VCC Magazine Summer 2018

V I R G I N I A

Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E

®

INSIDE Elect No Strangers —pages 10–12

Summer 2018

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C O N T E N T S VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

page 6

Summer 2018

4 Enlightening Liberty

MORan

qarni

5 School and Student Safety

page 5

Cabinet Voices

5 Speaker’s School Safety Committee

6 Priorities with Purpose

8 Human Resources Initiatives

page 8

10 Elect No Strangers

connor

13 Republican Congressional Incumbents Struggle in the Age of Trump

14 The Photography of Wanda Judd

pages 10–12

16 Redistricting in Virginia:

Making the Case for Electoral Reform

17 Financial pressures and technology reshape Virginia’s news media

19 Creating Defining Moments

to Celebrate the Teaching Profession

20 Career and Technical Education:

A Stepping Stone to Apprenticeships

page 13

21 Today’s School Counselors Keeping Students Safe

22 Virginia DMV is Doing even More for Veterans (and our military): Strong partnership with Virginia Department of Veterans Services ensures that wide range of services are available to veterans and military

FARNSWORTH

RUSH

page 16

Professors

23 Best Seat in the House: Book Review

23 My Journey Through Eldercare: Book Review

On The Web www.vccqm.org

page 19

24 Be Our Guest –for This Week in Richmond

25 In Memoriam

L. Ray Ashworth

SOUTH

BREWSTER

page 17

26 Association and Business Directory

Volume 24 Number 3 • Editors –Hayley Allison, Kristen Bailey-Hardy • Publisher –David Bailey • Art Director –John Sours • School Distribution –Kristen Bailey- Hardy • Advertising – Ads@CapitolSquare.com • Printer –Wordsprint • Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine (ISSN 1076-4577) is published by: Virginia Capitol Connections • 1108 East Main Street • Suite 1200 • Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 643-5554 • Copyright 2018, Virginia Capitol Connections, Inc. All rights reserved. The views expressed in the articles of Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine , a non-partisan publication, are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher.

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Enlightening Liberty By Sarah Alderson Here we are in the middle of the

many government meetings at local levels, as well as meetings held by many private organizations. And at least 46 states still require a regularly-scheduled recitation of the pledge in public schools. It’s short and sweet, and it gets the point across. “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” When the poet, Francis Scott Key, became inspired by the sight of our illuminated flag to write what became the national anthem, he quickly wrote the initial verse on the back of a letter. He later added three more stanzas to the Star-Spangled Banner, but only that first one is commonly sung today. The original version doesn’t mention the actual word “liberty,” but Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. added a fifth stanza to the song in 1861 that did. Holmes was indignant over the beginning of the Civil War, and this extra verse appears in various songbooks of the era. “When our land is illumined with Liberty’s smile, If a foe from within strike a blow at her glory, Down, down with the traitor that dares to defile the flag of her stars and the page of her story!” Of course, one of the most recognizable American icons throughout the world is the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The statue was conceived at the same time that our country was experiencing an upswing in immigration. And on June 17th, 1885, the world’s largest immigrant arrived on America’s shore. Lady Liberty was a gift from France to the United States to commemorate the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and to celebrate the friendship between the two countries established during the RevolutionaryWar. The grand robed figure represents the Roman goddess and embodiment of liberty, Libertas. Her left hand contains a tablet featuring the date America declared independence from Britain, and her right hand holds a torch with a golden flame that is meant to be guiding others toward the path to freedom. There are even words engraved on the monument to that effect. “From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome….” In fact, the full sonnet, “The New Colossus,” was written by the American poet Emma Lazarus in 1883 to raise money for the construction of a pedestal before the arrival of the statue. In 1903, the poem was cast onto a bronze plaque and mounted inside the pedestal’s lower level. It includes these more well-known words. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lady Liberty welcomed millions of immigrants and refugees seeking shelter and opportunity in America. Many were escaping persecution, famine and war in their homelands. And this one statue came to represent the freedom, democracy and justice that people around the world were searching for. It also represents what other societies have sought to emulate. In fact, her original name was, “Liberty Enlightening the World.” Today, with her torch held high over Liberty Island, the Statue of Liberty still stands as one of our most enduring American symbols. A symbol of hope. To many it may seem that the beacon has dimmed, but the light is still there. And right now our country – and the world– could use a little more enlightenment…a little more hope…a little more inspiration…and perhaps a lot more true liberty. Sarah Alderson is an award-winning freelance writer who also works in the General Assembly broadcast control rooms during sessions and the Capitol Studio throughout the year. She can be reached at aldersonproductions@gmail.com V

summer season…when the days are longer, the light seems brighter and the sun feels warmer. It’s the time of year we celebrate the quintessential American holiday known as “Independence Day” by lighting up the sky with fireworks. We often simply refer to the celebration as “The Fourth of July,” since the date commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress 242 years ago in Philadelphia. It’s also a good time to be reminded of our country’s founding principles. The Declaration’s most well-known statement is: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Many Americans can recite this. In fact, it has been called “one of the best-known sentences in the English language.” However, it’s surprising how few really know where the words came from or what their context is. Few have ever read the entire document. Even fewer seem to understand it. That’s one of the reasons why NPR’s show, “Morning Edition,” first began their now thirty-year-old Independence Day tradition. Each Fourth of July, familiar NPR voices read the Declaration of Independence in its entirety. What better way to remind Americans what our country stands for? In the process of declaring the United States an independent country in 1776, the Founding Fathers stated that liberty is an “unalienable right” – for everyone. Liberty is defined in several similar ways including: 1. The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views. 2. The absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government. 3. The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. It’s a relatively simple and positive concept. It may not always have been fully upheld, but it is certainly worth continuing to strive for. Here in Richmond, we know quite well that before the Declaration of Independence was written, Patrick Henry famously said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” in a speech he gave to the Second Virginia Convention at St. John’s Church on March 23, 1775. His speech is credited with having swayed the convention to pass a resolution deliveringVirginia troops for the RevolutionaryWar – to fight for that liberty. In 1787, the United States Constitution was written in the same place where the Declaration of Independence was signed, during what is now known as the Constitutional Convention. The Constitution was also signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. And once again, the word “liberty” was featured in the preamble or opening statement –which is now another well-known quote.

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Even the Pledge of Allegiance to our country’s flag reiterates the concept of liberty for everyone. The Pledge, as it exists in its current form, was composed in August 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and Christian Socialist. The words “under God” were added in 1954. Most Americas have recited it many times in their lives. Congressional sessions open with the reciting of the Pledge, as do

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School and Student Safety By Brian Moran

Speaker’s School Safety Committee By Bonnie Atwood One student death or injury is too many. We can understand and mourn the terrible accidents that kill or injure our children BUT they are just that – ACCIDENTS! But what we are unsuccessfully dealing with today are ACTS OF INTENTIONAL MAYHEM

School and student safety have been on the forefront of our minds in recent months following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018, where 17 students and staff members were

gunned down. States around the nation are engaging in conversations about how to keep our children safe and prevent these senseless acts of violence. While Virginia has long established itself as a national leader on school safety due to our strong legislative mandates, as well as our investments in education and training, Governor Northam recognizes the need to build upon our strong foundation and ensure that our schools remain safe learning environments for our children. In 2000, following the massacre at Columbine High School, the Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Center for School Safety and housed it within the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. The Center was initially created to serve K-12 public schools, and was charged with providing training, serving as a resource and referral center with technical assistance to school divisions, facilitating an annual school safety audit, and developing partnerships to promote school safety in Virginia. Over the years, the Center and its responsibilities have evolved significantly. In 2007, the nation mourned the loss of 32 Virginia Tech students and professors who were murdered during the deadliest school shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history. In response, the legislature established threat assessment teams and violence prevention committees on all college campuses, which was unprecedented at that time. Additional changes occurred during 2013–2014 after the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that claimed the lives of 26 young students and staff. Legislation renamed the Center as the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety, required every school division to designate an emergency manager, and mandated threat assessment teams in all K-12 public schools, making Virginia the first in the nation to adopt this type of policy. In order to assist localities with implementing threat assessment teams, the Center created a model policy in consultation with the Virginia Department of Education. Since their inception, threat assessment teams have played an important role in our schools. Comprised of individuals with expertise in counseling, instruction, school administration and law enforcement, these multi-disciplinary teams allow schools to prevent potential acts of violence by identifying individuals early on who pose a threat to themselves or others and connecting them with services. Through the Center’s annual school safety audit, which also collects information about threat assessment teams, we know that in 2016–2017, 9,238 threat assessments were conducted in our schools. Of that number, 928 (10%) were classified as a high-level threat, and a total of 40 (<1%) cases resulted in an act being carried out. It is important to note that half of all threats assessed involved threats of harm to self. Additionally, school safety statistics from 2014–2015 released by the National Center for Education Statistics indicate that it is rare for students to be murdered at school, but that suicide is now the second leading cause of death among youth. This data demonstrates that while we are doing a great job of intervening and preventing acts of harm against our students, we must continue to work diligently to address the complex challenges facing our youth. Many leaders in Virginia, including Governor Northam, are convening committees and work groups to identify opportunities to enhance the strong foundation we have built.

that CAN be PREVENTED. Unfortunately, our nation—even our Commonwealth—has seen many more than that. But what shall we do? How do you “keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you?” as Rudyard Kipling so eloquently asked. That is the over arching goal of the several committees on school safety which are now meeting, frequently and tirelessly, to address our worst nightmares. Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Brian Moran, has described in the accompanying article the commitment of Governor Ralph Northam. Speaker of the House of Delegates, Kirk Cox, is simultaneously holding meetings of his bipartisan select committee on school safety. The list of issues is long—but here’s how it differs from the Governor’s Committee and the Democrats’ Committee: this one will not include gun issues. The committee has three subcommittees: • Prevention and response protocol. • Infrastructure and security. • Student behavior and intervention. Some of the initial takeaways have been: • No single approach will be completely effective. • Other states use multiple approaches. • Legislators have discussed the need to protect students from shooters, without sacrificing other safety measures, such as fire and egress. The committee and subcommittees have heard from a myriad of experts, both within Virginia government (such as JLARC and DGS), and without (such as vendors who sell safety equipment). Interested parties have come in droves to witness the Committee in action. Some meetings are held on school grounds, such as the one at Meadowbrook High School in Chesterfield County. It drew so many parents, more chairs had to be brought in. One avid watcher is Michael A. Jones, the Founder of Major Security Consulting & Design and a 40 year veteran of law enforcement whose tenure has included assignments as the security consultant for the City of Baltimore, Chief of the Virginia Capitol Police, Professor of Criminal Justice at VCU and a school security design expert. These talks are “providing a much-needed forum for the development of security standards and best practices,” he said. “Currently, these standards and guidelines do not exist in a form that provides for standard best practices. Instead of arbitrarily imposing standards that have NOT been vetted by the security professionals and the school personnel who have to utilize them, the Committee has taken the approach to seek out guidance from the experts - security professionals, architects, educators, support staff, public safety leaders as well as parents. “As a security consultant, I know that the best security practices will come from the synthesis of ideas from the diverse groups of caring people who know that protecting our schools is a must! “This committee is providing the leadership that is needed to develop a comprehensive approach that understands that schools should be secure, kids can feel safe, teachers can teach ...all in an environment that has been thoughtfully designed to be safe but not scary.” See Speaker's School Safety Committee , continued on page 7 • Virginia fares well in comparison to other states. • Some new approaches may be worth exploring.

See School and Student Safety , continued on page 7

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Priorities with Purpose By Atif Qarni

After the whirlwind of inauguration, transitioning from an 8th grade classroom to theGovernor’s Cabinet, and theGeneralAssembly session; I knew that the first thing I needed to do as Secretary of Education was spend time visiting and listening to colleagues, educational professionals and citizens all over the Commonwealth. My purpose in doing so was to broaden my perspective and deepen my understanding of the educational landscape in Virginia. So this spring my team and I embarked on an Education Listening Tour, with the specific goal of using the experience to inform targeted educational priorities for the administration. We sought to visit every region and every aspect of the educational continuum in order to make the tour as worthwhile and meaningful as possible. From March through June we travelled more than 4,000 miles. My team and I visited more than 80 early childhood learning settings, public and private schools, community colleges, most of our higher

education centers, and many of our public and private four-year institutions. We met with students, teachers, professors, coaches, elected school, county and state

officials, counselors, deans, principals, parents, business owners, college presidents, specialists, superintendents, and community activists. It was both productive and eye-opening. The enthusiasm, constructive ideas, innovative programs, support systems, and creative solutions working in every community overwhelmed us. We also sought out and heard about the challenges—some consistent from community to community, others unique to a particular place. Together, these experiences helped us establish the following four educational priorities for the Governor and our administration. The underpinning of all four of these priorities is a foundational and driving belief that all children,

regardless of their zip code, should have access to a high-quality, highly- relevant public education. First, we will seek to both improve the quality of and expand access to early childhood care and learning programs for Virginia’s most at-risk children. In partnership with First Lady Pam Northam, Secretary Carey, and their respective teams, we will work to improve the quality of and expand access to educational and child care settings serving our most vulnerable children; support our early childhood practitioner workforce; and better align the policies of state agencies and early care and learning programs. Second, we will advance a vision for excellence and equity in all schools and students in Virginia, particularly by encouraging positive school climates, mitigating the teacher shortage, and fostering innovative teaching and learning in

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our schools. This means investing in comprehensive student well-being, school safety policies and programs, building on the recent accreditation reforms to hold schools accountable for a wide variety of student outcomes, and fostering a strong educational leadership pipeline by addressing teacher compensation and inequities in teacher quality. We know that our students must be college and career-ready in order to advance and succeed in life, but it is also necessary to advance and reinforce Virginia’s economy. To that end, we plan to build meaningful pathways from classrooms to the workplace with an emphasis on four key sectors of the economy: Healthcare, Trades, Technology and Teaching. Teaming up with Dr. Megan Healy, Governor Northam’s Chief Workforce Development Advisor, we aim to identify, promote and incentivize innovative education and workforce development models throughout the

I am pleased that Governor Northam reiterated his commitment to this issue as a top priority of his Administration when he signed Executive Order 11, which reinstates the Virginia Children’s Cabinet and appoints Virginia’s First Lady, Pam Northam, as Chair of the Cabinet. As part of the Children’s Cabinet, I will be co-chairing a Student SafetyWork Group withAtif Qarni, our Secretary of Education. Over the next several months, the work group will be responsible for making comprehensive recommendations to the Governor that will support the safety of our students. The priority areas of focus will be: enhancing information sharing and the effectiveness of threat assessments teams; assessing the role, prevalence, and training of school resource and school security officers; evaluating existing ratios and staffing levels for school support staff; identifying opportunities to expand relevant training to a variety of school-based personnel; and consideration of other school-based programs or supports, including mental health supports, needed to secure the safety of all students. As we prepare for the 2018–2019 school year, it is important to recognize that our schools are indeed very safe, which is a testament to all of the professionals within our school communities who work tirelessly to educate and protect our youth. I look forward to working alongside Secretary Qarni and public safety, education, and mental health stakeholders to develop meaningful recommendations that will undoubtedly support their efforts and have a positive impact on student safety and school climate in the Commonwealth. Brian Moran, Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Commonwealth. It is our hope that all Virginians will have access to affordable, efficient and effective educational pathways and that, upon completion, graduates are motivated to stay local. Lastly, we know that student success is supported through effective policies and practices in accessing and completing their higher education. It leads to more meaningful work and citizens who positively contribute to the Commonwealth. Increasing access to higher education and driving improved completion rates, especially for underrepresented Virginians, will address many of our most pressing challenges in higher education. We plan to explore options for low-cost, no-cost, or debt free community college. School and Student Safety from page 5

99 Scary is right. Legislators are hearing that when it comes to active shooters, fear can outweigh the probability. Fifty million kids go to school every day. Of those, an average of 11 to 34 have been killed by homicide yearly between 1993 and 2015. These incidents are horrible, but why are our levels of fear so out of balance with the relatively low number of incidents? It is the specter of theUNKNOWN—the unknown killer, the unknown time and date of the event and the multitude of other UNKNOWNS... that scare us all. We can handle what we KNOW… it’s the unknowns that we are not prepared for. The killings are random. Think plane wrecks, the D.C. sniper, and those boys trapped in the cave. Prediction is difficult if not impossible, so schools have to be reasonably ready for anything. School Security experts including Mike Jones favor the All Hazards Approach to security—being ready for anything makes you ready for the “any” one thing. One of the challenges is how to do this without profiling kids who may just be different, how to intervene in real mental health needs, and how to talk about safety without traumatizing children further.Where does the Committee go from here? The public can keep up by following its website: https://schoolsafety. virginia.gov/ . Further subcommittee meetings will be announced, and all subcommittees have been asked to report recommendations to the full committee on September 11. Bonnie Atwood, a freelance writer with Tall Poppies Freelance Writing LLC, is the winner of 30 national and state writing awards, and represents legislative clients with David Bailey Associates. She can be reached at BonAtwood@verizon.net . All rights reserved by Bonnie Atwood. Speaker's School Safety Committee from page 5 While I was not able to visit every division or touch down in every county, continuing the conversation with local schools and communities throughout the Commonwealth will be a necessary component of this work in the coming years. The Governor and I are committed to advancing excellent educational opportunities for all Virginians no matter who they are or where they are from. This is central to the work we do each day, and we believe that by pursuing each of the four goals, we can and will positively affect every single student in Virginia in the years ahead. Atif Qarni, Virginia Secretary of Education. V

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Human Resources Initiatives By Keyanna Conner Today’s job market is highly

competitive, and it is crucial for us to strengthen the Commonwealth’s ability to recruit and retain talented employees. To address that, our Administration has introduced several initiatives to support state employees at work and at home. Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Orders in June to provide paid parental leave to employees in the Executive Branch, and to establish the Advisory Commission on Quality Child

Care to study the feasibility of providing evidence-based early care and learning programs for young children of state employees. The child care study reflects the priorities of First Lady Pamela Northam, who has launched a new initiative to improve the quality of and access to early childhood education. While its focus initially will be on the feasibility of setting up early child care and learning programs on and around Capitol Square, the Advisory Commission also will explore the creation of similar programs for state workers in other parts of the Commonwealth. It will evaluate benefits offered related to supporting the early care and learning of employees’ children and will offer recommendations on policies to help the Commonwealth attract and retain talented employees with young children. The new parental leave benefit provides up to eight weeks of paid parental leave to enable employees to care for and bond with a newborn, or a child under the age of 18 newly placed for adoption, foster, or custodial care. The paid leave may be used in combination with other leave benefits and is available to both parents if both are eligible state employees. It is simply the right thing to do, and recognizes the diversity of today’s families. Another part of our strategy has been to implement a new compensation tool to provide student loan repayment assistance to state employees in difficult-to-fill positions. The average debt carried by an individual student while pursuing an education approximates $37,000, representing a 60 percent increase since 2007. To assist employees, the Commonwealth will offer a one- time bonus of up to $10,000 for new hires or re-hires to accept employment or for current employees to continue employment. Positions must be identified as critical and difficult to fill or retain. While these measures address financial and quality-of-life challenges faced by our state workforce, another initiative is focused on employees’ everyday health and engagement. On May 1, we launched the OnTheSquareVA employee engagement program to promote healthy and fun activities that get employees moving and connecting with their coworkers. We are fortunate to have dedicated employees all across Virginia, and we want to encourage them to step away from their desks during their lunch or break and do something that is fun, helps them build relationships with their coworkers and, when possible, improves their health. We tasked the Department of Human Resource Management and the Department of General Services to lead the program, and during the first month, we held over 50 activities, including everything from weekly food trucks and an early morning run with the Governor, to exercise classes, dog events and yoga at the Executive Mansion. In June, we added a weekly farmers’ market and many other events, including a geology tour around Capitol Square and an opportunity to meet and ask questions of Supreme Court of Virginia Chief Justice Donald Lemons. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are working to See Human Resources Initiatives , continued on page 12

hen it comes to events no one throws a party like David Napier.

Known throughout Central Virginia for his wonderful food and hospitality, David is delighted to have opened his catering facility in the heart of Shockoe Bottom. No event is too small or large. Delicious Box Lunches delivered. O ne of Richmond’s most elegant dining rooms is now exclusively available for your private parties and special events. Our award winning chefs produce an array of dishes from steaks and seafood to vegetarian and international masterpieces that will satisfy the most discriminating palate. The Old City Bar is the perfect place to celebrate.

Parking available adjacent to building Phone 804-644-1702 FAX: 804-644-1703 E-Mail: thecitybar1548@gmail.com Web Site: www.whitehousecateringva.com

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TOURISM WORKS FOR VIRGINIA In 2017, The Virginia Domestic Tourism industry generated $25 billion in traveler spending, supported 232,000 jobs , generated $5.9 billion in saaries and wages and provided $1.73 billion in state and local taxes. Find out more at Virginia.org.

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U.S . Senate election Stewart, Corey (Republican) P.O. Box 7090 Woodbridge, VA 22195 P 703.792.4640 Noel@CoreyStewart.com coreystewart.com

2 nd District Accomack County, Northampton County, Poquoson City, Virginia Beach City, Williamsburg, City, York County; Part of Hampton City , Newport News City and Norfolk City Taylor, Scott W. (Republican)* P.O. Box 66528 Virginia Beach, VA 23466 P 757.343.3808 info@scotttaylor.us scotttaylor.us

Kaine, Tim (Democrat)* 2001 Jefferson David Highway • Suite 909 Arlington, VA 22202 P 571.970.4697 info@timkaine.com timkaine.com

Luria, Elaine (Democrat) P.O. Box 66191 Virginia Beach, VA 23466 teamelaine@elaineforcongress.com elaineforcongress.com

Waters, Matt (Libertarian) 1444 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 P 757.254.4813 mw@mattwaters.com mattwaters.com

Brown, Shaun (Independent) 2132 Sanctuary Court Virginia Beach, VA 23454 P 757.380.0571 Contact.shaun.brown@gmail.com voteshaunbrowncongress.com

Congressional Elections 1 st District Caroline County, Essex County, Fredericksburg City, Gloucester County, Hanover County, King & Queen County, King George County, King William County, Lancaster County, Mathews County, Middlesex County, New Kent County, Northumberland County, Richmond County, Stafford County, Westmoreland County; Part of Fauquier County, James City County, Prince William County and Spotsylvania County Wittman, Robert J . (Republican)* P.O. Box 999 Montross, VA 22520 P 804.493.0508 campaign@robwittman.com robwittman.com

3 rd District Franklin City, Isle of Wight County, Newport News City, Portsmouth City; Part of Chesapeake City, Hampton City, Norfolk City and Suffolk City

Scott, Robert C . “Bobby” (Democrat)* P.O. Box 251 • Newport News, VA 23607 P 757.245.2000 Bobbyscottforcongress.com

4 th District Charles City County, Colonial Heights City, Dinwiddie County, Emporia City, Greensville County, Hopewell City, Petersburg City, Prince George County, Richmond City, Southampton County, Surry County, Sussex County; Part of Chesapeake City, Chesterfield County, Henrico County and Suffolk City, McAdams, Ryan (Republican) P.O. Box 96 Charles City, VA 23030 P 804.557.4118 info@ryanmcadamsforcongress.com ryanmcadamsforcongress.com

Williams, Vangie (Democrat) P.O. Box 452 Irvington, VA 22480 P 540.369.2900 mickey@vangieforcongress.com vangieforcongress.com

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McEachin, A. Donald (Democrat)* P.O. Box 7020 Richmond, VA 23221 P 202.225.6365 info@mceachinforcongress.com donaldmceachin.com

Lewis, Jennifer (Democrat) P.O. Box 1914 Staunton, VA 24402 P 757.364.8401 josh@jenniferlewisforcongress.com jenniferlewisforcongress.com

7 th District Amelia County, Culpeper County, Goochland County, Louisa County, Nottoway County, Orange County, Powhatan County; Part of Chesterfield County, Henrico County and Spotsylvania County Brat, Dave (Republican)* P.O. Box 5094 • Glen Allen, VA 23058 10124 W. Broad St., Suite H Glen Allen, VA 23060 P 804.496.8214 campaign@davebrat.com davebrat.com

Wells, Peter J . “Pete” (Libertarian) 3017 Fourth Avenue Richmond, VA 23222 www.petewellsforliberty.org

5 th District Albemarle County, Appomattox County, Bedford City, Brunswick County, Buckingham County, Campbell County, Charlotte County, Charlottesville City, Cumberland County, Danville City, Fluvanna County, Franklin County, Greene County, Halifax County, Lunenburg County, Madison County, Mecklenburg County, Nelson County, Pittsylvania County, Prince Edward County, Rappahannock County; Part of Bedford County, Fauquier County and Henry County Riggleman, Denver (Republican) P.O. Box 798 Nellysford, VA 22958 P 434.995.8555 ben@denverforcongress.com denverforcongress.com

Spanberger, Abigail (Democrat) P.O. Box 3121 Glen Allen, VA 23058 P 804.432.1734 info@abigailspanberger.com abigailspanberger.com Walton, Joe (Libertarian) 2571 Norwood Creek Powhatan, VA 23139 P 804.677.9090 7thdistrict@joeforvirginia.com joeforvirginia.com

Cockburn, Leslie (Democrat) P.O. Box 186 Sperryville, VA 22740 P 540.746.1257 hello@lesliecockburnforcongress.com lesliecockburnforcongress.com

8 th District Alexandria City, Arlington County, Falls Church City; and part of Fairfax County Oh, Thomas (Republican) P.O. Box 11833 Alexandria, VA 22312 P 703.479.9007 thomas@ohforcongress.com letuschangecongress.org

6 th District Amherst County, Augusta County, Bath County, Botetourt County, Buena Vista City, Harrisonburg City, Highland County, Lexington City, Lynchburg City, Page County, Roanoke City, Rockbridge County, Rockingham County, Shenandoah County, Staunton City, Warren County, Waynesboro City; Part of Bedford County and Roanoke County Cline, Ben (Republican) P.O. Box 817 Lexington, VA 24450 P 540.319.9340 contact@benclineforcongress.com bencline.com

Beyer, Don, Jr. (Democrat)* 2001 Jefferson Davis Highway • Suite 604 Arlington, VA 22202 P 202.258.9261 don@friendsofdonbeyer.com friendsofdonbeyer.com

Continued on page 12

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9 th District Alleghany County, Bland County, Bristol City, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Covington City, Craig County, Dickenson County, Floyd County, Galax City, Giles County, Grayson County, Lee County, Martinsville City, Montgomery County, Norton City, Patrick County, Pulaski County, Radford City, Roanoke County, Russell County, Salem City, Scott County, Smyth County, Tazewell County, Washington County, Wise County, Wythe County; Part of Henry County and Roanoke County Griffith, H. Morgan (Republican)* P.O. Box 361 Christiansburg, VA 24068 P 276.525.5088 info@morgangriffithforcongress.com morgangriffithforcongress.com

11 th District Fairfax City; Part of Fairfax County and Prince William County Dove, Jeff (Republican) P.O. Box 46783 Woodbridge, VA 22194 P 703.402.2107 info@doveforcongress.com doveforcongress.com

Connolly, Gerry (Democrat)* P.O. Box 563 • Merrifield, VA 22116 11200 Lee Highway, Suite 2 Fairfax, VA 22030 P 703.375.9374 Campaign Manager: Donald Brownlee info@gerryconnolly.com gerryconnolly.com

Flaccavento, Anthony (Democrat) P.O. Box 247 Abingdon, VA 24212 P 276.698.6100 info@flac4congress.com flacc4congress.com

Porter, Stevan (Libertarian) P.O. Box 802 Herndon, VA 20172-0802 P 703.345.0571 steve@porter4us.com porter4us.com

10 th District Clarke County, Frederick County, Loudoun County, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Winchester City; Part of Fairfax County and Prince William County

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* Incumbent

Comstock, Barbara (Republican)* P.O. Box 831 • McLean, VA 22101 14504 Lee Road • Suite C Chantilly, VA 20151 P 703.868.2429 info@barbaracomstockforcongress.com barbaracomstockforcongress.com

schedule new and interesting activities for the future. While many events are held on Capitol Square, we have encouraged agencies located in other areas of Virginia to hold similar events, from picnics and educational lunch sessions, to walking clubs and weekly lunchtime corn hole games. We also have encouraged agencies to sponsor events that fit within their missions, such as the geology tour offered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, and a birthday celebration for the Commonwealth recently hosted by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. Everyone is getting in on the action, and our employees are benefiting. So what do activities, Capitol Square tours, educational sessions and group exercise classes have to do with improving the state workforce? These opportunities not only improve organizational culture but they strengthen bonds as well as the physical and mental health of our employees, which can reduce stress, increase productivity and reduce turnover. As these initiatives demonstrate, we are committed to investing in the Commonwealth’s workforce to help advance Virginia’s employment brand, reduce student loan debt, improve talent retention in mission-critical roles and bolster succession planning tools, as well as encourage other Virginia employers to adopt similar incentives. Keyanna Conner, Secretary of Administration Human Resources Initiatives from page 8

Wexton, Jennifer (Democrat) P.O. Box 650550 Sterling, VA 20165 P 703.687.7122 info@jenniferwexton.com jenniferwexton.com

Larson, Nathan D. (Independent) 9270 Prospect Avenue Catlett, VA 20119 P 540.341.5911 NathanLarson3141@gmail.com

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Republican Congressional Incumbents Struggle in the Age of Trump By Stephen J. Farnsworth Virginia’s 2018 elections are starting to look like a movie we have seen before. As of mid-summer, this year’s

Taken together, Trump and Stewart have created a very difficult environment for Republican congressional incumbents in districts that are not overwhelmingly Republican. Consider, for example, the re- election challenges faced by Rep. Barbara Comstock, a Republican who represents the western suburbs of Washington in a district stretching from Manassas to Winchester. In 2016, Trump lost Virginia’s Tenth Congressional District in 2016. But he was a drag, not an anchor, as Comstock outperformed Trump in every single precinct in the district that year. But can she continue to place enough distance between herself and the president this year? That may be very difficult given Trump’s ability to dominate political discourse day after day. As a result, Comstock is rated as the most vulnerable Republican congressional incumbent in Virginia by the Cook Political Report. Comstock drew several Democratic challengers this year, and Virginia Sen. Jennifer Wexton, the party’s nominee, will have plenty of money to advertise the links between Republicans Comstock and Trump. Another Republican-held seat at risk in the current political environment is the Seventh District, where Dave Brat represents a district that stretches from the Richmond suburbs to Culpeper. That district is ranked a “toss up” by the Cook Political Report. Two other Republican-held districts, the Fifth (which stretches from the North Carolina line into Warrenton) and the Second (based in Hampton Roads), are listed as “Lean Republican.” Neither of those seats would be all that competitive if Trump had lost the 2016 presidential election. The Cook Political Report lists Sen. Tim Kaine’s seat as safe for the Democrats. Stewart would have been a stronger Republican candidate in the Virginia of the 1990s than in today’s changing Commonwealth. US Census population estimates for Virginia show large population gains in and around major cities and little population growth in rural areas, another problem for Republicans who prefer to campaign on issues like immigration and the legacy of the Confederacy. Stewart’s campaign seems unlikely to give his fellowRepublicans a boost in what is shaping up to be the second tough year in a row for the GOP in Virginia. Stephen J. Farnsworth is professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, where he directs the Center for Leadership and Media Studies. He is the author of “Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Trump and Twitter,” recently published by Routledge.

congressional contests are shapingup tobe the second consecutive year with an unpopular president looming over Commonwealth politics. Energized Democrats, including a larger than usual number of female candidates, hope once again to capitalize on efforts to tie GOP candidates to President Trump and his policies.

Trump, whose approval ratings are underwater nationally and even more underwater inVirginia, helped sink a number of Republican incumbents in the House of Delegates elections last year, when a 66-34 GOP majority in the chamber gave way to the current 51-49 split. There were other markers of trouble for the GOP last year. Democrats also swept the three statewide offices for the second time in a row in 2017. Democrats also have also won every US Senate election in Virginia since 2006. Even ifmany individualRepublicancandidateson the congressional ballot this year would rather not talk about Trump, Corey Stewart, the Republican nominee for the US Senate seat now held by Democratic Tim Kaine, is making sure the president’s policies are front and center in the state’s political discourse. Stewart’s campaign emphasizes contentious issues like immigration, Confederate monuments and blocking Medicaid expansion, all of which do not earn Republicans all that many voters not already supporting the GOP. To make matters worse for the party, a number of influentialVirginia Republicans object to Stewart’s nomination and have pledged not to assist his general election campaign. Normally parties that endured a string of electoral defeats—think of Virginia Democrats in the 1990s—adjust their politics to take account of the actual electorate, rather than the state electorate they wish were out there. Democrats of that era nominated more moderate alternatives, like Mark Warner, to maximize the party’s chances of winning. Similarly, the shell-shocked, narrow Republican legislative majorities in Richmond this spring adapted to the actual political environment, with several Republicans working with Democrats to pass a Medicaid Expansion bill, a measure long blocked by Republicans.

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WCVE (Richmond, Charlottesville)—Sunday 9 a.m. WBRA (Roanoke, Lynchburg)—Sunday 10 a.m. WVPT (Harrisonburg)—Tuesday 5 p.m.

WHRO -World (Norfolk)—Tuesday 5 p.m. • Thursday 5:30 p.m. ARC TV (Southwest Virginia)—Wednesday 1:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Norfolk’s Neighborhood Network, TV-48 —Sunday through Thursday 5 a.m. & 8:30 p.m. Thursday & Friday at 10 p.m. • Saturday at 5 p.m. Suffolk Network, TV-190 —8:30 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. daily Weekly show information is on Facebook— THIS WEEK IN RICHMOND Past shows may be found on YouTube. For more information: http://ideastations.org/tags/week-richmond

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Pier at Virginia Beach

Jamestown, Va.

The photography of Wanda Judd

Capitol Pan, Richmond, Va.

Poplar Forest Dining Room, Forest, Va.

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www.wanda j udd. com

Agecroft, Richmond, Va.

July 4th, Lynchburg, Va.

Dark Clouds Over Capitol Square, Richmond, Va.

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Redistricting in Virginia: Making the Case for Electoral Reform By Mark Rush

(Full disclosure: I co-authored a brief in Veselind that challenged the current redistricting process because, essentially, there is no definition (let alone a clear one that can be discussed and debated) of district “compactness”.) Virginia has been at the forefront of redistricting law in 2018. The Supreme Court of Virginia dismissed a challenge to the state legislature’s method of determining district compactness in May ( Veselind v. State Board of Elections ). Shortly thereafter, a federal district court declared all House of Delegates districts drawn after the 2010 census to comply with section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to be unconstitutional racial gerrymanders ( Bethune-Hill v. Virginia State Board of Elections ). While the cases addressed different aspects of the redistricting process, they demonstrate clearly that the time is ripe to revise Virginia’s election process. As it stands, the current system is antiquated, costly and undemocratic. Article II, §6 of Virginia’s constitution states several criteria for drawing legislative districts, one of which is compactness. The Constitution offers no definition of compactness, so it is the state legislature’s job to establish one. At this time, the legislature has not done so. Compactness makes it more difficult for legislators to draw districts that snake across the state in order to pick up or jettison supporters. But, without any definition, “compactness” is an arbitrary notion that offers little meaningful direction to or constraint upon those who draw district lines. Of course, notions of compactness deal as much with aesthetics as they do with measures of district perimeter, area, and so forth. Skeptics would argue that compactness lies in the eye of the beholder. Granted, at a time when social media makes communications between legislators and constituents instantaneous and constant, one rationale for ensuring district compactness (easing the task of meeting with constituents)maybe less compelling.Nonetheless, if the legislature is to abide by a constitutional mandate for district compactness, it must articulate the means by which it does so. Otherwise, there is no basis on which to challenge a redistricting map and less opportunity to hold the legislature accountable. In Bethune-Hill , a federal district court declared that all twelve of the House of Delegates districts drawn to comply with the VRA were racial gerrymanders. The state had set a 55% black voting age population (“BVAP”) threshold to ensure that black voters would have an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice. Plaintiffs asserted that it was no longer necessary to have such a high threshold because recent electoral history demonstrated that black incumbents did not need such a high percentage of black voters to win elections. As well, in order to maintain such a high BVAP threshold, the General Assembly had to move many black voters and split many voting districts and municipal boundaries. Accordingly, the district court declared that race had predominated in the 2011 redistricting process.

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have made headlines as they litigated gerrymandering claims in state or federal court. In each of these states, voters have endured a decade of democratic uncertainty and instability. Instead of drawing new districts at the beginning of each decade with new census data, states now spend the entire decade litigating and redrawing district lines. There is no question that this situation could be resolved by moving to a system of

elections comprised of multimember districts. There would be fewer district lines to draw and correspondingly fewer municipal boundaries to split. Using ranked-choice voting, multimember districts would give voters a meaningful choice on Election Day instead of presenting them frequently with uncompetitive and frequently uncontested general elections that offer no real democratic choice. Maine used ranked choice voting in its June elections. Many municipal governments across the country have used a form of ranked choice voting for some time. Voters like it. It reduces the cost of elections, limits gerrymandering, provides better Election Day choices and, therefore, improves democracy. Virginia could easily implement a system such as Maine’s. In fact, the Code of Virginia already makes such a transition possible. Section 24.2 of the Code states that Senate and House Districts are entitled to representation by only one elected member. Local governing bodies, however, may be elected “from any combination of at-large, single-member, and multi-member districts or wards.” Therefore, multimember districts are neither uncommon nor foreign to Virginia Politics. Single-member districts are antiquated methods of electing legislators. They made sense in earlier eras when distances were large, travel and communications were slower, and populations were my less mobile or diverse. In the 21st century, however, they are the equivalent of horse-and-buggy technology. Expanding the use of multimember districts beyond our local governments would improve the quality of elections in Virginia and save the Commonwealth and its citizens the needless cost of going back to court to litigate district lines in state and federal court. The 2020 census is less than two years away. The General Assembly could amend the Code of Virginia to expand the use of multimember districts for the upcoming cycle of reapportionment and redistricting. This would make Virginia elections more democratic and less expensive. So, why not make the change? Mark Rush is Waxberg Professor of Politics and Law and Director of the Center for International Education at Washington and Lee University.

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The substance of the two cases demonstrates the complexity of constraints on the redistricting process. To draw 100 Delegate and 40 Senate districts that comply with the one person, one vote principle and the demands of the Voting Rights Act while looking to preserve municipal boundaries and communities of interests is a truly daunting task that ensures endless litigation. The timing of the cases demonstrates the absurdity of the redistricting process: with less than two years until the next census, the nearly eight-year old district maps were subject to litigation in state and federal court. Sadly, this is a common situation across the country. In the last two years, numerous states, including Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina,

Legislative Counsel

John G. “Chip” Dicks FutureLaw, LLC 1802 Bayberry Court, Suite 403 Richmond, Virginia 23226

(804) 225-5507 (Direct Dial) chipdicks@futurelaw.net (804) 225-5508 (Fax) www.futurelaw.net

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