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Fredericks backs Sears for governor after months of railing against her for her anti-Trump comments
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears has faced challenges in her campaign for governor, stemming from comments she made about Donald Trump two years ago, when she referred to him as a liability to the Republican Party. Trump’s most ardent supporters have held her accountable for those words and have criticized her campaign at every opportunity.
This week, however, it appears that Trump supporters and Sears are mending fences and moving forward.
Conservative talk show host John Fredericks, one of the most vocal critics of Sears from the MAGA crowd, endorsed her on his radio show.
“Our relationship went south when you appeared on Neil Cavuto on Fox Business, or Fox News, whatever it was, and basically said Trump was done and we needed to move on,” Fredericks said. “As you know, I've been a Trump supporter forever. I stand by my guy now. He's doing a tremendous job, but this has hurt your campaign and authenticity with the MAGA base, many of which are tuned in to me right now in Virginia.”
The comments Fredericks referenced occurred during an appearance on Fox News after Democrats overperformed in the 2022 congressional elections.
“When we look at the mission, and as a Marine, we're looking at the mission, and you know, the voters have spoken, and they have said that they want a different leader,” Sears said on Fox in 2022. “And a true leader understands when they have become a liability, a true leader understands that it's time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and indeed, that's where we are today.”
Fast forward to 2024, and MAGA Nation had not forgotten those words from Sears.
Boysko was removed from committee, and Lucas is mad at the coverage
Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, was removed from her position as Transportation Committee chair on Thursday by her caucus, which is led by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton.
Boysko was also removed from the Rules Committee, as only committee chairs serve on Rules.
All Democrats, including Boysko, voted in support of making the changes. She was replaced by Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, who is also the party favorite to replace outgoing DPVA Chair Susan Swecker.
These moves come after Boysko publically testified in a House sub-committee against Surovell’s legislation to establish a casino in Fairfax.
The bill was voted down, likely killing any chance of it surviving this session.
Boysko celebrated on social media with a post on Wednesday.
“Oh what a happy day leading up to Valentine's,” she posted. “SB982 the ‘Casino Bill’ has died in a House Appropriations Subcommittee.”
Senate Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, pushed back Friday morning on the media coverage of Boysko being removed.
“Reporters want to cover stories about who is fighting with who because it gets more readers than what we are fighting for together,” she wrote. “Better school funding. Great jobs in our communities. A cleaner environment. Public Safety. We will never let anyone distract us.”
VA News from VPAP posts a long list of stories each day from reporters across the commonwealth covering bills that pass or die.
Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker Steps Down
Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker is stepping down from her position after serving as chair since 2015.
“As I step down, I do so with pride and confidence, knowing that our party is in capable hands,” she said Monday morning. “The solid foundation we've laid will ensure Virginia remains a beacon of Democratic strength for generations to come.”
Swecker oversaw the party as it experienced many ups and downs. In 2017, she led the party as it flipped 15 seats in the House of Delegates, nearly taking the majority. Democrat Ralph Northam also easily won the gubernatorial election that year.
In 2018, Democrats flipped three congressional seats, giving the party the majority in representation in Washington. D.C.
In 2019, Democrats flipped additional Republican-held seats in the House and two in the Senate, securing a majority in both chambers. With a Democratic governor in place, they were able to enact hundreds of pieces of progressive legislation across the commonwealth.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Swecker, however. She faced criticism in 2021 after all three statewide Republican nominees won their races, surprising some Democrats who hadn’t fully accounted for national trends following Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory. Republicans also took the House majority that year, though only for a brief period.
Democrats regained the majority in the House in 2023, creating a significant barrier against Gov. Glenn Youngkin and preventing him from enacting much of his agenda.
Anyone who has closely observed Virginia state politics can objectively recognize that the Democratic Party has a much larger staff apparatus than the Republican Party of Virginia.
John Fredericks said LG candidate stiffed him on payment
Conservative talk show radio host John Fredericks said John Curran, a Republican lieutenant governor candidate, is not paying for the ads that he placed on Fredericks’ radio shows.
“I’ve been on the air for 14 years, and we have never been misled on political ads payment the way GOP candidate for LG John Curran has done,” Fredericks said in a Facebook post. “Political ads are pre-paid. For a week he told us it was being paid the next day and ended up stiffing us for $2,000 after a week of ads he recorded in our studio and booked. “
Curran raised $645 for his campaign in 2024 according to VPAP. However, he gave a personal loan to his campaign for $1 million.
Fredericks told Virginia Scope that Curran kept telling him each day that it would be paid the next day, and then the next day and the next. But the money never came.
“So, we canceled his ad campaign and sent it to collections,” he said. “Political ads are pre-paid and we ran them based on his word and that of his campaign manager Britton Ross, a dear friend. And he’s running for VA LG?”
Legislators request JLARC study last four years of Va. book removals
By Madison Parlopiano, Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. – A Senate committee recently advanced a proposal for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to report on book removals in Virginia public schools between July 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2024.
The study had an initial due date of Nov. 1, 2026, but a proposed Senate amendment could move up the timeline by a year.
Del. Marcus B. Simon, D-Fairfax, sponsored House Joint Resolution 440. The study proposed is in relation to Senate Bill 656, which passed in 2022, Simon said in the House session.
SB 656 tasked the state Department of Education to create a model policy on sexually explicit instructional materials, which includes notifying parents, allowing them to review, and giving alternative material if requested. Local school boards had to adopt the policy, and were allowed to “be more comprehensive,” according to the bill.
“In 2022, we passed a bill that really made it much easier and expanded the ability for folks to challenge books in our public libraries and challenge certain titles,” Simon said. “With the idea being that they wanted to keep their kids from having to read offensive materials.”
Probation reform legislation advances out of both chambers of the General Assembly
Legislation to reform probation in Virginia advanced out of both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support. It has the Virginia Division of the Southern Police Benevolent Association and the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers.
The bills would incentivize individuals on probation to shorten their time by completing specific requirements for at least six months. These requirements include having health insurance, maintaining a job, completing educational activities, finishing any state-certified or state-approved mental health or substance abuse treatment program, and maintaining a permanent residence.
The legislation has bipartisan support in both chambers, with the bill passing unanimously in the Senate and all Democrats and five Republicans voting for it in the House of Delegates.
Don Baylor from the National Coalition for Public Safety Officers said they support the bill because it will reduce the workload for probation officers and reward individuals who are willing to show they will do the work to reintegrate into society.
The Virginia Division of the Southern Police Benevolent Association echoed that sentiment.
Commentary: Anyone who puts their name forward for the DPVA chair must stand up and fight
By Sheri Shannon — she is the founder and director of Shannon Strategies, a communications firm specializing in policy, advocacy and progressive politics.
This week, Susan Swecker, long-time chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA), announced she is stepping down from her role in March. While there’s speculation on who’s running for the position, there’s no consensus on who will lead the next chapter of DPVA.
Right now, Democrats are floundering without a shared understanding of how to win in the future. Virginia cannot afford to get this wrong with statewide elections this fall. DPVA needs a chairperson who will rebuild an inclusive party that defines what it means to be a Democrat and build a path forward to combat right-wing extremism.
Legislators hope to fund college food pantries with new grant program
By Andrew Kerley, VCU Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. — Before leaving Hampton Roads for college, Anje Mixon received SNAP benefits and free or reduced-priced lunch through school.
Mixon studies accounting at Virginia Commonwealth University, with support from a Pell Grant and work-study job as manager of the Ram Pantry. Students can shop at the pantry once a week for free food, toiletries and even baby formula. Mixon occasionally uses it herself.
Bill eliminating supplementary breast exam costs clears legislature on third push
By Brooke Lindberg, VCU Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia General Assembly passeda measure Thursday prohibiting health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations.
The passage comes after three consecutive attempts from Del. Shelly A. Simonds, D-Newport News.
House Bill 1828 is recommended this year by the Health Insurance Reform Commission.
“I am happy to report that it has been sent to the HIRC and has finally passed through the HIRC process,” Simonds told the House Labor and Commerce subcommittee panel on Jan. 21.
