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
Leftists’ Objections to Election Reform in West Virginia Seem Like a Parody of Themselves
The Judiciary Committee of the West Virginia House of Representatives held a virtual hearing on an election reform bill on April 5. What took place was like a story from the parody site The Babylon Bee. I was invited to testify in support of the bill by some West Virginians, so I made a serious,…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
West Virginia Families, Students Have New Reason for ‘Hope’ on Educational Options
Thousands of children across West Virginia have new hope for the future. State legislators have approved a proposal that would allow students to use education savings accounts to choose how and where they learn. Lawmakers will now send the proposal for these Hope Scholarships to the governor’s desk. Parents can customize their child’s learning experience…Jonathan Butcher -
- News
Virginia to Become 16th State to Legalize Marijuana
Virginia lawmakers passed legislation legalizing marijuana Saturday, making it poised to be the 16th state—and the first in the South—to legalize the drug for recreational use. The measure passed the state House 48-43 and the state Senate 20-19. Not a single Republican in either chamber voted in support of the measure. “This, to me, is a justice bill,”…Andrew Trunsky -
- News
Virginia Rule Allowing Late Ballots Missing Postmark Was Illegal, Court Rules
The Virginia Board of Elections rule allowing officials to count ballots that arrived without a postmark up to three days after the election was illegal, a state judge ruled. Virginia Circuit Court Judge William Eldridge ruled the state’s late mail-in ballot law violated state statute and permanently banned the law in future Virginia elections, the…Thomas Catenacci -
- Opinion
Virginia Values Act Makes Everyone Who Disagrees a Bigot
A federal court in Virginia last week held a hearing on a wedding photographer’s lawsuit challenging a state law that he says requires him to participate in same-sex weddings against his personal Christian beliefs. Lawyers representing photographer Bob Updegrove asked the court Friday to stop enforcing the law while his lawsuit against Virginia Attorney General…Nicole Russell -
- News
Illegal Immigrants in Virginia to Get ‘Driver Privilege’ Cards
Illegal immigrants will be able to apply for driver privilege cards in Virginia starting Jan. 1, 2021, according to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Advocates of the permits claim the issue is in the interest of public safety, NBC Washington reported. Virginia’s General Assembly, which has a Democratic majority, passed the legislation allowing the cards…Kaylee Greenlee -
- Opinion
Meet Steve Descano, the Rogue Prosecutor Whose Policies Are Wreaking Havoc in Fairfax County, Virginia
This commentary is part of a series on the rogue prosecutors around the country who have been backed by liberal billionaires such as George Soros and Cari Tuna and the threat those prosecutors pose to victims and others alike. Previous entries in the series have focused on prosecutors in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Boston. One…Zack Smith -
- Opinion
Virginia Public School District Wants Teachers to Enforce ‘Woke’ Revolution, or Else
What has gotten into the water in Virginia? The commonwealth has quickly gone from a purple-state battleground to embracing a kind of left-wing extremism that makes California seem almost normal by comparison. The latest insanity comes from Loudoun County, where the school board is set to vote on a radical new code of conduct policy…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Virginia School Continues to Defend Sensible Bathroom Policy
A high school student who identifies as transgender, who sued the school over which restrooms to use, is continuing to pursue the litigation even three years after graduating. To its credit, the Gloucester County School Board in Virginia has continued to defend itself. Gavin Grimm is a biological female who announced prior to sophomore year the intention…Peter Sprigg -
- News
Virginia Republicans Sign ‘Police Pledge’ to Back the Blue
The Virginia Republican Party is vowing to stand in support of law enforcement. “We have seen countless attacks on our brave law enforcement officers, citizens, and neighborhoods,” Rich Anderson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, said Thursday, announcing the state GOP’s commitment to supporting law enforcement on its website. “It is critical to our…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Prosecutions in Philadelphia, West Virginia Show Voter Fraud Is Bipartisan
As the 2020 election cycle continues to unfold despite the coronavirus pandemic, it appears that election fraud also continues to be uncovered and prosecuted, even though Twitter apparently thinks no such fraud occurs. Two cases—one out of Philadelphia, the other out of West Virginia—highlight the problem of election fraud and the immense amount of responsibility…Hans von Spakovsky -
- News
172 Pastors Petition Virginia Governor to Allow Weekly Church Services
After six weeks of not being allowed to gather in church buildings for corporate worship, more than 170 pastors in Virginia are respectfully saying “enough.” Michael Law Jr., senior pastor of Arlington Baptist Church, emailed a letter Monday to Gov. Ralph Northam asking him to modify two executive orders to allow religious gatherings at least…Virginia Allen -
- News
Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill Giving Driving Privilege Cards to Illegal Aliens
While the Virginia General Assembly stopped short of passing legislation that gave full-fledged driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, lawmakers did advance a bill that would grant them driving privilege cards. The Democratic-controlled Virginia General Assembly went into overtime over the weekend, passing a flurry of progressive bills before the 2020 session came to an official…Jason Hopkins -
- News
Governor Signs ‘Born Alive’ Bill Into Law in West Virginia
The governor of West Virginia signed a bill into law that protects babies born alive in botched abortions and penalizes doctors for allowing these babies to die. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, on Monday signed House Bill 4007 into law to require medical practitioners to use “the same degree of reasonable medical judgment…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
Virginia Lawmakers Vote to Allow Illegal Aliens to Obtain Driver’s Licenses
Virginia lawmakers passed legislation in both chambers of the state Legislature that would allow illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses, a consequence of the state Capitol’s newly minted Democratic majority. Amid a rush before the end of the Virginia General Assembly’s “crossover” deadline Tuesday, lawmakers in both the state Senate and the House of Delegates…Jason Hopkins -
- Opinion
Virginia Democrats Want to Hike Gas Tax, Spend Revenue on Public Transit
Just two months after Democrats gained full control of Virginia’s government, Gov. Ralph Northam and the General Assembly have proposed sweeping changes to the state’s transportation system. At the top of the list: Increasing the gas tax from 16 cents to 28 cents per gallon over the next three years, a 75% increase. The main…David Ditch -
- News
Virginia Gun Control Bills Firing Up Second Amendment Backers
Proposed gun control legislation in the Virginia General Assembly has many Second Amendment advocates in the state literally up in arms, prompting strong pushback from gun rights groups and firearms owners. Groups including the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a pro-Second Amendment nonprofit organization, and the National Rifle Association are taking the lead in opposing enactment…Allison Schuster -
- Opinion
The Media’s Shameful Depiction of Pro-Second Amendment Protests in Virginia
It’s the tea party all over again. Way back in 2009 the press, followed by a gaggle of left-wing commentators and politicians, did a number on tea party protests, often portraying them—with little evidence—as driven by racist rage against President Barack Obama rather than principled opposition to his administration’s policies. These same tactics were on…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Liberal Virginia Prosecutors Spread Soros Project to DC Suburbs
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti placed her left hand on her old law school textbook, “A Theory of Justice,” from New York University as she was sworn in Monday evening as commonwealth’s attorney for Arlington County, Virginia, and the neighboring city of Falls Church. Dehghani-Tafti is one of three new progressive prosecutors seeking to “reimagine” law enforcement in…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Sexually Explicit Books Were Put in These Virginia Classrooms. Parents Want Answers.
Parents in Loudoun County, Virginia, are outraged after discovering that thousands of books were placed in classrooms across the school district this year as part of a new “Diverse Classroom Library Initiative.” While most of these books focus on introducing kids to different cultures and ethnicities, parents began to discover that an alarming number of…Anna Anderson