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Two Capitols Consulting
Two Capitols Consulting thanks all the hardworking legislative staff behind the scenes who make each General Assembly Session run smoothly! www.2capconsulting.com
Spanberger appoints 65 Virginians to state boards and commissions
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced a slate of more than 60 new appointments Wednesday, filling out several high-profile boards, including the state Board of Education, the Board of Elections and the boards of visitors for several colleges and universities. Many of the appointments are replacements for the roughly 40 board members who were appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and removed from their boards earlier this year by the state legislature.
GOP overperforms in Virginia special election, fueling early momentum talk in blue-trending state
A Republican running in a Virginia special election significantly outperformed expectations Tuesday night, sparking chatter on social media that Republicans could have momentum in the blue-trending state where Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has faced backlash for her progressive agenda since taking office. In the race to replace Republican Virginia House District 98 Delegate Barry Knight, who died of cancer last month, Andrew Rice defeated Democrat Cheryl Smith by 25 points in a climate where voters in the commonwealth have been turning to Democrats in recent elections. Conservatives on social media were quick to point out that Rice, who, despite holding onto a Republican seat, outperformed the candidate for Republican governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, in November and outperformed President Donald Trump’s 2024 total by 10 points ...
An effort to remove Confederate statues in Capitol Square was unexpectedly killed in budget talks
Members of the Virginia General Assembly were considering a Senate bill to get rid of the last Confederate statues in Richmond until a House committee killed the bill. But the effort to ditch the statues is not a lost cause. A statue honoring Confederate General Stonewall Jackson faces the center of the Virginia Capitol, perhaps the most prominent spot in all of Capitol Square. That statue, along with two others honoring the Lost Cause, were about to be removed because of a bill that passed the Senate that was included in the Senate budget. But then a House committee unexpectedly killed the bill at the last minute as budget negotiations between the House and Senate broke down.
Lynchburg Republicans move forward with firehouse primary plan for upcoming city council elections
Lynchburg Republicans are moving forward with a nomination process that limits who can vote to choose the party’s city council candidates, continuing a fight they started two years ago to work around a new state law that effectively prohibits the process. The Lynchburg Republican City Committee voted Monday to schedule a nomination process known as a firehouse primary for May 30 to determine the party’s city council nominees for the November election. To vote in the firehouse primary, voters must be “in accord with the principles of the Republican Party,” meet qualifications of Republican Party loyalty, and be able to attend the Saturday vote in person — unless they qualify for an absentee ballot.
Lingering question at heart of Fairfax Co. casino debate: Does Tysons need it?
As Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger weighs whether to sign off on a measure that would let voters decide to build a casino complex in Fairfax County, local and state leaders have offered conflicting perspectives on whether the area needs it. If the Board of Supervisors planned a referendum and voters approved it, the bill would allow the construction of a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development in Tysons. The complex would include a casino, convention center and entertainment district, among other things. For the third consecutive General Assembly session, lawmakers in Richmond considered the possibility. Though several elected officials representing the Northern Virginia area voted against the proposal, it ultimately passed both chambers.
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EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Spanberger announces additional board appointments
Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has announced additional board appointments that she says will contribute to her goal to build a better and stronger Virginia. “When I think about the more than 100 Virginians we’ve appointed to boards and commissions in just 60 days, I think about what they represent — wide-ranging professional experience, an unwavering commitment to their communities, and a willingness to serve their fellow Virginians at the highest standard,” Spanberger said in a March 18 press release. “I know these leaders will always put the Commonwealth first as we continue to focus on building a stronger future for Virginia students, families, and communities.”
Spanberger replaces entire Richard Bland College Board of Visitors
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is shuffling the deck on the entire Richard Bland College Board of Visitors, replacing all of them – including the mayor of Petersburg – less than one year after the board was created, putting in their places, among others, the general manager of Live! Casino Virginia, the Dinwiddie County administrator, and Petersburg’s chief media spokesperson.
Spanberger appoints new members to boards of ODU, Norfolk State, William & Mary
Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday appointed six new members to Old Dominion University’s Board of Visitors, the institution’s governing body. The new members will fill the board to its capacity of 17. Appointees serve four year terms. Spanberger’s appointments follow a recent vote of no confidence passed by the university’s Faculty Senate, as the majority of the body sought to oust President Brian Hemphill, Provost Brian Payne and Vice President Nina Rodriguez Gonser. The Board of Visitors backed university leadership and blocked the Senate’s vote.
Spanberger names three new members to VCU Board of Visitors
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced three appointments to the VCU Board of Visitors on Wednesday. The new members will fill the vacancies in the university’s highest governing body created by Democratic lawmakers when they removed three members in February. The new members are Heidi Schlicher Cook, a VCU alum, lobbyist and Senior Vice President of Old Dominion Public Affairs; Towne Bank president Alexis Swann and Harry Thalhimer, the president of Thalhimer Headwear.
Virginia joins national push for refunds after U.S. Supreme Court voids Trump tariffs
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is pressing Congress to force refunds on billions of dollars in tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, arguing the federal government must quickly repay businesses and consumers after the nation’s highest court struck down the policy. Jones joined a coalition of 16 other state attorneys general this week in urging lawmakers to pass legislation requiring automatic reimbursement of tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA — a move that follows a Feb. 20 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court invalidating the Trump administration’s use of the law to impose sweeping global tariffs.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Fairfax board members denounce local General Assembly legislators who supported casino bill
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors doubled down yesterday morning (Tuesday) on their opposition to a Tysons casino — and ramped up criticism of state legislators pushing the measure. “This was absolutely a direct attack on local government,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the March 17 meeting, which came three days after state legislators passed legislation that would add Fairfax County to the list of Virginia localities eligible to host a casino. The measure — Senate Bill 756, patroned by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) — was adopted Saturday (March 14) on votes of 25-13 in the State Senate and 55-41 in the House of Delegates.
Virginia aging advocacy groups praise new nursing home rules but fear budget cuts
Advocates for aging Virginians are praising the passage of legislation during the 2026 session. But they fear budget cuts could harm their members. “It’s a major impact on quality of care when you have a change in ownership,” said Dana Parsons with LeadingAge Virginia, an advocacy group for aging Virginians, speaking to what she called the existing trend of rapid transfers of ownership in Virginia’s nursing home industry. But new legislation waiting for action by Governor Abigail Spanberger will require nursing home ownership transfers to be reviewed by the Virginia Department of Health. A change Parsons welcomed.
The 2026 General Assembly is over. What does it mean for Loudoun?
The bang of gavels and accompanying cheers in the Virginia statehouse last weekend signaled the end of the 2026 state legislative session ... “I think for Loudoun County residents, it’s going to turn out very well, because there was a great focus on affordability,” Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun, told the Times-Mirror. “And that would be affordability in both health care, and housing and prescription drug medications. So I think the Loudoun County residents are going to fare quite well.” That focus includes the creation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which would monitor medication prices in the Commonwealth. Lawmakers also tried to address federal cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Loudoun legislators told the Times-Mirror.
Republican lawmakers discuss redistricting, abortion amendments at Altavista meeting
Senator Mark Peake and Delegate Eric Zehr met with residents in Altavista, outlining upcoming constitutional amendments and encouraging community involvement ahead of key votes this year. The meeting, held at a local church, focused on proposed changes expected to appear on ballots in April and November, including redistricting and reproductive rights. Peake said the goal of the event was to keep constituents informed about legislative developments in Richmond and explain how proposed laws could affect them.
REDISTRICTING
Republicans rally in Culpeper ‘to save Virginia from a permanent blue takeover’
Local and state Republicans, along with members of a third party, are rallying against a change to Virginia congressional maps on which voters are now deciding. Former Attorney General Jason Miyares started his first of eight “grassroots events” around the state Monday and Tuesday in Culpeper, encouraging Virginians to vote no on the April 21 referendum.
STATE ELECTIONS
Republicans are optimistic on referendum after HD-98 special election results
Republican Andrew Rice, a deputy commonwealth’s attorney in Virginia Beach, defeated his Democratic opponent Cheryl Smith to replace longtime Republican Del. Barry Knight, who passed away last month. Rice won with 62% of the vote, which is five points higher than Knight’s last two wins against opponents. This overperformance could be promising for Republicans seeking to win a statewide referendum next month to stop congressional redistricting. Democrats want to redraw the boundaries to create 10 Democratic districts, compared to the 6 they have now. “I would say that the high numbers should at least be encouraging for Republicans that their voters are not all staying home,” said Dr. Richard Meagher, a political science professor at Randolph-Macon College.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
Macy discusses her past and policy at Staunton session
Beth Macy – one of several candidates running in the ongoing Sixth Congressional District Democratic primary – held a listening session for local voters on Sunday, March 15. The session was held at Ciders from Mars, with about two dozen people in attendance. Macy had a mixed reception, hearing from people who excitedly support her campaign and from some voters looking for more specific policy stances from her on LGBTQ protections.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Controversial natural gas compressor station in Chesapeake approved for construction
A controversial project involving a natural gas compressor station in Chesapeake that drew the ire of many residents has been given the green light to be constructed by 2027. The State Corporation Commission this month approved a request from Virginia Natural Gas to construct the station at 2512 S. Military Highway ... Applicants say the project is primarily for the coldest days of the year when demand for natural gas peaks.
Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative seeks rate increase
The Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative plans rate increases in Virginia and West Virginia, citing the continually rising cost of doing business. The New Castle-based cooperative provides electric service to approximately 7,400 members in the Virginia counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Montgomery and Roanoke, as well as Monroe County, West Virginia. In Virginia, it seeks regulatory approval to raise the monthly bill of an average residential member by $7.31, or 3.7%, effective May 1, according to an application recently filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Port of Virginia completes $450M dredging project
The Port of Virginia announced Wednesday that it is now home to the East Coast’s deepest port at 55 feet deep, at the conclusion of its $450 million project to dredge Virginia’s commercial shipping channels and Norfolk Harbor. According to the port, channel dredging was completed on Feb. 28. The project, which started in 2019, was designed to produce channels deep and wide enough to safely handle two-way traffic for the largest ships in the Atlantic trade, without tidal restrictions or overhead obstructions. The port completed the widening portion of the project in February 2024.
HIGHER EDUCATION
ODU shooter was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison in 2017, was out on March 12, 2026
The man who killed a ROTC instructor and wounded two students at Old Dominion University last week was sentenced in February 2017 to 11 years in federal prison. Under common math, that would have meant Mohamed Jalloh would have remained in custody until February 2028. But federal sentencing law and policy hardly amount to simple math. Jalloh got various sentencing credits — two standard ones and another less so — that allowed him to walk out of federal custody in December 2024.
LOCAL
Loudoun Residents Urge Supervisors to Continue Push for Underground Power Lines
The 90-minute public comment during last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting was taken up primarily by eastern Loudoun residents hoping for support in their efforts to block overhead transmission lines planned by Dominion Energy. The Golden to Mars project is one of several power line projects planned to loop through eastern Loudoun to ensure the regional grid stays reliable as the demand for power increases.
Prince William County becomes first school district in the nation to have air bags on buses
Prince William County is the first school district in the country to have airbags for school bus drivers. Similar to seat belts, there are no federal requirements for school buses to deploy airbags. However, Blue Bird Bus Corporation is the first manufacturer to install airbags on their propane school buses. PWCS partnered with the company as part of an “ambitious goal” to transition 50% of buses to use alternative fuel sources. PWCS currently has 10 propane buses operating, with 52 more on the way.
Manassas National Battlefield lands on endangered public lands list amid Digital Gateway limbo
Manassas National Battlefield Park on Tuesday was included on a national list of “America’s most endangered public lands in 2026” in light of the threat posed by the sprawling PW Digital Gateway data center project. Coming in at No. 5 on the 10-site list, published by Outside Magazine and RE:PUBLIC, the battlefield park’s imminent peril gained the notice of “various experts, professors, conservationists and policy advisors,” according to a news release from American Battlefield Trust. The fate of PW Digital Gateway currently rests in the Virginia Court of Appeals, where a ruling is pending related to two legal challenges against the project.
Louisa County officials push back against Valley Link Transmission proposal
A major new transmission project aimed at meeting Virginia’s growing energy demands is moving forward, as regional grid operator PJM has approved plans for a 115-mile high-voltage power line stretching from Lynchburg to Culpeper County. PJM, which manages energy for 13 states, has given the go-ahead for Dominion Energy, in partnership with Transource and FirstEnergy called Valley Link — to build the 765 kV transmission line. The line would be able to carry as much as 6,600 megawatts of power. The companies say the project is crucial to maintaining grid reliability.
ICE protesters speak out at Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting
Nineteen-year-old Paula Garcia Gonzalez said her little sister asks every time they leave the house if ICE agents will be around. “If she sees one passing by, she’ll tell us to hurry up so they don’t see us,” Gonzalez told the Stafford County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night. “Can you imagine a child, your child, having to carry that fear around every time they walk out the doors? Is that the kind of community you, as a board of supervisors, want Stafford to become?” The Aquia District resident was one of a dozen speakers who asked the supervisors to take a stand against the possibility of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility coming to the county.
Nelson supervisors reaffirm Second Amendment sanctuary status
In an expression of a “deep commitment to the rights of all citizens to keep and bear arms,” the Nelson County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a resolution reaffirming the county’s Second Amendment sanctuary status. The resolution, which Supervisor Ernie Reed opposed during the March 10 vote, states the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed on and it takes aim at stricter gun laws advancing in the Democratic-controlled state legislature.
The number of ICE detainees in the Roanoke jail more than tripled last year
Any Roanoke resident with a smartphone and a curiosity about news saw ample footage of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swarming larger historically Democratic cities throughout 2025. Citizens made videos of ICE agents on their streets. Throughout the year, in contrast, Roanoke’s streets remained seemingly quiet. But in the places smartphones don’t reach and record — the cells and beds of the Roanoke jail — more than three times the number of ICE detainees were checked in last year than were the previous year, in a city that has historically been welcoming to immigrants.
Today's Sponsor:
Two Capitols Consulting
Two Capitols Consulting thanks all the hardworking legislative staff behind the scenes who make each General Assembly Session run smoothly! www.2capconsulting.com
COLUMNISTS
Lewis: Another no-budget adjournment. Aren’t we used to that already?
The Virginia General Assembly has doused the flame on its 2026 winter session without completing its most important and consequential business: a new budget to fund the commonwealth into 2028. That’s hardly uncommon. This is the 11th time since 2000 that our 140 learned solons have failed to pass a budget before the regular session adjourns, requiring extracurricular work. Not a lot of Virginians had legislative disunity and delay on their parlay cards this year considering Democrats control state government wall-to-wall. But intraparty budget fights complicate things sometimes, and they’ve yielded some interesting pyrotechnics.
OP-ED
Long: Don’t let Texas undo a fair system in Virginia
Early voting is underway for the special election that in effect throws out the existing redistricting commission for the moment, and forces Virginia, which is pretty evenly split between the two major parties, into a gerrymandered system that is designed to give one party 10 congressional seats out of 11. You might guess from this introduction that I’m not in favor of the proposed constitutional amendment. Let me explain why: 1) The system we have now is a model for other states ...
Aitken: Virginia’s robotics opportunity and the lesson from drones
Recently, a bipartisan group in the House of Representatives, including Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, unveiled legislation, HR 7334, the National Commission on Robotics Act. The legislation aims to establish a commission and create a national robotics strategy to help shape federal robotics policy. ... Virginia, in particular, is well-positioned to lead.