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Va. House Democrats choose Eileen Filler-Corn as speaker-designee
Virginia Democrats have selected Eileen Filler-Corn as the next speaker of the House of Delegates, putting the the 55-year-old lawmaker from Northern Virginia in position to become the first woman ever to wield the gavel. At a closed-door meeting Saturday in downtown Richmond, the House Democratic Caucus voted to stick with the minority leader who […]
As Democrats triumph in Virginia, pro-gun groups confront ‘worst scenario’
In a victory speech in Richmond Tuesday night, Shannon Watts, the founder of gun-safety group Moms Demand Action, finished by mentioning a get-out-the-vote tweet from the National Rifle Association. In the video posted a few days before Virginia’s General Assembly elections, a woman in an NRA hat said people who didn’t go vote to protect […]
How will Democrats govern? Race for speaker could be an early test.
At least four Democrats – including two members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus – have said they’re in the running to become the next speaker of the House of Delegates, setting up a debate among the newly empowered majority over who should lead their diverse caucus. After winning what appears to be a 55-seat […]
Virginia Democrats win control of General Assembly, sealing Trump-era power shift
Virginia Democrats won enough seats in Tuesday’s elections to take control of the General Assembly next year, ushering in an era of unified Democratic governance for the first time in a quarter-century. Powered by a spike in voter turnout for a legislative election year, Democrats gained at least eight seats, locking in majorities in both […]
CBS calls Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s defamation suit a ploy to ‘attack’ accusers
Attorneys for CBS have asked a federal court to throw out the $400 million defamation lawsuit Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax filed against the television network, saying Fairfax has used the filing to “disparage” and “attack” the two women who accused him of sexual assault. Fairfax sued CBS in mid-September, claiming the network defamed him by […]
Democrats want voters to give them control of the statehouse Tuesday. What will they do if they get it?
Virginia House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn is careful not to sound presumptive, but she’s already thinking about what Democrats could do in year one, year two and beyond if they win control of the General Assembly. If her party takes power in the elections Tuesday, she said, handling it wisely could mean the difference between […]
Virginians are buying less gas but driving more miles. For transportation officials, that’s a problem.
For the first time ever, Virginians are paying less in gas taxes while driving more, a worrisome milestone for transportation officials concerned about how they’ll pay for roads in a more fuel-efficient future. At a Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting in Richmond last week, state officials said they support technological advances that lead to a cleaner […]
Virginia is still studying casinos. But two communities are about to vote on miniature versions.
DUMFRIES — At a strip-mall Italian restaurant, the visiting businesspeople laid out a spread of chicken wings and potato skins, arranged their piles of bumper stickers and settled in to greet the locals. On a laptop, video testimonials from New Kent County officials played to a mostly empty room, singing the praises of the new […]
Sen. Mark Warner files bill aimed at promoting social media competition
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., on Tuesday rolled out bipartisan legislation intended to make it easier for social media users to switch services without losing their data and communicate across platforms like Facebook and Twitter, according to a news release. Warner introduced the bill – the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching (ACCESS) Act […]
Defeated GOP Del. Chris Peace’s father-in-law starts PAC to support write-in effort
Disgruntled Republican voters in a suburban Richmond district have created at least two political action committees to drum up write-in votes for Del. Chris Peace, R-Hanover, who lost his party’s nomination earlier this year to Hanover County Supervisor Scott Wyatt. One of the PACs, My Vote Matters Va, lists John Hopkins, Peace’s father-in-law, as its […]
A Democratic takeover could make Virginia more marijuana-friendly. But legalization may still be years away.
Ever since Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize marijuana in 2012, cannabis-skeptical Republicans have controlled at least one chamber of the Virginia General Assembly. In a few months, that could change. If Democrats win full control of the statehouse next month by gaining four seats, Virginia would enter unknown territory on marijuana […]
Virginia took a step toward redistricting reform. With power up for grabs, will lawmakers follow through?
Virginia is closer to passing redistricting reform than ever. But anti-gerrymandering advocate Brian Cannon says both Democrats and Republicans are whispering that the idea is doomed if their opponents get power. “‘You know, if the other side takes over, your amendment’s done.’ They both kind of say that,” Cannon said, describing what he’s hearing in […]