A fair share
Virginia’s first Black governor says it’s past time for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities to receive their fair share of the pie. Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, a Virginia Union University alumnus, jokes that he has been advocating for increased state funding for Virginia HBCUs “for about a hundred years.” The Biden administration […]
After long delay, Va. lawmakers appoint two SCC judges
The Virginia General Assembly unanimously elected two attorneys to fill two vacancies on the Virginia State Corporation Commission on Wednesday, after more than a year of understaffing and partisan battles. State senators and delegates voted 40-0 and 98-0, respectively, to approve the nominations of Kelsey Bagot, a former legal adviser with the Federal Energy Regulatory […]
Wizards, Capitals plan Alexandria move in $2B deal
The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards are planning a move to a new home in Alexandria in a $2 billion deal that would see the professional sports franchises exit Washington, D.C., by 2028, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Dec. 13, 2023. The nonbinding agreement to build a new arena for the Capitals and Wizards is […]
Back in the saddle again
The political version of musical chairs — aka the 2024 General Assembly session — begins again in Richmond this month, as legislative control shifts once again to Democrats, who won majorities in the House of Delegates and the state Senate in the November 2023 elections. Nevertheless, a 6-foot-5-inch Republican roadblock stands in the way of […]
Democrats sweep Va. General Assembly
Updated Nov. 8 Democrats regained control of the Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates in Tuesday’s elections, likely putting a damper on Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s legislative agenda and potential 2024 presidential aspirations. As of 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, Democrats won 21 out of 40 seats in the […]
Va. early voting period ends with overall lower turnout
RICHMOND, Va. — Over 62,000 Virginians ventured out to the polls on a sunny November day for the last chance to vote early. The early voting period saw 776,931 votes cast, with most of it done in person, according to data from the Virginia Public Access Project. Absentee mail-in ballots are still being accepted. There was a 20% […]
CNU poll shows tight race for GA control
A poll of 800 likely Virginia voters shows a tight race for party control of the General Assembly, which is currently split between Democrats controlling the state Senate and a Republican majority in the House of Delegates. According to results released Tuesday by Christopher Newport University‘s Wason Center for Civic Leadership, 42% of respondents say […]
Youngkin’s 2024 tightrope walk depends on Va. elections
The individual with the most to gain from this fall’s General Assembly elections isn’t even on the ballot. Gov. Glenn Youngkin is nearly midway through his term-limited governorship, and pretty much from day one, politicos have speculated he’s after a bigger prize: the U.S. presidency. The governor hasn’t entered the 2024 race, but he’s sent […]
‘A generational shift’
Updated June 29 Politicians like to suggest every new election is the most important of our lifetimes, but Virginia’s off-off-year state legislative elections in 2023 might actually live up to the billing for once. In November, voters will elect representatives to all 140 seats in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, in the first […]
Unfinished business
The tone of the 2023 General Assembly can be encapsulated in its approach to electricity rates. With dozens of lawmakers poised to retire, the General Assembly passed a major energy law, giving the State Corporation Commission added leeway over adjusting customer rates for utilities Dominion Energy Inc. and Appalachian Power. Yet, at the same time, […]
Westward ho!
Southwest Virginia’s leaders feel confident their region will be home to the state’s next inland port. “The planets are aligning for us right now,” says state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County. “Our localities are excited about it. The state seems to be excited about it.” During the Virginia General Assembly‘s regular session, Pillion and two […]
Second Petersburg casino bill dies in Senate committee
Updated Friday, Feb. 17 Petersburg voters won’t get an opportunity to approve a casino this fall, and Richmond may get a second chance to vote on a casino referendum in 2023, state legislators decided Thursday in a 10-6 vote. However, the matter could come down to last-minute state budget negotiations. The Virginia State Senate’s Finance […]