Republican gubernatorial candidates Amanda Chase and Octavia Johnson endorse Winsome Sears for lieutenant governor

2021 Republican Gubernatorial candidates Senator Amanda Chase and former Roanoke Sheriff Octavia Johnson endorsed Winsome Sears as she is seeking the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.  

“I believe Winsome Sears will usher in the next generation of firebrand Republicans who are passionate, articulate and uncompromising on our conservative values,” said Senator Amanda Chase. 

“Winsome Sears is a person of character, courage and determination. Winsome is a proven leader uniquely suited to the office of Lieutenant Governor,” former Sheriff of Roanoke City Octavia Johnson said. “It is my pleasure to endorse Winsome Sears for Lieutenant Governor.” 

Sears is vying for the nomination with Del. Glenn Davis, Del. Tim Hugo, Puneet Ahluwalia, Lance Allen and Maeve Rigler.

“I’m absolutely honored to receive endorsements from these conservative women and the momentum my campaign is receiving can only be attributed to the work of the Lord,” Sears said.


Democratic lieutenant governor hopeful Andria McClellan released a plan Monday that she says will help Virginia fight the harmful impacts of climate change

“Every Virginian deserves access to a safe, sustainable environment. The reality is that the climate crisis is not just a future threat, it’s here now. We need to be doing more as a Commonwealth to not only mitigate future climate change but also to adapt to that which is already affecting our communities,” McClellan said Monday. “As Lieutenant Governor, I will place addressing the climate crisis, with a focus on environmental justice, at the top of my agenda. I will expand on the resilience and climate mitigation efforts I’ve begun in the Hampton Roads region to ensure our efforts across the commonwealth prioritize the communities which are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.”

McClellan says that shw would use her role as lieutenant governor to:

  • Accelerate progress on Virginia’s 100% Clean Energy goal.
  • Encourage the creation of a Commonwealth Flood Board to address and fund flood mitigation statewide.
  • Champion the use of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction funds to implement energy-efficiency upgrades in low/moderate-income communities and support funding for regional flood mitigation planning.
  • Lead Virginia in joining the multi-state Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) with a goal of reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.
  • Foster incentives for electric vehicles (EVs); support a statewide EV charging network; and, expedite the electrification of the state fleet of vehicles.
  • Improve access to clean renewable energy for families, schools, businesses and local governments.
  • Join Mid-Atlantic and national efforts to protect our natural resources, most notably the Chesapeake Bay, national forests and state parks.

Delegate Lashrecse Aird (VA-HD-63) Endorses Rod Hall for VA-HD-31

On her endorsement of Hall’s campaign, Delegate Aird said “Rod has lived a life of service and is now running for office for all the right reasons. As we lead our Commonwealth into a new era that is focused on ensuring equitable opportunities for all, Rod is the perfect leader for this time. More than ever before, we need leaders like Rod, that make the people in his community and their needs his main priority. He is a fierce advocate for progressive values, he has a strong track record of standing up for marginalized communities and I know he will be a strong asset to the House of Delegates. I am proud to support his candidacy and I look forward to having him as a colleague.” -Delegate Lashrecse Aird, VA-HD-63


Virginia Democratic campaign workers unionize in push to improve conditions – Roanoke Times

by Amy Friedenberger

Coffee and pizza sustains them. They work long, unpredictable hours for low pay. Campaign workers have come to expect these conditions, all in the hope that their candidate wins.

Political work is grueling, so the workers for some campaigns are trying to establish standards.

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Trump the X-factor in Virginia governor race – The Hill

by Julia Manchester

Former President Trump is already deeply involved in the 2022 midterm elections, headlining fundraisers and backing primary challengers, but he has yet to weigh in on one of November’s few races: the vote for Virginia’s next governor.

While a number of the GOP candidates in the field have embraced the former president and his policies, Virginia has been trending blue in recent years, making Trump’s potential presence — or absence — the contest’s key X-factor.

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Gubernatorial candidate Youngkin talks issues at Amherst County meet-and-greet – The News Advance

by Nick Cropper

Republican gubernatorial candidate and Virginia native Glenn Youngkin made a pit stop Saturday morning in Amherst County, where he took aim at Democrats and left-leaning policies and said he wants to use his experience as a business executive to “reinvigorate, rebuild, reestablish” the state.

“We do not recognize this great commonwealth today. She is in the ditch … Democrats drove her into the ditch and they have been piling dirt on her every chance they get,” Youngkin said.

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What Virginia’s school outbreak dashboard can — and can’t — say about the risks of reopening – Virginia Mercury

by Kate Masters

In late September, when Virginia health officials launched a dashboard that detailed outbreaks in K-12 schools across the state, it was applauded as a long-needed step toward more transparency — and a relief for parents hesitant over the prospect of sending their children back to the classroom.

Six months later, the data on reopening has gained even more importance amid a state and nationwide push to return students to the classroom. But there are limits on what it can and can’t tell officials, parents and others looking for answers on the relative risks of in-person school. 

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