appointed judge decided LaRock’s dispute with his neighbor was a civil issue.
LaRock was found guilty of pulling down a fence and leaving his neighbor’s gate open, and faced a $250 fine for each instance in the Loudoun County Circuit Court. “This is simply not a criminal case,” Judge Daniel R. Bouton said.
Group informing Hanover school policy helped craft law restricting transgender athletes in other states - VPM News
by Megan Pauly
Earlier this month, the Hanover County School Board voted to allow the Arizona-based group Alliance Defending Freedom – which the Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed an anti-LGBTQ hate group – to review a district policy pertaining to the rights of LGBTQ students in school.
Scott McCoy, interim deputy legal director for LGBTQ rights for the SPLC, says hate group designations like this aren’t taken lightly. The classifications are made when groups have beliefs or practices “that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.”
Democratic delegates responded to this story on social media Wednesday morning:
A Democratic Super PAC’s Ad Buy Shows a Widening Battle for House Control - New York Times
The House Democrats’ main political action committee is spending nearly $102 million to reserve advertising spots in 50 media markets, from Bangor, Maine, to San Diego, Calif., a battlefield that is considerably larger and more expensive than it was in the past two congressional elections.
The breadth of the congressional map reveals the scope of Democrats’ worries about holding seats in midterm elections. Areas once considered safe, like South Texas, greater Pittsburgh and Seattle will see Democratic advertising.
VEA, state NAACP push back on Youngkin's plans to ax 'divisive' resources - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Mel Leonor
A coalition that includes the state’s largest teachers union, the Virginia chapter of the NAACP and the Legal Aid Justice Center criticized efforts by the Youngkin administration to extricate “divisive concepts” from schools.
During a news conference at the Capitol grounds on Tuesday, the group lambasted a recent report by Youngkin education officials that criticized ongoing efforts to address racial and socioeconomic disparities in education as “discriminatory.” The report sought to downplay the role of systemic racism in fostering those disparities and defended the decision by state education officials to scrap resources for teachers and administrators on diversity and equity.
Not Guilty, Sentenced to Life: AG Miyares can’t oppose innocence petition, attorney claims - WRIC
by Jacob Kordes
Attorneys for a man who was acquitted in the death of a Waverly Police Officer but nevertheless sentenced to life in prison, say no, it absolutely cannot. Before he left office, former Attorney General Mark Herring filed a brief before the Virginia Court of Appeals supporting Terrence Richardson’s request for a writ of actual innocence – a document that might grant him his freedom after over twenty years behind bars.
But just over a month after taking office, Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares reversed course on the petition, calling for the courts to reject the petition and firing the entire Wrongful Conviction Integrity Unit, the group of Commonwealth’s Attorneys who had worked on Richardson’s case and others like it.
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