Virginia Politics & News
Virginia news from The Daily Signal, covering state politics, education policy, election integrity, and the political shift between Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth’s conservative regions.
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opinion
Get the Flock Out
The Harrisonburg City Council voted unanimously this week to end the city’s contract with Flock Safety. It will bag the company’s surveillance cameras with trash bags until they are removed and will consider an ordinance that prohibits other similar mass-surveillance entities from entering into contracts with any entities in the city. Earlier this year, the… -
news
Loudoun County Board Makes a Leadership Change
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will reconvene in September after its August recess. When it meets next, one key panel will be under new leadership: Supervisor Juli Briskman was replaced as chairwoman of the finance committee by Supervisor Koran Saines. The move came near the end of the board’s final July meeting. County Chairwoman… -
news
Chincoteague Ponies Hit the Beach
Virginia’s most famous roundup is underway at Chincoteague Island. The 101st annual pony swim brought about 150 adult wild ponies and more than 60 foals that live on Assateague Island down to the channel, where they swim across to Chincoteague during “slack tide” (when there is no current) so the young horses can be auctioned… -
analysis
3 Candidates Compete for Virginia GOP Senate Nomination
On Tuesday, three Republican candidates—Kim Farington, Bert Mizusawa, and David Williams—will be facing off to see who will earn the nomination to run against three-term incumbent Sen. Mark Warner in the race for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Warner is unopposed on the Democratic side after potential challenger Mark Moran decided to run as… -
opinion
From Lawsuits to Begrudging Admissions, a Crazy Week for Dems on Election Integrity
Last week brought several developments regarding Democrats on election integrity, demonstrating the party is falling into disarray over what is a widely supported issue for Americans. Some were not shocking, such as a lawsuit from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Others were a bit surprising, like strategist James Carville coming out in support of voter ID…. -
opinion
Why Is Virginia’s Largest Public School District Spending so Much on Lawyers?
In just seven years, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has spent nearly $60 million on lawyers. During fiscal year 2026 alone, the district set a new record, spending $14.4 million on legal fees. Fiscal Year Legal Fees 2020 $6,401,078 2021 $5,066,049 2022 $6,312,989 2023 $6,925,475 2024 $11,619,332 2025 $7,656,968 2026 $14,440,784 Total $58,422,675 Source: Freedom… -
opinion
News Networks Challenge Mark Warner on Voter ID, President’s Speech
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner told a gathering of supporters in Staunton this past weekend that “this is it” for him. It is his last run for the U.S. Senate seat he first won in 2008 after serving as Virginia’s governor. Funny, you don’t have to look hard in the archives to find a famous video… -
analysis
Pumped Storage Energy Facility May Help Meet Virginia’s Power Needs
Virginia’s need for plentiful, reliable energy is increasing every year. Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin developed an “all of the above” program during his administration to tap into any available source of power. That included promoting technologies such as a fusion plant in Chesterfield. While the technology hasn’t been proven commercially yet, it shows potential… -
news
Virginia Moves Up in Fitness Rankings—Arlington Named Fittest City
Things are really shaping up in the commonwealth. Arlington was selected again this year as the nation’s fittest city by the American College of Sports Medicine. “Arlington, Virginia, continues its long-standing position as the nation’s fittest city, reflecting strong performance across multiple indicators including physical activity levels, access to parks and recreational facilities, and supportive… -
news
Virginia’s Abortion Amendment Would Strike Down Statutory Rape Laws, Warns Lawsuit Seeking to Invalidate It for Deceptive Language
Virginia Democrats have supported a “Reproductive Freedom” constitutional amendment, but critics warn that it would vacate laws against statutory rape, and a lawsuit seeks to invalidate it. “Virginia’s so-called reproductive freedom amendment goes far beyond the issue of abortion,” Josh Hetzler, executive director of the Founding Freedoms Law Center and an attorney for the nonprofits challenging… -
opinion
Look Who’s Back! Winsome Earle-Sears
Winsome Earle-Sears is back. As the news that former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin had returned to the private sector, aka joining technology capital firm Red Cell Partners as a partner, chairman, and board member, his lieutenant governor returned to the world of three-speeches-a-day campaigning. Why? “Babies and Families,” Winsome Earle-Sears told the crowd at the… -
news
Mixed Messages From Virginia’s Economy
When it comes to Virginia’s economy, the glass may be half full, or it may be half empty. First, some bad news: In the year that ended May 31, Virginia lost 51,400 jobs. That is the most jobs lost by any state. A good share of those jobs, about 40%, were caused by federal government… -
opinion
Abigail Spanberger and the 3 Little Words That Should Terrify Every Virginian
What do John Tyler, James Monroe, and Thomas Jefferson have in common? They are the three Virginia governors who have gone on to become president. Just a couple of years from now, the United States could sleepwalk into adding a fourth name to the list: Gov. Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger is a choice beloved by the… -
opinion
James Monroe’s Estate Transforming Into a State Park
Virginians have reason to hope that a new “era of good feelings” has begun for Oak Hill estate in Loudoun County. This year, the General Assembly voted to acquire the estate and turn it into a state park. The iconic property was the retirement home of James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States,… -
analysis
Virginians Question Power-Hungry Data Centers’ Expansion
Newton’s third law indicates that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. In Virginia politics, that is showing up in the push-and-pull over data centers. The state is already peppered with data centers, and developers are rolling out plans to build more. In almost every location, local residents quickly rally to oppose their expansion…. -
opinion
School Daze
A Virginia elementary school teacher was tasked with also providing counseling to students who wanted to discuss their sexuality as part of a public-school division’s efforts to be “inclusive” of LGBTQ+ feelings. He had the title “Social Emotional Learning coach.” Did we mention this was at an elementary school? But wait, there’s more. Absurd as… -
opinion
Virginians Wonder About Impact of Proposed Dominion-NextEra Merger
Early July brought 100-plus-degree temperatures to large swaths of Virginia, forcing most of the commonwealth’s air conditioners to whir all day and night. Temperatures may hit 100 degrees again this week. But staying comfortable costs more this summer: Dominion Energy announced that, starting this month, it will add an $8-per-month charge to every domestic customer’s… -
news
Virginia’s State of Surveillance
If you sense that somebody’s watching you, you’re not paranoid; you’re a Virginian. The website Deflock.org allows readers to zoom in on a map of Virginia. It currently shows more than 5,500 surveillance cameras operating in the state. Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads are so thoroughly surveilled that they disappear under a blob of… -
opinion
Smoking Out Virginia’s Pot Law
If you are unclear about Virginia’s marijuana laws, rest assured you are not alone these days. Even police officers seem confused (if not necessarily dazed). “As of July 1, 2026, there are no Code of Virginia violations related to marijuana,” a state police lieutenant wrote in what the Virginia Scope (which obtained the communication) described… -
opinion
Virginians May Be Asked to Vote for Higher Taxes
Do you want higher taxes? Local politicians may soon give many Virginia residents a chance to answer that question for themselves. Earlier this year, state Sen. L. Louise Lucas introduced a bill that would have allowed all local governments to impose an additional 1% sales tax on top of existing levies. At the time the…