Congress
- Farmers, retailers worry as state and federal regs for hemp, marijuana shift
A legal cannabis market is set to take effect in Virginia next summer pending a final state budget, but Mannassas-based Barbara Biddle has already given notice to her landlord to shut down one of her two hemp stores. As a purveyor of hemp-infused products, her District Hemp Botanicals shops sell creams, bath salts, infused drinks […]
- Virginia measles cases surge past 70, concentrated in Central Virginia
Virginia’s measles count has jumped by more than 30 cases in recent weeks, with most of the infections centered in Central Virginia around Buckingham County. Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that there have been 77 cases this year, most involving unvaccinated people. The bulk of the cases are babies and children younger […]
- Virginia General Assembly approves Spanberger’s budget amendments, ending monthslong impasse
With less than 48 hours remaining before the start of Virginia’s new fiscal year, the General Assembly on Monday approved a package of amendments proposed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger to the state’s two-year budget, formally ending a budget fight among the Democratic majority that had dragged on for months. The House of Delegates and state […]
- Hakeem Jeffries Signals Democratic Push to Reinstate Virginia’s Rejected Congressional Map for 2028
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has indicated that Democrats plan to pursue restoration of a congressional redistricting plan in Virginia that was struck down by the state’s Supreme Court, aiming for implementation ahead of the 2028 elections. The comments, made during an appearance at the Center for American Progress, come in the wake of […]
- Thousands of Virginians will regain the right to vote next month
Virginia resident Tati King, a former felon who helped lead a major lawsuit to win back his and others’ voting rights, stands outside of Virginia’s Capitol. (Photo courtesy of Phuong Tran/ACLU of Virginia) Tati Abu King, who was formerly incarcerated for a felony, has been waiting years to be able to vote again. A court […]
- Fairfax County Steve Descano and Stacey Kincaid Under Scrutiny Following Fatal Stabbing of Stephanie Minter
Hybla Valley, Va. — The February 23, 2026, stabbing death of 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a Northern Virginia bus stop has intensified national debate over local immigration enforcement, prosecutorial discretion, and public safety in sanctuary-style jurisdictions. Minter, a mother from Fredericksburg, was found dead at a bus stop on Richmond Highway in Fairfax County’s Hybla […]
- Prince William Supervisor Yesli Vega Alleges Backroom Politics in Union Vote
Vega stated that respect must be earned and criticized what she perceived as efforts to exclude her from key discussions. She expressed disbelief at the governing body’s handling, saying elements left her ‘in complete and no idea the conniving.’ Pointing to the unionization drive led by SEIU Virginia 512, which recently urged workers to vote […]
- NAACP asks US Supreme Court to overturn Virginia redistricting decision
A Fairfax County voter receives a sticker after casting a ballot. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Advance Project on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse Virginia’s high court ruling striking down the state’s redistricting referendum, arguing the decision nullified the votes of […]
- Virginia Democrats File Typo-Riddled Motion Seeking U.S. Supreme Court Review After State Court Strikes Down Redistricting Amendment
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Democrats have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a high-stakes redistricting dispute after the Virginia Supreme Court nullified a voter-approved constitutional amendment on procedural grounds, a development that preserves the state’s current congressional maps for the 2026 midterm elections. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on May 8, 2026, […]
- Public health officials warn of rise in measles, as Virginia. hantavirus patient under monitor
A digitally colorized, thin-section transmission electron microscopic image of a single measles virus particle, or virion. (Photo courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Invention Public Image Library) As the weather warms and travelers prepare to embark on summer vacations, public health officials are warning about an expected uptick in measles cases, which were already climbing. […]
- Supreme Court of Virginia strikes down redistricting amendment, keeps current maps in place
The Supreme Court of Virginia in Richmond on April 27, 2026. (Photo by Samantha Willis/Virginia Mercury) The Supreme Court of Virginia on Friday struck down the voter-approved redistricting amendment, upholding a lower court ruling that had declared the measure unconstitutional less than 24 hours after last week’s special election and briefly halted its implementation. The […]
- Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter-Approved Redistricting Amendment, Sparking Debate Over Procedural Rules Versus Voter Intent
RICHMOND, Va. — On May 8, 2026, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a Democrat-backed constitutional amendment authorizing temporary partisan redistricting of congressional districts violated the state constitution’s procedural requirements. The decision nullifies the results of the April 21 special election referendum, in which voters narrowly approved the measure by approximately 51.7% to 48.3
- DOJ Civil Rights Division Launches Investigation into Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano for Alleged Discrimination in Favor of Illegal Immigrant Defendants
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has initiated a formal federal investigation into the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney, led by Steve Descano, examining whether its plea bargaining, charging decisions, and sentencing policies discriminate against U.S. citizens by providing preferential treatment to illegal immigrant defendants. The notification was sent to
- Abigail Spanberger’s first 100 days are flashing a warning Virginia Democrats should not ignore
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills to set referendums for four constitutional amendments on Feb. 6, 2026. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a package of gun bills on April 10, including a ghost gun ban, an industry liability measure and a closure of the intimate partner loophole. The bills are […]
- Data center tax exemption changes still holding up Virginia budget
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (left) and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas speak with reporters on Wednesday. (Photo by Charles Paullin/Inside Climate News) This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News (hyperlink to the original story), a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. […]
- Early poll is sobering for Spanberger, but it’s a wake-up call, not an epitaph
Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks with reporters outside the Executive Mansion in Richmond earlier this month. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) The first report card on Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s still brand-new term is in, and she can’t be happy with it. I’m hearing she’s decidedly unhappy. A new survey by the Washington Post and George Mason […]
- March for Life abortion opponents hit the streets in Virginia March for Life
Attendees of Virginia March For Life in downtown Richmond on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) As the governor, advocates and lawmakers celebrated the new maternal health laws inside the Patrick Henry Building Wednesday morning, about 1,000 people gathered outside for the Virginia March for Life Hosted with support from the Family […]
- Hospitals are not closing down
This post was originally published on this site. The hospitals in the area say that they will continue to serve the region, despite possible cuts in Medicaid funding which were approved by Congress last year. Public Citizen, a report highlighted by Virginia U.S. Senators. Tim Kaine, Mark Warner and others stated that Sentara Halifax Regional […]
- Tazewell Circuit Court Blocks Certification of Virginia’s Redistricting Referendum, Ruling Process Unconstitutional
TAZEWELL, Va. — In a dramatic late-day ruling issued Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Tazewell Circuit Court blocked certification of results from Tuesday’s special election on a controversial constitutional amendment aimed at allowing the Virginia General Assembly to redraw congressional districts before the next federal census. Chief Judge Jack Hurley reaffirmed earlier findings that both…
- Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
A voter casts a ballot in the April 21 redistricting referendum at the Stonebridge Recreational Center in Chesterfield County. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation f
- 10 questions and answers about Virginia’s redistricting referendum
(Photo illustration by States Newsroom) Virginians will head to the polls Tuesday to approve or reject a closely watched constitutional amendment that could reshape the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections. The standalone spring referendum will cap months of legal battles, political messaging and unusually high early voting interest. The vote follows a […]
- Virginia Referendum Pits Redistricting Proposals Against Voter-Approved Commission
The proposal stems from legislation passed by the Democrat-majority House of Delegates and Senate. It would suspend the decennial redistricting cycle mandated by Amendment 52, ratified by 67 percent of voters in 2020. That amendment established the Virginia Redistricting Commission, comprising legislators and citizens from both parties, to draw maps post-census. Ballot text reads: ‘Should […]
- Rein in federal health care program that raises costs for Virginians
Virginians often have to choose between paying high health care expenses and their daily living costs at the gas station and grocery store. As a clinic worker in Tysons Corner I understand how vital it is that patients with chronic illnesses receive the care they require when they need it.
- Glenn Youngkin Signature Sets Stage for Virginia Health Insurance to Cover in vitro fertilization Treatment
A bill that can help people start and grow their families through fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization will become law, after Gov.
- Virginia lawmakers, health officials brace for Medicaid changes
As Virginia lawmakers heard from state health officials Wednesday about potential effects of federal healthcare funding changes approved by Congress earlier this month, it became clear to Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News: “we at this time do not have a true sense of what we’re up against.”
- NPR CEO Katherine Maher Who Said Once ‘America is Addicted to White Supremacy’ Now Says NPR needs federal funding to support ‘Rural Communities.’
Maher asked Republicans to provide examples of left-wing bias. They delivered
- Democrat Congressional Candidates make their pitch for the successor to Gerry Connolly
Local Democrats who are seeking to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly yesterday (Wednesday) sought to differentiate themselves from a crowded race by outlining their plans to represent Virginia’s eleventh Congressional District if they were elected.
- Suhas Subramanyam, blasts data centers while raking in the cash from tech companies that own them
He talks tough about big tech, but he’s betting on their servers.
- Congressional Democrats including Suhas Subramanyam Unanimously Vote Against Protection of Women and Girls in Sports
In a highly contentious Senate vote earlier this week, all present Congressional Democrats stood united in opposition to the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a Republican-led bill aimed at barring transgender women and girls from participating in federally funded school athletic programs designated for female athletes.