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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analysis
Virginia’s Gun Law Under Fire in Courts: Cuccinelli
Virginia’s governing Democrats made it a crime to buy, sell, manufacture, or swap so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition. The law’s July 1 enactment, however, sits in a legal limbo as a wave of lawsuits moves through various courts. Plaintiffs in four state jurisdictions have sued to… -
news
VA250 Exhibit Rolls Across the Commonwealth
Virginia is taking a unique victory lap as the country celebrates its 250th birthday this year. The commonwealth was a leader in the rebellion against King George III and then in the building of the United States that followed American independence from Great Britain. Today, it is a leader in finding creative ways to tell… -
opinion
Spanberger’s Backfiring Gun Stance
Who is the best gun salesperson in Virginia? Gov. Abigail Spanberger—that’s who. According to the FBI background check registry—more about that in a moment—there were 124,319 firearm background checks conducted just in the month of June. Wrap your head around that. That’s more privately owned firearms sold just in June than exist in the entire… -
analysis
Virginia’s Drought Drags On
Almost all of Virginia remains under a drought advisory ahead of the hot July Fourth holiday weekend. Rainfall earlier this week provided some relief in central regions of the state, but it wasn’t enough to bring stream and groundwater levels back to anywhere near normal. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality warned that “precipitation is… -
opinion
Nothing in Commonwealth
As July begins, Virginians brace for higher gas taxes, hoping that the $68 price of a barrel of crude oil will start to bring the price at the pump back down. However, they will very soon be hit with a 7% increase in their electric bills. Iran? No. Trump tariffs? No. This is because, as… -
news
New Virginia Laws Effective This Summer: What You Need to Know
Virginia’s gas tax is set to increase on July 1, and that isn’t the only new law that will take effect this summer. One of the legal changes is the implementation of a full ban on expanded polystyrene food containers. The ban applies to any food vendor that sells takeaway food, including restaurants, grocery stores,… -
analysis
Virginia’s Gas Tax Increase: What Drivers Need to Know
Drivers in the commonwealth will pay more for gas beginning on Wednesday. This isn’t because of the recent legislative budget deal. It isn’t because of a war in the Middle East. It isn’t because of a pipeline shutdown. It’s because lawmakers put tax policy on cruise control years ago, and prices just keep climbing. It… -
news
Richmond Hosts an Early Birthday Party With ‘IllumiNATION’
Virginia was at the forefront of American history back in 1776, and it remains ahead of the curve as Independence Day approaches next week. This weekend, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture is hosting a block party to honor the upcoming anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The celebration centers around “IllumiNATION,” a specially… -
news
Virginia Democrats Finalize Sweeping Budget Deal
Virginia’s governing Democrats played “let’s make a deal” to pass a two-year budget that will take effect next week. The state lawmakers opted to maintain a tax break that encourages companies to build data centers in the commonwealth. They offset that by imposing a new tax on the energy that those centers will use. Gov…. -
news
For the Love of DEI, Virginia Democrats Inject Race Into Tourism
The Virginia House of Delegates just released its final draft of the 2026 budget. Buried in a civil war on data centers, lifting marijuana restrictions, and giving themselves a 150% pay raise, Democrats are also seeking to spend millions on DEI tourism. Virginia legislators are busy working out the 2026 budget. After months of back… -
Yes, Virginia, There Won’t Be a Shutdown
In the end, as the Virginia General Assembly returned Monday for a perfunctory vote on the one-sided $212 billion tax plan, it appears that the Senate president pro tempore was holding up the process not on the principle of clawing tax dollars from data center operators—they were the most eye-catching hostages to take—but for getting… -
opinion
Virginia and the Color Purple
Virginians are facing some tough battles this year, and it didn’t have to be that way. Republican leaders are getting heat for two votes taken on June 13 at the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee meeting. That’s not fair. They should take heat for the fact that neither of them should have been… -
opinion
Spanberger’s Slow Start
Imagine for a moment that you’re at a Donald Trump rally. As you approach the event, you come across a Republican protester wearing an anti-Trump mask and carrying a “No more wars” sign. Perhaps the person is also accusing the president of being too cozy with corporations. Does that sound unlikely? Well, outside a Democratic… -
news
Ossoff’s Anti-Second Amendment Record Stands Out as Gun Manufacturers Migrate to Georgia
As major gun manufacturers relocate from Virginia to Georgia over firearm regulations, constitutional experts told the Daily Signal that the increasing momentum for left-leaning policies in the Peach State could jeopardize the manufacturers’ new home. Their remarks come as Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., runs for reelection and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is… -
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…