Youngkin discusses hiring staff in the Department of Education
Afternoon update on Virginia politics.
Youngkin discusses hiring staff in the Department of Education
Glenn Youngkin told his supporters on the campaign trail that he planned to announce who will be leading his education department by Dec. 1 — but that day has arrived and the governor-elect is not ready to say who will have the job just yet. In an interview last week, he blamed the abundance of applicants and the need for a thorough review as the reason for the delay. He reiterated that in an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday while going more in-depth about what he is looking for in his education department leaders.
“I had really planned on having our Secretary of Education announced this week particularly,” Youngkin said during the interview with Hewitt. “We really have a real challenge of riches in that we have so many people that have applied for these positions that we want to make sure we are doing a real thorough job in evaluating them all.”
Education was the leading topic on his campaign’s platform and he is expected to put a heavy focus on that department during his administration. Youngkin talked about the national attention his campaign experienced leading to an increase of applicants to sift through.
“This election became a national movement,” Youngkin said Monday. “We had such a big national spotlight on us that it has really brought out just an incredible depth of talent. So we are going to be a little behind on our Secretary of Education appointment just from a timing standpoint, but the caliber and quality of the people we are selecting from just has been so encouraging.”
Hewitt pushed Youngkin to take his time in interviewing potential members of his administration.
“We won’t rush. I think one of the big mistakes is that Virginia has oftentimes settled,” Youngkin said, before adding that his administration will be ready by the time he is inaugurated. “We will be ready to take office on Jan. 15.”
Hewitt asked if Youngkin will be looking to hire only people who are older with a long resume of experience. “We are not focused on age, we are focused on capability and talent,” Youngkin responded, noting that he wants to build an array of experiences in his cabinet. “ Virginians deserve it.”
Youngkin said they are asking applicants about their history while also conducting their own review to try and ensure they don’t hire anyone that can cause distractions to the administration.
“Rest assured we are not only asking, but we are also doing our checking too. I think this is a critical part of putting together a great team is that you don’t have situations that would distract people from getting a job done.”
As for any concern among Republicans that Youngkin will tone down his campaign promises on education to present a more moderate approach to politics, Youngkin says he will be hiring leaders that will be focused solely on helping him execute his plans.
“My day one agenda is going to be our day one agenda,” Youngkin said. “We are going to make sure that the folks that are selected into this administration are fully aligned with what we are going to go get done. This isn’t a moment for freelancing, this is a moment for us to deliver on what we have promised we are going to go do.”
Did you miss our newsletter this morning? All signs point to one person becoming Youngkin's Chief of Staff; Plus, Amanda Chase said she has a new role in Youngkin's transition; a VA-07 candidate invites @AOC to VA; a call about a potential casino revival in Richmond; and more.
Governor Northam Appoints Frances Bradford as Secretary of Education
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam appointed a new Secretary of Education Tuesday to finish out the remainder of the term until the next administration takes over on Jan. 15.
Secretary Bradford begins the role as former Secretary Atif Qarni accepts a position as Managing Director at Temple University's Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice in Philadelphia.
“Secretary Bradford has done tremendous work for Virginia's higher education system, and I know she will continue to serve the Commonwealth well as our new Secretary of Education. I look forward to continuing to work with her on behalf of students, families, and teachers across Virginia,” Northam said in a statement.
Bradford previously served as Deputy Secretary of Education for Governor Northam. She was at the College of William & Mary for fourteen years, most recently serving as the Associate Vice President for Government Relations. Before arriving at William & Mary, Bradford served in several communications and government relations roles at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia from 1990-2003. In the fall of 2005, she was called on to fill the position of Deputy Secretary of Education during the remaining months of Governor Mark Warner's term.
Recount in 1 Virginia House district set for this week - Associated Press
One of the two outstanding recounts requested by Democratic incumbents who trail their GOP challengers in Virginia House races is set to take place Thursday and Friday.
Republicans won at least 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber in the Nov. 2 election and have said they expect their narrow leads to hold in the 85th and 91st Districts, where the recounts were requested.
More News:
Omicron prompts ‘watchful waiting’ among local public health officials still grappling with delta
Attorney urges a ruling on the case of two Virginia men found not guilty but sentenced to life
Alumni Withhold Donations, Demand Colleges Enforce Free Speech
Fairfax County sees largest drop in Va. public school enrollment
Grand jury clears officer who shot Pharrell Williams' cousin
As Leesburg Town Council Again Refuses to Reconsider Mandate, Resignations Begin
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Sports betting revenue in Virginia is off the charts, according to Play Virginia
Play Virginia just released information regarding sports betting revenue in Virginia. Online sports betting first started in January. Read the report from Play Virginia, a group founded in 2020 to follow the new sports betting industry.
Virginia’s sports betting volume skyrocketed to a state record in October with five weekends of football catapulting wagering to more than $427 million. The record month — which was also boosted by the opening of the NBA season and baseball’s postseason — officially made Virginia the quickest state in U.S. history to reach $2 billion in lifetime wagers, according to PlayVirginia, which tracks Virginia's sports betting market.
“With a calendar that included an extra weekend of NFL and college football, the opening of the NBA and NHL seasons, and baseball’s postseason, October was the best opportunity so far for Virginia sportsbooks and the results did not disappoint,” said Dann Stupp, lead analyst for PlayVirginia.com. “A strong start to the football season shows a maturing market with an increasing number of operators launching and a base of bettors that are increasingly comfortable with online sports betting.”
Virginia’s online sportsbooks generated $427.3 million in bets in October, easily topping the previous record of $304.1 million reached in March, according to data released Wednesday by The Virginia Lottery. The state handle was up 45.4% from $293.9 million in September as volume rose to $13.8 million per day over the 31 days of October from $9.8 million in September.
October gross gaming revenue slipped 2.5% to $30.2 million from the record $30.9 million in September. $15.8 million in promotions whittled taxable revenue down to $9.8 million, yielding $1.7 million in state taxes.
During October, Virginia became the quickest to $2 billion in lifetime wagering. New Jersey — which in June 2018 became the first state to launch sports betting after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act — had long been the quickest market after PASPA to reach $2 billion in lifetime revenue. New Jersey took 10 months. The commonwealth managed to do it in fewer than 10 months after sportsbooks began taking bets on Jan. 21, 2021.
Since launching in January 2021, Virginia has produced:
$2.4 billion in wagering
$206.0 million in gross gaming revenue, yielding $90.8 million in taxable revenue
$14.4 million in state taxes
“It’s hard to imagine a better start for Virginia’s sports betting industry,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayVirginia.com. “The brisk action over the last two months is raising the bar for the entire market, too. Not only are more Virginians betting, but they are expanding their interest in less conventional wagers such as in-game betting.”
Virginia joined an overwhelming majority of legal markets in the U.S. to set a state record in October. Five weekends of pro and college football, baseball’s postseason and the return of the NBA, were the clear catalyst in every state. But Virginia got some local help, too. The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the NFL’s best teams and the Washington Football Team have remained in the playoff race, which boosts local interest. Additionally, the Washington Wizards got off to the franchise’s best start since the 1970s.
Plus, new sportsbooks continue to expand the market, which welcomed the Golden Nugget sportsbook on Oct. 13 and Bally Bet on Nov. 24.
“Success of regional teams is always an enticement for would-be bettors,” Stupp said. “That is especially true when fans of franchises that have been struggling, such as the Redskins and Wizards, suddenly have good reason to get excited. If those teams can continue down that path, it could be a real boon for sportsbooks over the winter months.”