Youngkin's first public appearance; a resignation from redistricting; and McAuliffe hangs with Michael Jordan
The latest in Virginia politics.
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Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin will be attending the Virginia Beach Veteran's Day parade this morning. He will then deliver remarks to a group of veterans and supporters at Froggies for a ‘Thank You’ Rally. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on 16th Street and Atlantic Avenue and ends at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial at 19th Street.
Youngkin announced the steering committee for his transition Wednesday.
After losing to Youngkin, Terry McAuliffe went to hang out with Michael Jordan.
A new interactive map from VPAP shows GOP gains in Fairfax County
More on Youngkin’s transition: In addition to the chairs and senior advisors on Gov.-elect Youngkin’s transition steering committee, the following 12 people will be advising him during the process:
Melissa Ball of Hanover County;
Delegate Kathy Byron of Bedford County;
Lindsey Burke of Fairfax County;
Rooz Dadabhoy of Henrico County;
Dr. Nancy Dye of the City of Roanoke;
Brad Hobbs of the City of Virginia Beach;
Former Secretary Aubrey Lane of the City of Virginia Beach;
Former Secretary Robert Martinez of the City of Norfolk;
Tian Olson of Fairfax County;
Tim Parrish of Prince William County;
Sheriff Hank Partin of Montgomery County; and
Town Council Member Amanda Pillion of the Town of Abingdon.
“The Office of Governor-Elect Youngkin Transition Steering Committee includes representation from job creators and business owners, law enforcement officers, veterans, healthcare providers, and parents from across the Commonwealth that will provide fresh and unique insights into the problems facing the Commonwealth and the solutions that will make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” said the announcement from Youngkin’s office.
Del. Marcus Simon resigned from the Redistricting Commission
Del. Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax) submitted his letter of resignation to the Redistricting Commission Wednesday saying that he can do more for the process from outside of the commission. The Supreme Court of Virginia is now tasked with creating the legislative districts for the House of Representatives and General Assembly.
“By resigning now, I will be able to participate fully in the current phase of the redistricting process as I continue to pursue fair maps for the House of Delegates, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, which has always been my goal,” Simon wrote in his letter.
The Supreme Court of Virginia is currently examining a list of six potential special master candidates, three nominated by Republicans and three nominated by Democrats, to draw the legislative maps.
It is not clear how long the process will take. Senate Democrats have asked the court to disqualify all three of the Republican nominations due to conflicts of interest.
Senate Republican spokesperson Jeff Ryer said Democratic nominees are “all extreme-left academics with well-demonstrated records of considering one and only one criteria when it comes to drawing district lines: What will benefit Democrats most.”
Virginia’s 2022 congressional elections will take place under new lines and there is a lawsuit in the courts that could potentially force House of Delegates candidates to run this year as well under new lines. If the judge agrees with the plaintiff, House candidates would be forced to run three straight years, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Youngkin talks about moving forward during his first public event as governor-elect.
Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin was at Quantico Wednesday to participate in a cake-cutting ceremony for the Marine Corps birthday.
“I’ve been very encouraged by the receptivity of the Democrats, and the Republicans are ready to get moving as well. I think we’re going to see broad-based support for what we’re going to get done,” Youngkin said. “It’s early days, so we got a lot of work to do between now and January 15. Out of the box here, I’m really encouraged,” Youngkin said during the event, according to WTVR.
Youngkin also addressed the infrastructure bill that was just passed in Washington. Youngkin’s quote from WTVR: “There’s going to be good support for Virginia that comes out of that bill. Right now, we trying to identify where the support for Virginia can come. We’ve got a lot of infrastructure needs for Virginia,” Youngkin said.
Recounts in the House?
Department of Elections Commissioner Chris Piper talked about last week’s election in an event Wednesday. He talked about the two close races in the House of Delegates that are very close while noting that the number of votes separating the candidates is too large to likely change in a recount.
When he talked about Del. Martha Mugler making up for the 94 votes she lost to A.C. Cordoza by in the 91 House district. “When you’ve got about 27,000 cast in that election is going to be really hard to do because we’re so good at our jobs,” Piper said.
Read more on the event with Piper from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Tradition that fed Virginia’s school-to-prison pipeline finds rebirth with new GOP majority - Courthouse News
by Brad Kutner
In May 2021, a high school student was sexually assaulted in the girl's bathroom of a Loudoun County school. The teen's assailant would later be convicted but not before drawing charges for another assault in October.
That the administration had quietly transferred the student after the first incident to a different school in the same county where the crime would apparently happen again managed to stir outrage among Virginia parents in the lead-up to closely watched state elections. Data showed hard shifts toward the right in Virginia suburbs like Loudoun, and those shifts helped businessman Glenn Youngkin and his GOP allies in the House, who championed school safety issues, win office last week.
With faster start for marijuana sales possible, future of legal market hazy under Republican leadership - WRIC
by Jackie Defusco
A faster timeline for recreational marijuana sales is on the table in Virginia but the future of the legal market is hazy after Republicans swept statewide elections and likely flipped the House of Delegates.
Earlier this year, Democrats legalized simple possession and limited home cultivation of marijuana when the party had total control in Richmond.
Some in newly empowered Va. GOP open to speeding retail sales of marijuana - Virginia Mercury
by Ned Oliver
Newly empowered Republicans in Virginia say plans to allow retail sales of recreational marijuana won’t necessarily be doomed under their control of the House of Delegates and Executive Mansion. And some say they’re open to speeding up the timeline for allowing retail sales, which is currently delayed until 2024.
“You almost kind of have to,” said Del. Glenn Davis, R-Virginia Beach, calling the current state of the law, in which possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana is legal but buying and selling the products is not, has created a quagmire that the party can’t ignore. “I guess we’re kind of half pregnant.”
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