I. Introduction: Virginia Matters. A lot.
Even with the most rudimentary of glances at American history, it’s irrefutable that the Commonwealth of Virginia has an importance that far outsizes it’s square mileage.
First, the United States removed any doubt that it was a nation—and one here to stay—near the water at Yorktown. Then, four score and four years later, the Union removed any doubt about what these United States stood for, about 150 miles west, across the Commonwealth at Appomattox. Virginia is known at the “Mother of Presidents,” and in 1990 it elected this nation’s first African-American governor.
In 2017, the state elected Democrats to three statewide offices and gained 15 seats in the House of Delegates, cutting the Republican’s majority to a razor thin 51-49, making the state bright purple. Then look what happened nationally in 2018. From the Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge, from Mount Vernon to Monticello, from Richmond to Washington, from then to now, Virginia has been, is, and seemingly will always be, a literal and figurative battleground for the heart of America.
And it’s happening again, right now.
II. Want Virginia to flip from Purple to as Blue as the Blue Ridge, and again send a message to the country?
Before you get lost in all the presidential primary hubbub, before the president frays your last nerve, save some political bandwidth for Virginia’s General Assembly elections coming this November. And check the calendar—primaries are happenings all over the state coming up in a week, on June 11th. All 100 seats in the House of Delegates and all 40 in the Senate—where Republicans hold another razor thin (21-19) margin—are up for grabs.
Now, please, forgive me if this appears that I am politicizing a horrible tragedy in a part of the Commonwealth where I have lived and that I hold dear, but after what happened in Virginia Beach, this feels like a real chance—the first chance, almost anywhere, in a long time—to send people to a statehouse who will actually do something about guns. Yes, Gov. Northam has announced a special legislative session to deal with the issue, but how far can he go with a legislature that is bought and paid for by the NRA? Instead, turn Virginia’s General Assembly blue and, with the governor, do something real, something aside from sending thoughts and prayers. Could you imagine? In Virginia? If you don’t feel something just thinking about that possibility, you’re excused from the remainder of this diary and might consider seeing a therapist. But if that thought quickens your pulse, even just a tiny bit? Then, please, read on, and think seriously about doing something, or doing more, because why can’t the next blue wave start in Virginia?
So...is it realistic to contemplate turning those red legislative bodies blue? Yes. But it won’t happen on its own.
III. Let’s start in the senate
Of the 40 seats, there are a number of seats that merit attention. First, there are none more symbolic than the seat currently held by the Republican Senate majority leader in the Virginia 3rd Senate District (Williamsburg). There, full-bird colonel, war veteran, and gun control-favoring gun owner Herb Jones is scaring the incumbent into petty acts of obnoxious, eye-roll inducing, constituent-harming, partisan hackery. Herb Jones is a better man, a better candidate, and far more in tune with what real Virginians from all walks of life need. But he needs your help.
A. The VA 10th Senate district and Ms. Eileen Bedell.
The more flippable seat, however, is the 10th Senate District in and around Richmond, where two Democratic candidates, including Eileen Bedell, are in a primary to face an incumbent who gets one of the highest ratings from the National Rifle Association. With Ms. Bedell’s experience, name recognition, and the change in the district map, she has a great chance to flip this seat. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, the new district has shifted significantly toward the Democrats. For example, Sen. Tim Kaine won the 10th’s precincts by 23 points last year. With respect to her primary opponent, Ms. Bedell is the better choice of the two. Her run for Congress in 2016 energized Democrats in the region, and set the stage for now-Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s congressional victory in 2018. Rep. Spanberger knows this, and in a rare move, endorsed Ms. Bedell even before she was sworn in to the House of Representatives.
Over the last few years, along with maintaining her own solo legal practice, Ms. Bedell has worked tirelessly to advance issues such as responsible gun ownership and access, women’s rights, better healthcare, economic development, and job training for those is her district and beyond. She’s lived in the district for decades and is raising her family there. And because of her law practice and her own life experiences, Ms. Bedell gets what real Virginians are facing because she’s faced those things herself. Check out her testimonial below, about how the premature birth of her son, Elery, pitted her family against the insurance industry, a battle she won and one that she would fight in Richmond for her constituents.
In short, she’s the real deal: she has a better chance of beating the incumbent than her primary opponent, and if there is one Senate district where Democrats shouldn’t mess around, it’s this one. If you can, please donate to her campaign here. If you do, you could help to flip the Senate, and move Virginia that much closer to again leading the nation on important issues, including perhaps, perhaps, gun control.
B. Other Senate races the can be flippers
While the third and the tenth are incredibly important, other senate districts are in play as well. In the 13th Senate District, well-respected and current Delegate John Bell is looking to move to the upper chamber. He will face a Republican-TBD in next week’s primary, but the expected winner of that election is — you guessed it — NRA endorsed. As he is following in the footsteps of and endorsed by a long-time conservative leader in the Senate, he is well supported. Delegate Bell hopes you will support him as well.
Others to look at — and you can go to the Virginia Public Access Project for more information — include:
- An open seat in 7th District (Va. Beach), where three Democrats are vying for the nomination.
- The 8th District, also in the VA. Beach area, where current Delegate, Beto O’Rourke jogging buddy, Navy veteran, and successful small-business owner Missy Cotter Smasal looks to unseat another NRA-darling. She’s behind in overall funding, but gaining momentum as recent fundraising reports show her outpacing her opponent.
- The 12th district in Richmond, where two Democrats will face off next week to be able to face an admittedly strong incumbent.
- In the 11th district, also in Richmond, the incumbent has been in the news lately for losing her cool over a parking dispute and carrying a pistol into legislative sessions. This will come as a shock, but she is endorsed by the NRA. Nonetheless, expected D-primary winner Amanda Pohl will need support to overcome another previously-easily-elected incumbent.
IV. and in the house of delegates?
Of course, none of this matters without the House of Delegates changing colors as well. The good news is that there are delegate races across the state that can be flippers, if you will. One of the strongest and most likely to change is the 94th district in Newport News. There, Shelly Simonds, who, in 2017, lost to the incumbent in a tie-breaker (they actually “drew lots”) after only joining the race a few weeks before the election, has a great chance but is being out-raised by another — wait for it—NRA-endorsed Republican. Enough already. Let’s get help get Ms. Simonds over the hump this time!
Other interesting districts include (and this is by no means exhaustive):
V. conclusion
Time and money, money and time — give what you can because what an incredible opportunity is coming in Virginia this November. The Commonwealth hasn’t had a Democratic trifecta since the early 1990s — it’s safe to say it’s about time. Please help this opportunity become reality by supporting these and other candidates in the state. In particular, support Eileen Bedell in her effort to with the 10th Senate District in what may be the most important district in order to flip the Va. Senate. She is a true Virginian, she has worked for Virginians all of her career, both as a professional and an activist, and she knows through her own life experiences the challenges that Virginians face. Let the nation see that Virginia is once again the bellwether of the country.