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MEDICAID ON THE LINE. After all of Virginia’s Republicans in the GOP controlled U.S. House voted for a budget that is all but certain to result in cuts to Medicaid, none are hosting town hall meetings. Yesterday in Henrico, Democrats held a “waiting for Wittman” event focused on Rep. Rob Wittman. The Republicans congressman was in Washington, DC as Congress was in session. But constituents gathered in his district anyway.
RELATED: Explainer: What US social spending programs could be hit in Trump tax cuts? (Feb. 26, 2025, Reuters)
“It was heartbreaking to hear how many people are suffering and will suffer because Wittman is more concerned about his job than his constituents,” wrote Beth Hedquist on Facebook.
Many around the country are concerned with job cuts, the closing of federal agencies such as USAID and the indiscriminate nature of those actions by the Trump Administration. They are also concerned about cuts to Medicaid.
An embarrassing round of video from GOP town halls was seen on social media after last week’s “district work period.” Constituents at town halls around the U.S. were seen on video yelling questions about job cuts and chanting anti-Elon slogans. The Republican answer to this significant PR problem may be to avoid having town halls. Will any Republicans in Virginia hold a town hall as consequential decisions are being made by the Trump Administration? Time will tell.
Virginia: Who voted for the GOP budget in the House that will result in cuts to Medicaid?
RELATED: What Can House Republicans Cut Instead of Medicaid? Not Much. (NYT, Feb. 25, 2025)
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears suddenly has company in the GOP primary race for governor this year. That competition arrives days after news hit that Lt. Gov. Earle Sears is underwater by 15 points to former Rep. Abigail Spanberger in a recent poll. Spanberger is the only declared Democrat in the 2025 governor’s race.
Dave LaRock, a former Delegate, filed paperwork to run for Governor on Feb. 26. The next day, former Trumpy State Senator Amanda Chase announced her intention to run. They are challenging Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who announced she was running for Governor on Sept. 6, 2024.
The Lt. Governor has recently had campaign staff changes and has taken to being critical of states with governors who are Democrats. Namely, Maryland and California.
“Virginia, I’m running to be your shield—protecting parents’ rights, our economy, and our way of life from the radical policies that have wrecked states like Maryland and California. Let’s keep commonsense leadership in Richmond,” she wrote on social media today.
From his political X account on Feb. 26, Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote, “I fully support @winwithwinsome to be Virginia’s next governor. She has been a steadfast partner when it comes to standing up for parents, backing the blue, making Virginia the Top State for Business and delivering historic tax relief to lower the cost of living. She is a United States Marine who knows how to fight, a small business owner who knows what it means to sign the front of a paycheck, and a proven winner. I will stand with her with every step of the way as our party unites and she wins in November.”
Though the Lt. Governor has two declared challengers in Chase and LaRock, they still have to get 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot. No minor task.
With the growing turmoil in Washington over indiscriminate firings of federal employees, Democrats are very likely to have the advantage in the Governor’s race and in the Virginia House just as they did after President Trump was elected in 2016.
VBPD Candlelight Vigil for Fallen Officers Girvin and Reese: February 25, 2025
Today, departing employees at USAID were cheered by a crowd of onlookers as they packed their office belongings and left the building for what may be the last time.
By Nathaniel Cline. Virginia students may soon face tougher academic benchmarks as the state aligns its performance levels with the higher standards of a national assessment.
Starting next month, the Virginia Board of Education will begin adjusting its cut scores — used to determine whether K-12 students are meeting proficiency levels — to better match the rigor of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Student performance is typically categorized as “below basic,” “basic,” “proficient” or“advanced,” reflecting their knowledge and skills in core subjects.
Since 1998, Virginia has relied on its Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments to gauge proficiency in areas like reading and math. However, NAEP, a widely recognized national organization, has often been used to assess smaller student groups, such as fourth and eighth graders.
“The NAEP assessment provides a common benchmark that states can then use to look at the relative rigor of their own assessment cut scores,” said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, during a work session Wednesday.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration has frequently pointed to NAEP data to highlight what it calls the “honesty gap” — the disparity between state-level proficiency standards and the more stringent NAEP benchmarks. READ ENTIRE
Loudoun Freedom Center and JK Holdings Announce Landmark Land Donation Following SCC Approval
Date: February 28, 2025. Time: 10:00 AM, Location: African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont, 19400 Freedom Trail Road, Ashburn, VA 20147
The Loudoun Freedom Center and JK Holdings invite members of the media, community leaders, and stakeholders to a press conference announcing a significant milestone in the preservation of local history and cultural heritage.
Following the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) approval of Dominion Power’s transmission line northwest alignment, Chuck Kuhns of JK Holdings is officially moving forward with the donation of a 10-acre plot to the Loudoun Freedom Center, fulfilling a commitment made on February 28, 2024. This landmark contribution will advance the Loudoun Freedom Center’s mission of historical preservation, history education, and community empowerment.
Speakers: Pastor Michelle Thomas, Founder & CEO, Loudoun Freedom Center and Chuck Kuhns, JK Holdings
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