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Category: Virginia Election 2013 (Page 1 of 31)
Control of the Virginia Senate to be decided Tuesday between Democrat Jennifer Wexton and this guy..
When John Whitbeck, who infamously kicked off a Ken Cuccinelli rally a few months ago by regaling the crowd with a not-at-all-funny, anti-Semitic “joke,” apparently has a long history of acting in a bigoted fashion. As it turns out, when Whitbeck was President of the Lansdowne on the Potomac Homeowners’ Association, the HOA was sued (and eventually settled with the plaintiffs) for racial/ethnic/religious discrimination.
A few key details from the lawsuit (which was for $500k in compensatory damages, $350k in punitive damages, “reasonable attorney’s fees,” etc.) are as follows..
Jobs & the Economy: The legislature needs to spend more time focused on improving our economy and less time on ideological pursuits and divisive social issues. We need to encourage job growth and promote small businesses. I believe the smartest investments we can make are in improving our education system and our transportation infrastructure.
Education: As a mother of two elementary-school-age sons, I know we need to keep improving our public schools. I believe that education is an investment in our economic future, and we need to treat it that way. We can do that by increasing participation in early childhood education programs, so that all children will be better able to succeed in school. We should also invest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curricula, because those fields will lead to the types of jobs and innovations that will move Virginia forward.
Women’s Health: We need to protect women’s rights to control our own healthcare and keep the government out of family planning decisions. I’m pro-choice, and will fight to repeal the mandatory ultrasound law and the TRAP regulations that target women’s health clinics.
Transportation: We must maintain and expand our transportation infrastructure in a way that helps families and businesses, not residential developers. I would work to end predatory tolling on the Dulles Greenway and fight for projects that ease congestion, rather than put more cars on our roads.
Environment: We need to be good stewards of the environment, and protect Virginia’s land, air and water for our children and future generations. To achieve our conservation goals, we should focus on creating long-term solutions for our energy use, transportation infrastructure and smart growth in land use. As communities grow, we must consider planning options that reduce our impact on the environment. We should encourage greater use of renewable energy, including more widespread use of solar panels by homeowners and businesses. I believe in science, and that climate change is real.
Gun Safety & Mental Health: I will support reasonable regulations that promote firearm safety and responsible gun ownership, including universal background checks. I will also fight to improve our mental health system here in the Commonwealth. We need to make it easier for people in our communities with mental illness to get help through treatment, not weapons to harm themselves or others.
Ethics Reform: Government should be transparent and accountable, and public officials should have public integrity. I will support ethics reform and will fight to ban unreasonable and unnecessary gifts to elected officials and their families.
Voter’s Rights: We need to make it easier to vote, not harder. I will work for early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, and will fight against discriminatory voter ID laws.
Democrat wins first of two special elections to decide Senate chamber control
WASHINGTON-Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) Executive Director Michael Sargeant released the following statement on tonight’s Democratic victories in the special elections for Virginia’s 6th Senate District and 11th House District:
“I want to congratulate Senator-Elect Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomac) on his victory in tonight’s special election for Senate District 6,” said Sargeant. “This was the first of two January special elections that will decide which party will set the agenda in the Virginia Senate. Voters tonight sent the same message they delivered in November: Virginians have had enough of the Tea Party’s destructive ideology, and they’re eager for pragmatic leadership from Democrats like Lynwood Lewis, who’s proven time and again that he’ll always put Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Matthews County and the Eastern Shore first.”
“I also applaud the successful partnership between the Lewis Campaign, Governor-elect McAuliffe, the DLCC, and the Virginia Senate Democrats – a partnership that made this victory possible.”
“In addition, I want to congratulate Delegate-Elect Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke) for his victory tonight in House District 11,” Sargeant continued. “Delegate-Elect Rasoul ran a strong, grassroots-focused campaign that defeated a career Republican politician who enjoyed far greater name recognition and financial backing. With Sam’s victory, Roanoke has elected a strong progressive voice to represent its citizens, and Virginia’s General Assembly will enjoy a breath of fresh air from a new Delegate who’s never been afraid to stand up for our Democratic values.”
“These victories, despite a significant Republican funding advantage in both contests, give Democrats crucial momentum heading into the Virginia Senate’s final special election showdown on January 21st, when the race for Senate District 33 in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties will decide which party controls the floor of the state Senate. The DLCC looks forward to continuing our partnership with Virginia Democrats as we work to win that critical race.”