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.
-
news
Data Center Policy Divides State Democrats
The fate of Virginia’s two-year state budget, which is scheduled to take effect on July 1, is in the hands of Democrats who control both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s mansion, even as the party remains divided over the tax treatment of data centers. State Sen. L. Louise Lucas vowed that “there is… -
opinion
The Art of the Deal
Like they all had read President Donald Trump’s seminal tome “Art of the Deal,” Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, state Sen. Louise Lucas, and Speaker of the House Don Scott had us all believing that the Virginia Democrats were in disarray. Then, as Lee Corso used to say on ESPN “College GameDay,” “Not so fast, my… -
analysis
Virginia State GOP Voids Lynchburg Primary Results
Voters in Lynchburg, Virginia, can expect a large slate of candidates for the three city council seats that will be on the ballot in November. That’s because the Republican State Central Committee voted 55-17 to set aside the results of last month’s “firehouse primary” and declared that all interested candidates may file to be on… -
news
Richmond Hosts the National Speech and Debate Tournament
Over the course of this week, Richmond will ring with stirring oratory, as it has many times before. But this time it isn’t politicians or patriots who will be offering their opinions. The state capital is hosting the National Speech & Debate Tournament for the first time. The competition brings some 7,000 students from 1,500… -
news
Judge Denies Motion to Compel Abigail Spanberger to Testify in Defamation Case
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA—A Richmond judge denied two motions against the Democrat Party of Virginia and Gov. Abigail Spanberger Monday in a defamation case, and the plaintiff told the Daily Signal that he plans to appeal the decisions. “I will be appealing these decisions,” Thomas Speciale, a retired Army intelligence officer and a former Republican U.S. Senate… -
opinion
Tall Ships Bring the Spirit of ‘76 to Virginia
Richmond SailFest kicked off last weekend as three sailing ships—Oosterschelde, Pride of Baltimore II, and Virginia—docked in the state capital. Richmond’s portion of the event was co-hosted by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and featured reenactors, history and art exhibits, cultural performances, and live music, plus a fireworks and drone show. “This summer… -
news
Daily Signal Adds Rich Tucker to Bolster Virginia Coverage
The Daily Signal is strengthening its Virginia coverage with the addition of Rich Tucker as a second Virginia correspondent, joining Joe Thomas to form a dedicated reporting team covering the commonwealth. Tucker brings deep roots in Virginia journalism to the role. He was the founding editor of The Virginia Flyover, a publication he launched in… -
opinion
‘Affordability’? Virginia Drives Gun Manufacturer to Cheaper Georgia
Gov. Abigail Spanberger and whatever members of the Virginia Democratic Party that aren’t in a war of words with her still speak of fulfilling their affordability agenda, which we have debunked in earlier columns as nothing more than more taxpayer-funded subsidies or draconian controls on providers like landlords. However, the news that Rideout Arsenal, a… -
news
Data Center Civil War Leaves Virginia on the Verge of a Shutdown
Virginia is on the verge of its first shutdown in modern history, and it all comes down to data centers and Democratic Party infighting. Democrats control the governor’s mansion, the state Senate, and the House, yet the party can’t get on the same page. “Virginia has to have a budget by June 30,” Republican Virginia… -
opinion
Honoring the Declaration in Richmond
For the next month, Virginians can see a vital piece of our shared national history. A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence will be on display at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. It should serve as a living reminder of the first 250 years of American history. Virginia has been central to… -
opinion
Lawsuit Exposes Virginia’s Neo-Confederate Approach to Immigration
Democrats of 2026 bear an uncanny resemblance to Democrats of 1861 when it comes to seeking to nullify federal law. In 1861, Democrats led efforts to “secede” from the Union to oppose Abraham Lincoln, a Republican who opposed the expansion of slavery into the Northern Territories, an expansion expressly forbidden by Congress in the Missouri… -
opinion
Fairfax Schools’ Pricey Legal Advice Disguised as ‘Independent Investigation’
Earlier this year, 13 girls attending Fairfax High School told school administrators that Israel Flores Ortiz, a 19-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador attending the school as a junior, groped their genitals in the hallway as they were transitioning between classes. In April, Ortiz was sentenced to 360 days in jail for multiple counts of… -
opinion
Virginia State GOP Set to Vote on Radical Democrat Amendments
The State Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia is meeting Saturday morning in Fredericksburg to consider whether to oppose or remain neutral on three highly controversial proposed Democrat amendments to the Virginia Constitution. The amendments cover abortion, same-sex marriage and gender identity, and voting rights for those convicted of felonies. The abortion amendment… -
opinion
Bitter ‘Harvest’: Don’t Scoff, Virginia, Over California’s Elections. We’re Not Far Behind.
Virginians should not be giggling over the issues that are dogging California’s primary results—we could be next. All of the laws regarding mail-in voting and ballot harvesting are in Virginia’s law books, too. Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, now president of the Election Transparency Initiative, pointed this out in a visit with me on… -
news
Virginia Budget Debate Turns Public Amid Data Center Dispute
THE CENTER SQUARE—Virginia budget negotiations spilled into public view last week as top Democrat leaders publicly clashed over data center policy ahead of the June 30 budget deadline. Senate Finance and Appropriations Chairwoman Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, publicly criticized Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger and House of Representatives leaders Friday as negotiations continued without a final agreement…. -
news
Lawmakers Weigh Dominion-NextEra Deal
THE CENTER SQUARE—Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday questioned whether state regulators have enough time and authority to fully review Dominion Energy’s proposed merger with NextEra Energy before the state’s approval process could conclude ahead of next year’s General Assembly session. The Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, which will become the Energy Commission of Virginia on July… -
opinion
‘CIAbigail’ Spanberger Wars With Fellow Virginia Democrats
On the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, the leader of the Virginia Senate budget conference decided to start firing on her political opponents from her fortified bunkers on the hill she has occupied, while the governor tries to take the political beach from her and her allies with covert operations. Here’s where the fun begins. Saturday,… -
opinion
Virginia, Other States Pay Price for New York’s Lax CDL Law
Late last month, a bus driver plowed into a line of stopped cars on Interstate 95 in Virginia, killing a family of four traveling to a wedding in South Carolina. Massachusetts residents Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their two children, ages 13 and 7, were killed alongside fellow Bay Stater Priscilla Mafalda. Forty-four others were… -
opinion
Victims Demand Inquiry Into Sanctuary Policies in Virginia and Illinois
A republic is not ordinarily undone by a single dramatic stroke. Instead, it is softened by evasions—failures to comply with rules and failures by officials to do their duties. And so, the present controversies in Fairfax County, Virginia, and in Cook and Lake counties, Illinois, are not merely another quarrel over immigration policy. They are… -
opinion
Virginia Democrats Play Hide-and-Seek With Local Tax Hike
How do you pass a bill into law that either you cannot pass or that the governor vetoed? Easy. Turn it into a part of the budget that must be passed (at some point). In 2025 alone, several examples of this chicanery took place. Then-Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was blamed for several “skinny budget” periods…