Browsing: Politics

A primary has been selected instead of a caucus for a three-way Republican race in state Senate District 12. Incumbent Sen. Amanda Chase announced the news in a Dec. 8 press release. Chase is slated to face former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant and Tina Ramirez in the June 20 primary. “I’m pleased that the Legislative District Committee has chosen a nomination process that is both easy and convenient for voters,” Chase said in an email, noting that all registered voters are able to participate in the process. The district, which was reshaped by redistricting after the 2020 Census, includes most…

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) said two things that may come out of the General Assembly session early next year have to do with affordable housing and promoting workforce development. Republicans and Democrats can agree on a need for more affordable housing, he said. In addition, Morrissey said he’ll get behind a move by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to address workforce development. “The old model doesn’t work,” Morrissey said. That model generally includes getting a college degree, but now one may graduate with $50,000 to $70,000 in college debt. “It’s changed on a dime,” Morrissey said. He noted that one can…

On July 26, Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) announced that he had reached a $10,000 settlement from a woman who claimed that he had trespassed for parking in a public right-of-way.  According to a press release, Jessica Spain called the police on Morrissey on May 22, 2019, for parking on an access road in the 19600 block of Church Road in Matoaca.  Spain allegedly said that she was in “great fear” due to Morrissey parking his vehicle at the end of her driveway while he campaigned door-to-door in the area. She filed a trespassing complaint the next day, the release states. …

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Chester) released a statement on Friday, June 24, following the news of the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. SCOTUS’ decision effectively sends the issue back to the states like it was prior to Roe, and Morrissey, who calls himself “pro-life” and has voted with Republicans on some abortion-related bills over the years, including his time in the House, clarified his position.  Morrissey said he said he supports a woman’s right to choose an abortion up until the time an unborn child can feel pain, which…

State Sen. Joe Morrissey is pleased with the Fiscal 2022-24 budget that the General Assembly passed on June 1. He noted the compromise legislation resulted in a 32-4 vote in the Senate. It also passed 88-7 in the House. Morrissey (D-Chester) called the bill “a huge win for Petersburg.” He noted the bill contains two amendments that allow for a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study, and with a positive report, a public vote on a casino. The bill also prohibits Richmond from having another vote on a casino until November 2023, which gives Petersburg time to conduct one,…

An impasse over appointees to the state parole board could end up hurting potential parolees, but that could be decided in an upcoming special session. State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Chester) said he plans to support any future appointees of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to the board, saying the current situation reminds him of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  “Someone has to be the bigger person,” he said, noting he worked the back channels among his party in the Senate to try to break the impasse.  “I thought what was done by both parties was disgraceful,” Morrissey said.  Former Gov. Ralph Northam…

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) and state Sen. Amanda Chase (R) provided an update on some pending legislation in the General Assembly last weekend.  Senate Bill 313, a replacement bill that Morrissey submitted that would have allowed industrial hemp growers in the state to sell marijuana to those without a medical marijuana card, failed 21-19 on Feb. 15.  Morrissey said the bill would help hemp farmers in Virginia. It had the support of 15 Republicans and four Democrats. In addition to Morrissey, other Democrats who supported the bill were John J. Bell, Lionel Spruill and Chap Petersen. Republicans who voted…

Legislators are trying to figure out their next steps following a map proposed by two special masters to the state Supreme Court following the 2020 Census.  State Sen. Amanda Chase (R) has a Senate district laid out for her to run in again in 2023 if she so desires. SD73 would cover the western half of Chesterfield, similar to her current district. That district also includes freshman Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D), but has a 54.3 to 38.7 percent Republican tilt based on the 2016 presidential  election.  However, Chase recently threw her hat into the ring as one of eight Republicans…

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) took time last week to reflect on the Nov. 2 election in which Glenn Youngkin (R) won the governor’s race and his party picked up seven seats to win control of the state House of Delegates, subject to two recounts in Hampton Roads. Earlier, Morrissey said he thought Democrat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe would win, based largely on the coronavirus. However, that issue faded a bit over the last several weeks heading up to the election and trailed the economy, education and taxes in issues on voters’ minds, according to MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki.  Morrissey said…

Chesterfield County grew 15.3 percent from 2010 to 2020 according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Chesterfield’s growth rate topped Richmond (11) and Henrico (6), but trailed some fast-growing Northern Virginia counties such as Loudoun (34.8), Stafford (21) and Prince William (20). In fact, Loudoun grew so fast it overtook Chesterfield as the state’s fourth-largest locality, behind Fairfax, Prince William and Virginia Beach. The population growth in Northern and Central Virginia will result in a shift of state representation from Southwestern and Southern Virginia. The 16-person independent redistricting commission is working on redrawing boundaries that will go into…

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