The 2020 Virginia GOP: Opportunities Lost?

There is a growing divide brewing within the Republican Party of Virginia in 2020.

Leaders  within the party continue to fight as much with one another as it does with the opposition. The Virginia Democrats have taken advantage of the lack of unified messaging from the Virginia Republicans and are creating a formidable wall of defense with regard to all the seats that it won the last three years at the Virginia Executive and Congressional levels.

Supporters of the Republican Party of Virginia have a hard time fully understanding what is happening to a party that once dominated Virginia politics and surrendered the majority in the General Assembly in 2019. The Democrats have continued to capitalize on the fractured atmosphere that exists with the Republican leadership over how after twenty plus years of control must now find a way to become a unified "opposition party" in Richmond. The Democrats no longer require the Republicans to pass the legislation they seek to advance and odds today are in 2021 they will sweep the Virginia Executive  for the third cycle in a row transforming Virginia with each new session of the Assembly.

It does not help that State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase (I-R) the lone "Republican" candidate declared for the GOP nomination for the Virginia Governor's race in 2021 was uninvited by the Northern Virginia Chamber to speak at an event citing inappropriate comments. This is one of the largest conservative organizations in the the largest region in all of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The divide that is growing within  Virginia Republicans is being fueled by those that lack any vision of the future or how to actually win statewide races by creating messaging that resonates with voters all across the Commonwealth of Virginia. One perfect example of  success is easily recognized across the Potomac River with the election of Republican Governor Larry Hogan in Maryland. Virginia is looking more and more like Maryland with every passing election as Democrats secure stronger footholds in newly drawn districts just as Maryland Democrats did almost a decade ago. Hogan was able to defeat the Democrats twice in a state that is by far more liberal than Virginia on balance and he did so with a clear, concise message of working together to address the needs of all. In Virginia, you have a significant element that will not tolerate any compromise with Democrats and unfortunately for them they will never win a statewide race even if they happen to secure enough votes to win primaries or conventions to nominate candidates who fail to have a broader vision outside the echo chambers of small groups within the party.

Virginia just witnessed the "echo chamber effect" within two conventions held this summer. Conventions are no longer the preferred method of nominee selection by the majority of Republican voters in Virginia yet many district committees continue to push conventions upon the people. For example, in the Virginia 7th in 2018 some three hundred and fifty thousand Virginians voted in the election that saw incumbent David Brat (R) upset by Abigail Spanberger (D) by two points and yet this summer  5,100 delegates would converge on Meadow Event Park in Doswell, VA to select a Republican challenger. Almost one hundred and seventy thousand voted in support of Brat in 2018 and of that number a mere 5,100 would determine who the Republicans would nominate for challenge Rep. Spanberger in November.

Similar to the Virginia 5th Congressional Convention weeks prior, the Virginia 7th would not be without the fireworks that always seem to happen when thousands of Republicans come together. The reason for this is simple. The Republican Party of Virginia is not some myopic association that many perceive it to be as it is comprised of many elements that form its coalition.  The most vocal of its elements is rarely the majority within the coalition and far too often it is the religious Republicans typically known as "social conservatives" that dominate conventions yet rarely ever dominate primaries.

The saying goes in Virginia that Republicans  nominate "lambs" via conventions and nominate "challengers" via primaries.

This summer the district committees once again remained true to form. While nominating those candidates that one very specific element in the coalition that dominates committees wishes to nominate over candidates that actually could appeal to a broader electorate in the general they will continue the downward cycle of losses the Republicans have suffered for a decade.

No two examples better illustrate this than the Virginia 5th and Virginia 7th in 2020. The district committee in the VA05 were so determined to unseat the libertarian minded incumbent Rep. Denver Riggleman that they sought to interview and court a half dozen potential challengers before settling on Bob Good of Campbell County and then used the fact that Riggleman officiated a gay wedding as a wedge issue with the religious element to oust him. This convention speaks to the cancer that exists in the convention process where an incumbent endorsed by President Trump is abandoned over a "social" issue and his 90% conservative voting record in Congress ignored.

The Virginia 7th Convention took three rounds to settle on Delegate Nick Freitas  whose support was overwhelmingly from the same elements that supported Good along with State Senator Amanda Chase (I-R) an independent Republican seeking the nomination in 2021 to run for Governor. Chase is widely known as David Brat acolyte paired with a Corey Stewart style platform that endorsed Freitas and attacked his opponents repeatedly during the process. Freitas was clearly happy to have the Chase endorsement and her presence on convention day campaigning on his behalf during the later rounds of the convention to sway delegates yet never placed the Chase endorsement on his official campaign page going into the convention.

Senator Chase has clearly been electioneering for quite some time since leaving the GOP Caucus in the Virginia Senate. Chase had been a supporter of Rep. Denver Riggleman in 2018 yet failed to support him in 2020 or even make any statements regarding his campaign once she determined to run for Governor. Many in the political universe saw this fact as a move to secure the donations from the district committee forces that represent the more "social conservative" elements of the party. Furthermore, Chase demonstrated her utter inexperience in statewide campaigning by attacking Delegate John McGuire in her efforts to support Freitas. McGuire has won elections and has dedicated supporters in areas of the Commonwealth that Chase would require in any successful statewide run. Chase has targeted McGuire along with State Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (VA-12) both of which whom have conservative support in the liberal county of Henrico County.

It is worth noting that Rep. Spanberger (D) won Henrico County in 2018 by 18 points over Rep. David Brat (R) and won over fifty precincts with an overall twenty thousand vote margin in Henrico that more than offset any gains that Brat secured in the rural areas. Brat performed poorly in suburban Richmond having lost both major suburban localities outside Richmond which are vastly more populated than the other areas of the Virginia 7th. It has also been lost during the nomination process that the VA07 no longer has the advantage of the historical 70-30% conservative districts of Hanover County once part of the VA07 that helped Brat in previous cycles that now are part of the VA01. (Rep. Rob Wittman-R).

The loss of the Republican voters in Hanover County places greater significance on winning a larger portion of the Henrico and Chesterfield County electorate. Brat lost Chesterfield County in 2018 by 10 points and by some ten thousand votes. Chesterfield like Henrico has seen a shift to the left in voting metrics over the last decade. This appears totally lost on the Virginia 7th convention nominating process and Chase herself.

Former Rep. David Brat, State Senator Chase, Delegate Nick Freitas

There remains a determined effort to neglect the historical shifts and trends and continue nominating the same candidates in truth over and over expecting a different outcome. Chase is as guilty of this as any as she continues to push campaign narratives that have failed for a decade. Delegate Nick Freitas has the endorsements of Chase, David Brat and Sen. Ted Cruz  none of which will deliver any votes from moderates or centrists of either party in the VA07. In truth, these endorsements and the nomination of Freitas play right into the hand of Spanberger whose campaign reportedly was hoping for a Freitas nomination. On balance, Frietas has a good record in the General Assembly and has considerable support in the 2A community but little more than David Brat in 2018 in truth. McGuire and Tina Ramirez had considerably more support from conservatives in the suburban areas that will determine the winner in the VA07 come November. The assumption is these voters will simply get behind Freitas.

The Senator Chase claim that she can help deliver Chesterfield to Freitas would be a considerable feat given her most recent election. In the VA11 Senate District where Chase has won two elections  has seen her support erode over five years. After winning the primary over Sen. Steve Martin and winning in the pro-Trump 11th by 27 points in 2015, Chase sought re-election in 2019. Chase defeated Amanda Pohl last November but only won by 9 points compared to 27 points in 2015.  The 11th is experiencing a political shift like many other areas of Chesterfield as more younger families move into the county seeking better educational prospects for their children. Chase does not appeal to younger families and especially to younger women which went for her opponent in 2019.

Chase refuses to admit let alone address in her campaign messaging that her colleague in the Virginia Senate  Siobhan Dunnavant is a reflection of what Chase's own district is becoming and Chase would be wise to heed the lessons of the VA12 and how Dunnavant  won in such a competitive district. Chase calls Dunnavant and other Senators like Jill Vogel "liberal" or "democrat light" simply because they have understood how to win in changing and challenging districts. Leaders who understand that you cannot win elections alienating a third of the population through divisive rhetoric.  Chase's recent facebook posts regarding drivers licenses for non citizens or illegal aliens in the Commonwealth is perfect example. Over seventy percent of voters in Northern Virginia support such action for many reasons. For one thing, getting into an accident with a driver with no identification or license provides many troublesome issues for Virginians. Chase also rejects the notion that "illegal aliens" should receive in state tuition even if the family has lived in Virginia for over a decade or more, pay taxes and clearly have residency in Virginia. Most universities and college have requirements in place regarding residency outside of "citizenship". These are just two recent issues that Chase is on the wrong side of most Virginians, especially in the areas of the Commonwealth required to win any statewide office.

Senator Chase in her recent attacks on State Senator Jill Vogel (R) in her supporters groups was simply a warning shot to Vogel from Chase that was nothing more than passive aggressive bullying. Chase fails to understand that Senator Vogel even though losing to Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax in 2017 earned 1.2 million votes or 47%. In comparison if other elections are examined there is something very telling regarding why it is Vogel earned that result. In the same 2017 cycle, Ed Gillespie earned 44%, Adams 46% and the year before Trump earned just 44% while in 2018 Corey Stewart earned just 41% in Virginia.

If Vogel is a so-called "liberal" as Chase has asserted, what does it say concerning how she has had the greatest appeal of any statewide conservative candidate since former Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and Governor Bob McDonnell in 2009? Why do candidates like Chase, Freitas and Good fail to comprehend how in 2009 Republican messaging resonated with voters resulting in the last statewide sweep for the Republicans? How is it that the victories of Governor Larry Hogan in Maryland are ignored as well? Do these candidate think that the majority of Virginians wish to go back and not forward? Do they believe that Virginians wish to re-argue gay marriage and social issues all over? Do they some how believe that the electorate has not shifted in Virginia since 2014?

It appears as though all three of these candidates are running the same kind of campaign that was launched numerous times and failed in Virginia. Chase in fact has the most inexperienced campaign staff of any potential statewide candidate that comes to mind and at times it appears as though Chase is running her own campaign and thus far is proving why it is not an easy thing to navigate in Virginia no matter how sure of yourself one is. While Freitas has done an outstanding job at raising money for his Congressional bid, Good and Chase are floundering. This has much to do with the messaging and lack of support for the majority of the Republicans.

Bob Good (R) in the VA05 has raised around 260,000 in comparison to Rep. Denver Riggleman whom has raised five times that number before being defeated at the convention. Good's opponent Cameron Webb (D) has raised 1.3 million. Senator Chase announced she raised 200,000 in the first quarter of her campaign  as the only Republican declared candidate. However, Chase's opponents have all stormed out of gate and are raising money at a much faster pace than Chase. Chase continues her attempts to convince Republicans outperforming Democrats. Chase  proclaimed "I'm beating the
Democrats" Yet the reality is the first quarter reporting for Chase has been a disaster in creating confidence in her ability to raise money.


Chase has over 120,000 "followers" on her facebook page which translates to barely over $1 per follower donated in the first quarter. This means that Chase has not connected with large donor classes in truth and recently has taken a beating on social media for taking contributions from the very progressive Clean Virginia Fund whose backers are known supporters of pro-abortion and anti-gun organizations. A stark contradiction to Chase's public persona yet when pressed is rumored to have stated she would accept money from anyone. Hardly what many conservatives want to hear from someone professing to not be a traditional "politician".

Delegate Jennifer Foy (D) has just over 7,000 followers on facebook. State Senator McClellan (D) has less than 7,000 followers and consider these numbers in the context of the overall fundraising below. It is clear that Chase is convinced that "Likes" and "Followers" are meaningful coupled with "small donors" as if campaigns are run like nothing more than the equivalent of you tubers or instagram metrics. Chase is hardly "beating" anyone!

Delegate Jennifer Foy (D) and State Senator Jennifer McClellan(D) both announced months after Senator Chase in a crowded field of Democrats likely to run for Governor including Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and potentially Attorney General Mark Herring. Foy raised $785, 910 in just six weeks and McClellan raised  $410,992 far outpacing Chase yet none of them compare to the 1.2 million raised by former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) who has not even formally declared. These are the Democrats that Chase claims she is "beating".

Some will argue that Democrats raising more money may be expected however this does not explain how the Chase campaign is trailing results turned in by former statewide Republican candidates like Gillespie or Cuccinelli. Furthermore , Daniel Gade (R) running for U.S Senate and a newcomer to Virginia politics has raised almost one million since declaring. There could be some impacting issues like Congressional races or even donations to President Trump for November. Thus, a critical quarter for Chase will be the reporting period following the Presidential election in November.

Delegate Freitas raised the most in the run up to the Virginia 7th Convention and has raised over 2 million. This equates to half as much as Rep. Abigail Spanberger has raised however Spanberger is outperforming Freitas in the suburban fundraising effort. The shortened period between the convention and the election benefits Spanberger and the continued divisions with the party have not healed even though leaders defeated during the convention have offered support for Nick Freitas.  These gestures have not stemmed the anger that still remains with the manner in which the convention was undertaken and the fact that many see Freitas as an illegitimate candidate due the fact that he failed to file properly and within the deadline. This was the second time Republicans have had to reconcile the inability of the Freitas campaign to file its paperwork on time let alone the concern over the delegate allocation approved. The later resulted in contested votes cast at the convention from other candidates.

The results of both the Virginia 5th and 7th hardly left the majority of Republicans with the feeling that their voice was actually being heard via the convention. Republicans understand they are now faced with the potential of losing a seat in Congress in the VA05 as a result of the convention gaming and corruption that resulted on the district committee where members were actually compensated by the Bob Good campaign disclosed in his financial reporting. While not nearly as extreme, many believed that the VA07 convention was gamed to support Freitas coupled with the push back by other GOP leaders against Delegate John McGuire whose challenges to Freitas were largely never answered by Freitas himself but by surrogates like Senator Chase and Bryce Reeves. Both signed a letter just days before the convention in support of Freitas by basically calling Delegate John McGuire out for "dirty" tactics.

The Virginia GOP has had an opportunity this summer to redefine itself. Unfortunately, what has transpired has taken the Republican Party further away from the core belief systems that actually unite the coalition. The majority of campaign messaging thus far has been directed at the smaller elements or hard line base fringes than the greater electorate who is observing the manner in which these candidates are conducting themselves out on the campaign trail and who they are speaking to. Candidates like Senator Chase have thrown the old Republican value of not speaking ill towards other Republican out the window all together summer. Chase has directed much of her attention and fiery toward the Republican Party and Governor Northam neither of which will be on the ballot come November 2021. The attacks launched against fellow Republicans seems to be an attempt to dissuade any other Republicans from entering the race against her or a means of elevating her "fighter" mentality no matter how misguided or misdirected in an attempts to mirror President Trump.

The issue Chase may have is what happens should Trump lose Virginia this November and Republicans lose VA05 and fail to take back the VA07? Will Republicans finally see that this messaging is a flawed approach in 2020-21 to winning in Virginia? Will Republicans see this as an opportunity to acknowledge that Virginia has shifted to the center on many issues and no longer wish to re-legislate the "settled issues" of the past any longer and seek to address healthcare, education, limited government, reduction in size of government, reduction in taxation and respect for the individual and the freedoms and liberty outlined in the U.S. Constitution?

Will 2020 represent the beginning of a reformed Republican Party of Virginia or will it simply represent the year that opportunities were lost?

The Assault on the Southern Ethos: A Virginian's Perspective

Elizabeth Bishop

For many and myself included the past few weeks have been nothing more than the continuation of the "culture war" against peoples of the South that have gone on my entire life. The very same individuals who have sought to destroy the "southern identity" through mischaracterizations and blatant lies are the same ones who demand others respect their identity. The identity that forms the very foundational mindset of a southerner that can be attributed in many things but nothing greater than military service if totally ignored. The fact that our military is overwhelmingly "southern" is undeniable. The act of service is grounded in an identity that based in honor and duty towards things greater than themselves.

I have long doubted that most of the current progressive movements of this day even remotely comprehend such things as honor and duty or the "loss" felt by an entire region following a war that was fought predominately on Virginian soil. The sense of "loss" today in terms of the feelings expressed by those that object to Confederate monument removal has nothing to do with slavery or any defense of that institution whatsoever. Just like those that erected statues at the turn of twentieth century, many southerners have a sense of obligation to preserve the memory of those who gave full measure or commanded those that did throughout Virginia. The belief in preservation is in no way and endorsement of prior generations failings rather it is an acknowledgement that though they were flawed men they were still Virginians.

I had the honor this week of walking the hallowed ground of Antietam National Battlefield this week. Honor is a word mostly lost in the political discourse of today. In today's social justice identity environment that consumes Virginia, merely walking a civil war battlefield today many would in one manner or another pass judgement upon anyone visiting a battlefield. Today its as if in some manner  visit is an insult to the "wokeness" of others.  In the last few weeks, we have forgotten a piece ourselves and have entered into a surreal consciousness that people somehow must feel a level of shame or guilt as it relates to whom they may be descended from or on the basis of their skin color.

Sunken Road or "Bloody Lane" Antietam

We are experiencing an environment where "whites" today must somehow feel accountable for the "sins" of their ancestors or some level of "shame" for events and institutions they took no part in themselves whereas no accountability is placed upon those Africans tribes  that sold their fellow Africans into slavery to begin with. Individuals today are free to desecrate, destroy, topple or simply vandalize property with no accountability. Today, people are excused for violence simply out of some claim for social justice change justification.

The hot lead of the battlefields all across the country paid little mind to race, color or creed. At Antietam almost 20,000 Americans were killed or wounded in one of the most picturesque rolling countrysides in all of Maryland. As you travel along the winding roads of western Maryland, you are almost taken back to the period where two armies clashed along Antietam Creek and in the cornfields yet one can't help but recognize the hundreds of "TRUMP 2020" yard signs and banners along the way in the small towns that line the journey west up to South Mountain. This is western Maryland which does not share the same values as eastern Maryland no different than the relationship much of rural Virginia has with Northern Virginia.

The events of the last month in Virginia, especially Richmond, prompted my wife and I to visit Antietam. The frustrations of being shouted down and the silencing of voices by the new majority in Richmond created a desire to travel to Antietam if for no other reason to to play homage to a generation of Americans that sacrificed so much for this nation. Many Virginians filled the ranks of the Army of Northern Virginia that crossed the Potomac River that September  1862 into Maryland.  Having been born a Virginian, the battles of the Civil War carry great significance in terms of my own "horizontal identity" whereas my wife who was born in Maryland traces her heritage and ancestral arrival in America in years following the war.


Every monument at Antietam was pristine.  Untouched by the current social justice movements targeting war memorials. It was as if the hundreds of monuments located at Antietam had just been power washed by Maryland storms coming over the South Mountain range during the night before. No graffiti or protest paint anywhere to be found.  No disrespect. This was not lost on the many walking the battlefield as one could hear the whispers of visitors. I observed a father reading a monumental plaque to his son relating to the Pennsylvanians that died at Antietam and could see the boy moved as he turned to his left and stepped up upon the monument looking out upon the field beyond the fence line with his hand upon his forehead shielding him from the glare of the hot sun. The boy stood starring out upon the field most likely envisioning the armies moving into position.

As I walked down the hallowed sunken road which would forever be known as the "Bloody Road", I stopped and began thinking of Richmond. A city that has determined that none of its Civil War memorials should remain.  A city that has never fully embraced its past. A city that appears more inclined to be ashamed by it than embrace it as the way point of American history that defines all the progress that America has experienced. None of the monuments erected at Antietam were erected as some "socio-political" statement nor in truth were the monuments in Richmond. The notion that statues and monuments erected were such is simply a fabrication of modern political activism used as a sword and as a means of generating financial contributions via a fraud perpetuated upon society.

History should never be used as a sword rather it should always be used as a shield for future generations. A shield to remind those that come in future generations what can happen when we as Americans persist in allowing the politics of division to consume us as a society. The thousands of fallen Americans at Antietam and battlefields just like her that line the hallowed grounds of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania are a testament to that failure.

Robert E. Lee Monument , Richmond

The monuments that line Civil War battlefields are not honoring slavery or the "defense of slavery" anymore than Monument Avenue represents any commentary directed at that aspect of history. The truth is the majority of monuments and memorials journey began in the years leading up to the 50th Anniversary of the Civil War and had nothing to do with Jim Crow. The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC)was not some nineteenth century radical, right wing leaning, racist organization that 2020 politicians and activists seek to portray it as. The Southerner identity today has simply become yet another "litmus test" orchestrated by progressive activism in an attempt to shame whites for a past they took no part in or in truth may have no relation to whatsoever save being "white". This in itself the very same kind of "profiling" or the kind of racism the progressive left says it opposes. It has become nothing more than another line in the sand like support for the NRA or opposition to Planned Parenthood for example. Simply another vehicle to divide Virginians in a manner in which to point across a street and tell others they are to blame for the condition of others not based on their actions but based on their identity. An identity that may as much "vertical" as "horizontal" in truth.

The progressive left's tentacles like the Southern Poverty Law Center and some would even argue the Virginia ACLU advance the narrative that the UDC funded war memorials at the turn of the century derived from a position of hate. In truth the UDC has had a hand in some 700 monuments nationally playing tribute to the sacrifice and honoring the memory of the fallen during the Civil War.  This has made the UDC an easy target for the left.  But is it justified? The UDC raised  private money for the support of preserving the memories of the fallen not some radical, racist agenda as continually asserted by the left. The UDC has roughly twenty thousand members and rarely acts if ever as a "political" organization.  The majority of the women behind UDC that advanced monuments and memorials erected in the year of the 50th Anniversary were actual descendants of the Confederate fallen. This effort was organized to address tall the mourning experienced in the war torn South post Reconstruction.

This mourning is routinely dismissed by the left. They see monuments as nothing more than a political statement, however they totally ignore the simply realities of post war South. What the South experienced in truth would be very similar if in four years 80% of all these Black Lives Matter protesters had lost their lives. If the majority of all millennial men in Virginia were dead by 2024. That is the true reality which Virginia faced in the decades post war. Virginia lost a virtual generation during the war ages 18-30. The young progressives today have experienced little to resemble this fact in their lives.

J.E.B. Stuart Monument (now removed in Richmond)

Most of the Richmond protesters have never seen battle let alone anything resembling Antietam. Most have never served their country or their communities through service or put their lives on the line for something greater than themselves. Nothing in this new progressive left movement echos the words of either John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, the new movement draws a closer correlation to Marxism in truth. The effort is grounded in entitlement and blame. Progressives seek to blame others for the very nature of things that they themselves are responsible for in the very cities all across the country their leaders control. Richmond, Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago are not controlled by conservative leaders  rather they are lead by progressive politicians.

Racism exists in our society, however the unspoken reality in places like Richmond is that such racism is not advanced in truth only by "whites". The systematic racism existing in Richmond is advanced by the black political power establishment that has controlled city politics for decades. This establishment has overseen the city and its institutions for decades and now seeks to blame or place the "guilt" for its failures at the feet of a declining "white" population in the city. There has been little effort the last thirty years to curb or address this so-called "institutional racism" by city leaders. Who controls these "institutions" exactly? Who hires and fires? Who holds employees accountable? Instead you see a city determined to keep "racism" alive so they can use said racism as the "shiny object" to point to and rail against every few years during campaigns or for fundraising purposes like today.

The UDC and many Virginians worked to support the erection of monuments and memorials out of love, sadness, mourning and respect for the fallen whereas the progressive left and people like Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond have removed them out of anger and hate. This difference is not lost on the thousands of Virginians who will no longer visit Richmond. The monuments at Antietam are meant to honor the sacrifice of those that fought on that hallowed ground because that ground was in fact where thousands lay dead. Richmond herself was the "Capital of the Confederacy" and there was/is no better place for Virginians that commanded other Virginians than Monument Avenue given the correlation between the battlefield and the city and what they each represented to the era. These men were perceived as "defenders of Virginia" NOT defenders of slavery. Richmond was to be defended at all costs.

It is my hope that that little boy standing upon the monument at Antietam one day could visit the Richmond I knew and loved growing up as a child. The rich history celebrated within the city limits that chronicles true Virginia history and honors her past with the respect that each era is a different time and a different way point contributing to who we are as a people today. How long before we lose our battlefields that may "offend" one element or another in society. Decades ago we used to permit our school children to visit the battlefield on field trips. Why did we stop? What were the forces opposing school field trips to battlefield especially in Virginia?

Virginians are an honorable and good people. We do great disservice to our traditions and legacy allowing monuments to be desecrated even in the end if they all must come down. Its not the matter or decisions made that these monuments come down but rather the manner in which we as a people determine "how" they should come down and where they should be relocated.

Voices matter. Today, the progressive left has controlled the dialogue and has attempted to shame anyone willing to stand up and voice opposition to them or support a different view (see Goya Foods) . It is clear they are attempting to weaponize shame and "white guilt" as a means of advancing their agenda. The southern ethos as an identity is clearly the target of this "culture war".

The loss of of such historical fixtures of one's life is very meaningful and had the removal of monuments been undertaken in a respectful manner for the most part the majority of Virginians may have accepted the transition however coupled with the dozens of proposals of name changes to schools and streets the entire movement has forced many Virginians to "vote with their wallets" and refuse to not only support Richmond but no longer support institutions or universities/schools forced to change names directly impacting the future endowments. We have no way of knowing how the name change to Washington & Lee University ultimately will impact the future of an institution that honored its saviour in truth with adding Lee to its name in 1870.

The question further remains how Virginia will even market its actual history to Americans in the future. Dated as it is, the "Virginia is for Lovers" campaign  no longer clearly applies to the Old Dominion as it is very hard these days to point to any "love" or respect in large part due to the divisive nature of political tribalism.

The Risk of Another "White Flight" Grows in Richmond

Many have attributed the rates of change in terms of demographics in the City of Richmond to a racial narrative in terms of the exodus of white families from the city stemming from the failed opposition to integration of public schools and failed opposition to busing in the 1970's. The direct impact of this exodus was a massive wealth transfer to suburbia. The city did little in truth to keep families having failed to solve much the issues the city has always faced. City politics have long been dominated by the liberal progressive ideologies set in the constructs of the failed welfare state.

Even with the exodus from the 1960's to 1990's and the decrease in population and decline in the number of students attending the Richmond Public School System, the city failed to invest in its schools for decades. In fact, today the city still faces remnants of the failed 1950's model of schools and has failed to innovate and transform its school system as many of its surrounding neighbors. Much of that failure was a direct result of the failure to attract young families to Richmond and increase its tax base.

This began to change for Richmond when the messaging changed. Decades after integration and busing disputes, the city moved in the direction of new economic development as a priority attracting growth in the core center of the city. Much of this was in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University, which during the last thirty years has grown exponentially across the city and drawn hundreds of thousands to the city. The city appeared poised to put the wounds of the past behind it and move Richmond forward as other southern cities like Charlotte and Atlanta has eclipsed it post integration.

Workers and young people began to return to the city as the city concentrated on growing its sports, entertainment and cultural footprint. In the last decade no urban locality in Virginia has captured the craft beer boom than Richmond which has revitalized areas like Scott's Addition long void from any activity. The city continued to attract people to return to the city as areas of the city were completely revitalized. Church Hill was an area that was directly impacted with the exit of white residents but in the last twenty years has seen a complete turn around as thousands of homes have been revitalized attracting Virginians to the historic area. The Manchester District has also undergone a complete transformation on the south city area across the James River.

The James River has always been magnet for Virginians and the city had done a great job in attracting events however the wounds of the past never seem to close when it came to city politics. Politics in the city has always kept the city moving forward with one hand tied behind its back. The city has never sought to capitalize on its rich history like Williamsburg, VA or Charleston, SC. Both cities much smaller than Richmond have capitalized significantly from hospitality and tourism from history. Williamsburg, VA has focused on American Revolutionary history and Charleston, SC Civil War and antebellum history.

Richmond has a population of 232,000 up from 204,000 in 2010 and has been on upward population growth rate of about 13%.  The greater Richmond area which the city relies on for much of its sales and food tax revenue has a population of 1.3 million.

Charleston, SC has become a premiere Civil War destination in the South. This taken in consideration that Richmond was the actual Capital of the Confederacy is quite amazing. The case study examining the two cities is long overdue in seeking to understand how using history to drive economic development and attracting visitors. Charleston has far surpassed Richmond in this regard not due to the visitor sites or programs as much as they have overcome the divisive nature of city politics where Richmond has not. The revenue that Richmond has always left on the table as a direct result of its inability to fully embrace the city's history in truth has always hindered the city. The city never healed not because of its citizens but rather because of the entrenched "slave mentality" of its politics. Politicians both black and white in Richmond have always placed civil war era history at arms length and merely acknowledging it on the edges whether regarding a new site or museum. Each and every time anything having to deal with the "Confederate" past or actually acknowledging it for the purpose of economic development always traveled down the path of slavery debates and social justice.

The city has long failed to understand that using history no matter how controversial could benefit the future generations of the city especially in terms of focusing generated revenue increases on education and the public school system that continues to lag other areas in Virginia. City politics has always been rear view mirror centric which is very small compared to looking forward and using city history to move the city forward unified. This failure has contributed to where we are today more so than any other. The failure to communicate and educate people that Monument Avenue and all the historical sites centered around the Civil War period are merely vehicles of understanding and a means of generating the very revenue required to transform education in the city. Instead, the city has determined to bury its past and the city itself in terms of the Civil War will become nothing more than a burial ground or cemetery for Virginia history.

Richmond has handed over the entire Civil War story to places like Charleston, SC. Richmond has determined to remove all Civil War monuments from within its city limits and ultimately will change the name of Monument Avenue. The removal has created and even greater divide among Virginians as Mayor Levar Stoney has clearly violated to law regarding the manner in which he has determined to remove monuments across the city. Stoney has permitted protesters and rioters to ravage Richmond for over a month and in particular provided license for protesters to deface monuments with graffiti and topple them without consequence. This aspect has started to alienate those that have long supported the cultural and charitable endeavors in the city.

The question now remains what will this turmoil and political induced depression have on the city economy that stems directly from the city's fecklessness. We will see another shift in population out of the city welcomed by neighboring localities who continue to outperform the city it terms of elementary and secondary education? Will property values now decline in the The Fan District or west city areas along Monument Avenue as a direct result to the continued changes to the "historic district"? Has the violence and looting in the city caused many to question raising there families in a city that remains unable to address said violence?

Richmond has of course seen this before. Politics has always created a wedge in the city. The reality that Mayor Stoney and the City Council faces is the issue that the "old white money" is declining. The age demographics of long standing Richmonders that have remained residents their whole lives and contributed to the city is declining rapidly. The very people who helped bring about the cultural advancements in the city frankly are now entering their eighties and nineties. Will their children and grandchildren wish to support this new path the city has determined to take?

What happens to Richmond when the "old white money" is gone? Where is the money to support programs in the city whether they been social programs or cultural programs long supported by the "affluent whites" of Richmond when that funding no longer exists? Will Richmond simply seek outside money to support its new vision? The same sources that have founded the likes of many Democratic politicians in the city?

Given the city politicians have made social justice a pure racial identity initiative there is no way of knowing whether the response to such will result in the same patterns of flight from the city in the past.
Really good map illustrating movements out of the City of Richmond in the past mostly to the suburban localities of Henrico and Chesterfield Counties that border the city and a direct result as well to annexation of parts of suburbia back into the city limits over the years.






"White flight"- the phenomenon of white people moving out of urban areas and into suburban areas.

Consider this from a mere two years ago and how it characterizes the city dynamics. This illustrates the total focus of city politics and its inability to move past history instead seeking to remain bogged down in the same racial tension of old.

From Richmond Free Press 2018 -

Richmond, segregation and paternalistic white supremacy

Segregation is no stranger to Richmond. Intentional measures to provoke racial animosity have been in place in Virginia since the early days of American settlement. Such measures include racial slavery, slave codes, racial terrorism, “racial purity” laws, Jim Crow laws, disenfranchisement efforts, xenophobic politics, discriminatory banking practices and commercialization of racial myths and stereotypes, among many others.

Given what we know about the history of this city, there is no doubt Richmond has borne or bore witness to most every kind of racist and segregationist practice imaginable.

Today, we see segregation continue in Richmond, not because of any overt command to segregate, but because of the legacy that the aforementioned practices have left us.

The growth of Richmond’s population in the past decades is mostly because of immigration to this city. This can be at least partially correlated with the growth of Virginia Commonwealth University in the past years.

Transplants of young people from affluent areas of Virginia and elsewhere has certainly been an economic boon to some parts of the city, but a marked division exists between this population and Richmond’s long-standing African-American population. The children and grandchildren of those who took part in 20th century “white flight” suburbanization are coming back to Richmond. And although these young people typically have more open minds than did their progenitors, they undoubtedly are affected by prejudice.

Segregation can be seen all over Richmond. Highways, roads and bodies of water bound neighborhoods and areas clearly separated by race and class. It exists in the distribution of resources and opportunity, such as access to fresh food and affordable transportation. It may be seen in blatant inequity in housing, which gentrification perpetuates. It pervades our city’s education systems. It can even be seen in local elections and in how people align themselves in local politics.

There is an unfortunate tradition of racial, historical and cultural ignorance among those of privileged economic and racial status in America, Virginia and Richmond. Such ignorance perpetuates the white supremacist hierarchy that has ruled this city for centuries.

Those young people flocking to this city, especially those who come to participate in civil service and social justice initiatives to make Richmond a “better place,” must check themselves and their privilege, lest they wish to perpetuate the paternalist, white supremacist condition that has too long called Richmond home. One need not have faith in a religion to believe in the need to evict this devil.

Talk to your neighbors, and love your neighbor as yourself.

NICHOLAS BUFFIN

Richmond politics spends far too much of its efforts focusing on "legacies" long past in truth. The arguments made are now long tired and outdated. Millions of Virginians of all colors support progress and always had. The city has always been bent on blame. Blaming the whites that left for racism instead on concentrating on the whites that remained in the city and contributed so much to its progress or recognized and appreciated those that elected the first African-American Virginia Governor in 1990 or supported the first African American President twice. These events do not happen without overwhelming "white" support.

If Richmond is to prevent  major impacts to the cities future, city politicians would be wise to concentrate more on the those that share inn its vision than those that are opposed to it. Each and every response provided by the city can be characterized as nothing more than playing to the lowest denominator. Maybe that is how one wins votes but that is not how one goes about healing a city.

The city has an upward challenge in convincing citizens why they should stay residents, why suburbia should patron the city or why tourists should continue to visit Richmond. There are calls for needing a new Mayor now resonating however, Richmond needs right now are hardly a Mayor and more of a "brand ambassador" that can save the image of the city and prevent the city from falling into the same traps it did in the 1980's.

Loudoun County: Politicizing Public Safety for Political Gain

Anyone paying any attention to Virginia politics has witnessed the massive shift in the philosophy concerning the role of government in the lives of citizens. The massive amounts of out of state money that was poured into the 2019 elections throughout Virginia and especially the Northern Virginia localities was simply nothing more than a Progressive assault on our communities using the political system as the sword.

At no time in Virginia history has so much money played a role in local races such as the Commonwealth Attorney or Supervisor races than 2019. The majority of that money came from outside the Commonwealth of Virginia and overwehelming in support of Progressive candidates from national advocacy groups. 

Now we see the impact of how that money has influenced much more than merely the outcome of the election. Now we see these newly elected Progressives attempt to fundamenatally change communities with a radical vision of public safety. This vision is less concerned with safety as it is power. The power to consolidate greater power in the hands of the few and often in hands of people with no professional law enforcement or public safety experience at all. 

As Virginia population has grown to over eight million, many localities decades ago determined to create police departments in addition to the Sheriff's departments in place. These measures were undertaken to address the growing populations and in the interest of safety. Now various localities are seeking to reverse course eventhough their departments have performned at a high level.

This clearly illustartes the political motives of those in control of the localities. Instead of evalauating the perfromance of the various departments locally and how they perform or how the localties residents feel concerning the performnace, the Progressive leaderws seek to implement change due to a national agenda directed via their political parties advocacy groups.

Loudoun County is one example of this.   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office
Media Relations and Communications Section
703-771-5089
Sheriffs_PIO@loudoun.gov

Loudoun County, VA (July 11, 2020) – The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors announced they will vote July 21, 2020 on a hastily put together proposal to create a countywide police department and replace the law enforcement functions of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) along with the direct accountability of the Sheriff to the voters of Loudoun County.

This is about you, your safety, and your constitutional right to choose your chief law enforcement officer. This initiative seeks to take away your authority as a citizen in Loudoun County to select your top law enforcement official and places it solely in the hands of an elected Board of Supervisors, none of which currently have any local law enforcement experience.

The estimated cost of this change is more than $20 million and it would come at a time when Loudoun County government expects to experience up to a $100 million budget shortfall in this fiscal year alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and when LCSO is playing an essential role in helping the county manage its way through this crisis.

“Proponents of this change have said they want to take politics out of law enforcement, but in fact, they want to do just the opposite,” said Sheriff Chapman. “This is a reckless power grab intended to inject partisan politics into public safety and forever change the direct accountability of the Sheriff’s Office to the people of Loudoun County,” he added.

“The proposal also comes without any evidence to support its merits, nor with any organized public input or a comprehensive study that would necessarily include input from LCSO and other stakeholders,” Chapman continued.

The Board item scheduled for a vote on July 21 intentionally avoids consideration of other options or a coherent process for considering such a change, limiting its focus to giving the Board of Supervisors and county staff complete authority over law enforcement should the voters of Loudoun County approve the referendum.

Some options include conducting a thorough comparative study in coordination with the LCSO, establishing a change to Loudoun County’s form of government, or seeking state legislation to require that Loudoun’s Constitutional Officers be non-partisan, removing political affiliation from the selection process for the Sheriff, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Commissioner of the Revenue, Commonwealth’s Attorney and Treasurer.

Previous studies conducted in Loudoun have recommended against creating a county-wide police department to replace the functions of the Sheriff’s Office, in part due to the complexity and cost and the inability to demonstrate that this would provide better service or oversight.

A 2020 LCSO internal study of this matter reinforces these findings, showing that the cost to taxpayers would exceed $20 million and that the change would put the longstanding success of LCSO as one of the nation’s most highly-regarded, effective, professional and well-trained local law enforcement agencies at risk.

The study will be released next week to be followed by an even more comprehensive assessment done in conjunction with the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. The internal study, with information obtained from previous independent studies, finds that the Sheriff’s Office provides better accountability, stability, and responsiveness to the community than a police department would and that the creation of a county-wide police department would not benefit the citizens of Loudoun County.

Implications already identified by LCSO as reasons not to turn over law enforcement to a politically-directed police department include the following:

Significantly reduce Virginia State Police presence and assistance in Loudoun County.
Require an additional $10 million in county funds for new hires and replacement of vehicles and uniforms.
Estimated loss of $1.9 million annually in state funding.
Projected expense of at least $8 million for additional office space.
Require increase of county self-insurance funds currently covered and paid for by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
All liability would be assumed by Loudoun County with no limit on lawsuits, which are now limited by state law to $1.5 million.
Would not enhance the professional expertise or the level of service already provided, as LCSO deputies are already trained with area police officers at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy and are among its most accomplished graduates.

Would not enhance response times or any other metric of performance.

The LCSO is considered one of the nation’s premier local law enforcement agencies and has a nearly 90% public approval rating according to a recent Loudoun County Government-initiated citizen survey. Loudoun also experienced a 32% drop in serious crime since Sheriff Chapman began his first term in 2012, according to the Metropolitan Council of Governments Report on Crime and Control, and LCSO continues to be the most effective and innovative law enforcement agency in Virginia and the Baltimore/Washington area when it comes to training, professionalism, crisis intervention and de-escalation, and keeping communities safe.

The LCSO has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally as a model agency:

Named a Model Agency for Law Enforcement in Virginia by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC).
Received the School Resource Officer Model Agency of the Year Award by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO).
Recognized by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for its Field Training Officer program which will be implemented by law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Received the Virginia Association of Counties Award Model Government Award for the sUAS Project Lifesaver Program.
Since 2007, achieved a 100% rating in the Compliance Audit conducted by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Corrections for the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.
LCSO personnel are among the most professional, educated, and accomplished in the nation. In the past several years alone, three deputies from the LCSO have been named Virginia Deputy of the Year by the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, an LCSO Deputy in 2014 received the Virginia Crisis Intervention Team Deputy of the Year, and LCSO maintains the lowest vacancy rate for sworn personnel in its history.

“The Sheriff’s Office facilitates transparency, dialog, trust, outreach, and education directly between citizens and our deputies,” said Chapman. “There is no middleman, there are no politicians pulling the strings and injecting their personal views. This is the reason Loudoun has attained and maintained such a low crime rate and high citizen satisfaction,” Chapman added.

Additionally, our oversight is fair and consistent with all disciplinary measures vetted outside of LCSO by the Loudoun County Government Human Resources Department and the County Attorney’s Office.

Residents are urged to contact their Supervisor and the Chair to voice their opinion prior to July 21 and to participate in the public input session by calling 703-777-0200 to sign up in advance.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is working for the citizens of our county and will continue to do its part to keep politics out of public safety

Dominon Energy Delivers!

Dominion Energy Completes Construction of First Offshore Wind Project in U.S. Federal Waters

Dominion Energy Press Release-

Last week, @DominionEnergy announced more progress on the offshore wind project. The pilot project is already expected to power 3,000 homes by the end of the summer. Can’t wait!

Dominion has announced the successful installation of the two turbine, 12-megawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project 27 miles off Virginia Beach. This is the first offshore wind farm to be approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and installed in federal waters, and second constructed in the United States and it is located jiust off thre coast of Virginia. The turbines will now undergo testing before being energized later this summer and producing enough clean, renewable energy, at peak output, to power 3,000 Virginia homes.

3,000 Virginia homes. These 3,000 are the test for the larger projet on the horizon.

We will apply the valuable permitting, design, installation and operations experience from the pilot project to its proposed 2,600-megawatt commercial project. That project, which is the largest announced offshore wind project in North America, is on track to commence construction in 2024, and upon completion, will provide enough renewable electricity to power up to 650,000 homes

From Dominion Energy- (Virginia)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., June 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy announced today the successful installation of the two turbine, 12-megawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project 27 miles off Virginia Beach. The first offshore wind farm to be approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and installed in federal waters, and second constructed in the United States, was built safely and on schedule despite the worldwide impact from the coronavirus pandemic. The turbines will now undergo acceptance testing before being energized later this summer and producing enough clean, renewable energy, at peak output, to power 3,000 Virginia homes.

Dominion Energy will apply the valuable permitting, design, installation and operations experience from the pilot project to its proposed 2,600-megawatt commercial project. That project, which is the largest announced offshore wind project in North America, is on track to commence construction in 2024, and upon completion, will provide enough renewable electricity to power up to 650,000 homes.

• 

   

  Dominion Energy CVOW-installation-photo

Several Virginia-based companies contributed to the CVOW pilot project and Dominion Energy remains committed to creating the expertise to position Hampton Roads to be a supply chain hub for U.S. offshore wind efforts and create thousands of clean energy jobs in Virginia. 

"The construction of these two turbines is a major milestone not only for offshore wind in Virginia but also for offshore wind in the United States," Dominion Energy Chairman, President and CEO Thomas F. Farrell, II said. "Clean energy jobs have the potential to serve as a catalyst to re-ignite the economy following the impacts of the pandemic and continue driving down carbon emissions."

"This project propels Virginia to national leadership in America's transition to clean energy," said Governor Ralph Northam. "It's also shaping a new industry that will bring thousands of new clean energy jobs to Virginia. By working together, Virginia is shaping an investment that's good for workers, good for business, and good for the American economy." 

Offshore wind generation is a vital part of Dominion Energy's comprehensive clean energy strategy to meet standards outlined in the Virginia Clean Economy Act and to achieve the company's net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions commitment by 2050.

Ørsted, the largest offshore wind developer in the world, is serving as the offshore engineering, procurement and construction lead for the project. The Denmark-based company has invested in the Port of Virginia. The L. E. Myers Company with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, performed the onshore construction work.

"We are immensely proud of the work our teams and suppliers were able to complete under unprecedented circumstances," said Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Ørsted North America Offshore. "These two turbines are another monumental step for offshore wind in the U.S. The future remains bright for this new American industry." 

The pilot project was first announced three years ago and received Virginia State Corporation Commission approval in November 2018. Onshore construction of the electrical interconnection facilities and the half-mile conduit which holds the final stretch of cable connecting the turbines 27 miles off the coast to a company substation near Camp Pendleton commenced last summer and was completed earlier this year.

Customers will see no increase in rates for the pilot project under the provisions of the Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018. 

Survey and geotechnical work continues on Dominion Energy's 2.6 gigawatt full-scale wind development. These surveys will support the development of the project's Construction and Operations Plan to be submitted to BOEM later this year. Dominion Energy named Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) its preferred wind turbine supplier for the project earlier this year and SGRE announced the project will use its new SG 14-222 DD turbine for the project. In total, approximately 180 of the more than 800-foot-tall wind turbines are expected to be deployed in the project. SGRE is considering major investments in Hampton Roads as well as other states to support the US offshore wind industry.

About Dominion Energy
More than 7 million customers in 20 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with more than $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution and import/export services. The company is committed to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

Virginia Redistricting: Power Grab One District At A Time

With so many things facing Virginians today stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic to the November elections coming this Fall, many Virginians have forgotten that 2020 is also a year for the latest U. S. Census to report as it does every ten years.

The Conservative State is a huge proponent of redistricting BUT only after creating new districts that add to the number of seats in both the House of Delegates and Senate in Virginia. The Census will determine whether a new Congressional district is required and by all accounts it will not demonstrate a need for an additional seat however the 2020 Census likely will demonstrate that the new Virginia population requires greater representation not less. The state will have to determine how it handles to growing population and representation. Virginia thus far has refused to address its representation ratios.



Most Virginians are unaware that the number of seats in the Virginia Assembly have not changed in centuries. Seats are tied to the State Constitution which clearly requires amending in this regard. Virginia has the same number of Delegates and Senators today as it had before the railroads or autos. In fact, Virginia has the same number of seats (districts) throughout Virginia representing Virginians as it had when the Virginia population was roughly one million.

The U.S. Census 2020 in all likelihood will demonstrate that the Virginian population is close to 9 million.  That is 9X as many Virginians living in Virginia today than in 1900 and yet we still have the same number of elected legislators in Richmond. Districts that once represented 20 or 30 thousand Virginians now represent 80-100 and some Virginia Senatorial districts now represent almost 200,000 Virginians.

Think on that.

The Census Bureau is part of the United States Commerce Department and it produces vital data on both the people and the economy. The data generated impacts communities all across the Commonwealth by guiding the funding that communities often receive from federal authorities, however the data is also important in illustrating population shifts or changes in density. This of course plays a vital role in determining how many Congressional seats a state may have in Congress sense that number is pegged to population in order to maintain a "representative" body in the House reflecting the current populations in America.

Virginia currently boast 11 Congressional seats in the House of Representatives. As of today the Virginia Congressional Delegation consists of 7 Democrats and 4 Republicans however each seat is on the ballot this November and many are no predicting that the Democrats pick up at least one Congressional seat and that seat is predicted to be the Virginia 5th District. The VA-05 recently held a convention style nominating process that one could only describe as dubious at best resulting in the nomination of "biblically red conservative" Bob Good from Campbell County, VA over incumbent Representative Denver Riggleman (R). The convention has come under wide scrutiny for having been the most corrupt convention stemming from voter suppression of potential delegates to pay offs by the Good campaign to committee members making critical determinations effecting Republicans voters in the district. The District Committee is controlled locally by religious social conservatives who sought about identifying a challenger to unseat Riggleman once it learned that Riggleman had violated their sacred order; thou shall only marry a man and a woman. Riggleman performed a same sex marriage service that resulted in the committee seeking to remove him. This is the same committee where its chair publically denounced gay Virginians in 2019 and continually uses the Bible as a sword and not a shield when it comes to issues beset the district. As a result, many believe the VA-05 will be won by the Democrats this November resulting in a pickup.

The future of these Congressional districts are also tied to the 2020 Census. The Virginia redistricting effort is always one of the most controversial political issues before the General Assembly because it is less about maps and people as much as it is about the consolidation of power via the majority. Elections have consequences and one major consequence of the 2019 General Assembly races was the fact that the Democrats secured the "trifecta" of power now controlling the Executive and both chambers of the Legislature.

This year and the upcoming 2021 General Assembly session merely represents the Democrats opportunity to have its go at "gerrymandering" no different than years past when the Republican majority had its turn every ten years. Back in 2019 the Legislature passed a measure to set up a sixteen member commission to address the next redistricting to reconfigure both congressional and state lines that could ultimately create new voting districts. The commission was further supported in the 2020 General Assembly as all constitutional amendments much be voted upon and passed by two consecutive session separated by one legislature general election.

However, the commission was never supported by all within the Democratic Caucus. Many believed that the Democrats would secure the majority as early as the 2019 session and did not want to give up a bigger bite at the apple if they in fact won majority. Now in 2020 this contingent of Democrats wants voters to reject the proposed amendment to create the commission.

Of course the argument as it always is with the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is that they were never fully considered when the proposal was brought to the floor again in 2020 for the second vote on advancing it to a 2020 referendum for voters.  The division regarding the amendment within the Democratic Party is illustrated by the far more "progressive" arm of the party with members like Del. Lamont Babgby (Henrico) and Mark Levine (Arlington).

The commission composition was always a contentious debate. It will comprise eight Virginia lawmakers and eight citizens of the Commonwealth.

The commission will in all accounts be grounded by Voting Rights Act which is supposed to ensure that representation represents racial and ethnic diversity. Of course we also are bound or should be anyway by the 15th Amendment which protects the right to vote and that voting shall not be infringed in any manner. The manner in which voting is typically infringed is "voter suppression". Many are that "gerrymandering" is simply a legal means to circumvent the 15th Amendment and suppress votes from those person that those in power seek to silence.

Many Democrats now seek to mute the progress made the last two years and have the referendum defeated come November. Defeat would permit them to go back and re draft a proposal they believe addresses more of the concerns of the majority, however opposition sees it as more of a ploy to simply now rig the game with how redistricting completely changed places like Maryland.

The commission appears to illustrate a common theme in Richmond; we were for it before we were against it. Nothing demonstrates a lust for power more so than redistricting. The very fact that legislatures have a vested personal interest in the outcomes of such proposals contributes to the lack of faith citizens have in any process relating to "gerrymandering".

While legislators will certainly debate the line drawn one alternative that legislators ignore is the need for greater representation not less in Richmond. This could likely be from self interest of course yet the facts of the U.S. Census will demonstrate that as Virginia pushes towards 10 million people the time has come to review redistricting in a whole new, broader manner.

Virginia as it stands today has smaller proportionality of representation in its legislature than its neighbors. Some of these neighbors have less population than Virginia but more legislators. Why? Maryland just across the Potomac River has 47 State Senators with 6 million people. Virginia has just 40 and 8.5 million people. Why does Maryland have seven more districts? While Maryland has 47 districts for Senate it has 141 Delegates. Maryland's current legislature design goes back to 1972 when Maryland changed things and it revisits plan every ten years along with the U. S Census. Its 141 delegates are elected from the 47 districts created. Each district sends 3 delegates to the state house in Annapolis.

Virginia has 40 Senatorial districts and if each district sent three delegates to Richmond than Virginia would have 120 delegates to serve the people. Virginia has 100 delegates in the House of Delegates. Thus, Virginian has two million if not almost three million more people and seven less State Senators and twenty-one less State Delegates.

The real question Virginians must ask themselves when they look at Richmond and wonder why it no longer reflects their values is the very fact that Richmond has suppressed representational democracy in truth for decades shifting the power through redistricting to the northern region of the Commonwealth.

The Republicans do not in fact hold a single seat in the heavily dense areas of Northern Virginia localities of Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William, and Alexandria yet voting metrics and data show that Republicans typically generate 27-30% of the voting population in these areas. If there were greater representational diversity in Richmond, would not these voices no longer be silenced?

Remember this when you hear the debate go forward. Virginia is one of only two states that the legislature selects its State Supreme Court where undoubtedly the redistricting debates typically end up in one way or another. Democrats like Del. Mark Levine advocate that this body is comprised mostly of the former majorities appointments and therefore is not a legitimate body to rule given the fact that Virginia has now shifted to a Democratic majority and a partisan ruling would in effect not be in the interests of the will of the people. This of course is an assertion that Republican appointed justices would simply rule in line with the will of the minority in Richmond yet we have seen at the federal level in 2020 that these assertions are mere myopic views of the Progressive mindset themselves where their appointees do in fact rule on cases in lock step with the political will of the Democratic Party. However, in 2020 we have seen Republican appointed justices rule time and time again against President Trump or what they perceived Republicans position may be. Even Chief Justice Roberts has joined the more liberal justices on various issues in 2020.

Make no mistake it will require a grassroots effort by the people  to create the "call to action" regarding changes to the legislature. Legislators prefer small not larger bodies in the same manner in which a Party prefers convention over a primary. Its about control. The very make up of the legislature in 2020 screams disenfranchisement and voter suppression. Its about nothing more than the "power grab effect".