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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 […]
In Virginia Senate debate, Sturtevant goes on the attack over Northam’s donation to Hashmi
It took less than 10 minutes for Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal to come up Wednesday night in a debate between Republican state Sen. Glen Sturtevant and Democrat Ghazala Hashmi. Sturtevant, one of the most imperiled Republicans in the Virginia Senate whose suburban Richmond seat is seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats, repeatedly […]
Facing tough re-election fight, Va. House Speaker Kirk Cox takes to debate stage for first time in decades
Facing his first competitive re-election campaign in decades, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox found himself on unfamiliar terrain Wednesday night: a debate stage. At a candidate forum in Chesterfield County, Cox, R-Colonial Heights, faced off against Democratic challenger Sheila Bynum-Coleman, fielding questions on gun violence, climate change, the economy, LGBTQ rights and other […]