Bobby Scott Cookout Kicks Off Campaign Season in #Virginia, Youngkin Bus Tour
Bobby Scott Cookout Kicks Off Campaign Season in #Virginia, Youngkin Bus Tour
➡️ Early voting in Virginia begins in 17 days on Sept. 22, 2023.
➡️ Senator Louise Lucas’ Afternoon on Crystal Lake is in 25 days on Sept. 30, 2023.
➡️ Election Day 2023 is 63 days on Nov. 7, 2023.
Bobby Scott Labor Day Cookout in Newport News Kicks Off Virginia Campaign Season. There is no political event in Virginia that matches the Bobby Scott Cookout. A dizzying array of electeds, candidates and community leaders easily totaling over 1,000 people dealt with the heat, tight parking and notorious Labor Day traffic to attend.
At least 75 elected officials and candidates were in attendance and announced themselves during the speaking portion of the Cookout. The heat didn’t dissuade attendees from networking, eating, connecting and enjoying the annual event which has taken place for 45 years in Newport News. What began as a “thank you” event in the 1970s after Bobby Scott won a hyper-competitive race for the Virginia House has evolved into a can’t miss event at a time when the base of power for Democrats in Virginia is shifted to Hampton Roads.
Standing on the same lawn of the house in Newport News Congressman Bobby Scott grew up in were the first Black Governor elected (L. Douglas Wilder) in the United States after the Reconstruction era that lasted from 1863 to 1877, the first Black Congresswoman elected in Virginia’s history (Jennifer McClellan), the first woman Speaker of the Virginia House in history (Eileen Filler-Corn) and the first woman to hold the position of President pro tempore of the Virginia Senate (L. Louise Lucas) who is also the holder of several historic “firsts” titles and may hold several more in 2024.
Virginia’s historic 66th Governor, L. Douglas Wilder, came close to stealing the show as the historic figure arrived shortly before speeches began and quickly became the focus of selfies.
“I’m told by Louise that I gave her her first campaign contribution. I’m Doug Wilder and I’m happy to be here with you but more happy to be here to join my good friend Bobby Scott who along with Bill Robinson Junior and Senior, labored in the vineyard of the legislature, trying to get so many things done, trying to get some people aligned right,” Wilder started.
“Looking at what we’ve seen this thing grow to Bobby, as a result of your efforts and many of the people who are here — it’s not an issue of whether you can win, the question is why you can’t win,” Wilder said referring to the upcoming Virginia legislative elections.
Democratic House Leader Don Scott referred to how traumatic COVID-19 was on children and spoke on how close Democrats are to taking back the Virginia House, which would likely elevate him to Speaker.
“We need to look forward in a positive way and we need Democrats in charge to do that. We do not have to guess where they stand right now. There’s nothing wrong with doing the right thing to make sure we stand with all of our children. Right now we have a situation where people think that they can bully children, make them feel bad about who they are. We need to stand in the gap, each and every one of us and stand up and vote this time,” said Leader Don Scott.
“Right now we can’t do anything about gun violence because we don’t have the House of Delegates. We’re three votes short y’all. Three from flipping. Only three votes short. We can easily flip this thing because we have great candidates,” Leader Scott added.
Virginia Senate Caucus Chair Mamie Locke, who could become Majority Leader of the Virginia Senate next year, told the large crowd that it was important to protect and fund public education. There has been a GOP effort to privatize education as well as policy efforts to change the curriculum including the banning of certain books from libraries.
“We can not allow this administration to change the narrative on public education. In what universe do we allow Republicans to take over public education? That is what we stand for: Public education,” Senator Locke said.
There were five Mayors in attendance including local Mayors Kenny Alexander of Norfolk, Mayor Phil Jones of Newport News and Mayor Donnie Tuck of Hampton. Former Newport News Mayor Dr. McKinley Price received very loud and long applause from the crowd.
Who was at the Bobby Scott Cookout 2023
Over 75 elected officials and candidates were in attendance at the Booby Scott Cookout. A list of elected officials and candidates present: Congressman Bobby Scott 🌞 Democratic House Leader Delegate Don Scott 🌞 State Senator Mamie Locke 🌞 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine 🌞 Vice Mayor of Newport News, Curtis Bethany 🌞 Newport News Treasurer Marty Eubank 🌞 Newport News School Board Member Maritsa Alger 🌞 Newport News City Council member John Eley 🌞 Hampton Sheriff Karen Bowden 🌞 Hampton City Councilwoman Hope Harper 🌞 Hampton City Councilman Steve Brown 🌞 Hampton School Board Chairman Dr. Richard Mason 🌞 fmr. Hampton City Councilmember Michelle Ferebee 🌞 HD90 candidate Jeremy Rodden 🌞 Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi 🌞 fmr. Hampton School Board Chair and current member Ann Stephens Cherry 🌞 Richmond City Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert 🌞 Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney 🌞 Virginia Beach City Councilwoman Jennifer Rouse 🌞 SD19 candidate Myra Payne 🌞 State Senator Monty Mason 🌞 Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck 🌞 Hampton Vice Mayor Jimmy Gray 🌞 HD97 candidate Michael Feggans 🌞 HD86 candidate Dr. Jarris Taylor 🌞 HD94 candidate Phil Hernandez 🌞 State Senator Aaron Rouse 🌞 Delegate Cliff Hayes 🌞 Delegate Cia Price 🌞 Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger 🌞 Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan 🌞 State Senator L. Louise Lucas 🌞 Virginia’s 66th Governor L. Douglas Wilder 🌞 Chesapeake City Councilwoman Dr. Ella Ward 🌞 Delegate Shelly Simonds 🌞 Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander 🌞 Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones 🌞 Newport News City Councilman Cleon Long 🌞 Suffolk School Board member (and HD89 candidate) Karen Jenkins 🌞 Delegate (and SD17 candidate) Clint Jenkins 🌞 HD71 candidate Jessica Anderson 🌞 HD99 candidate Cat Porterfield 🌞 fmr. Hampton City Councilwoman and current Hampton Treasurer Christine Snead 🌞 Smithfield Vice Mayor Valerie Butler 🌞 SD26 candidate Pam Garner 🌞 fmr. Delegate (and HD95 candidate) Alex Askew) 🌞 Delegate Mike Mullin🌞 Suffolk Vice Mayor Lou Ward 🌞 Newport News School Board member Marvin Harris 🌞 State Senator Ghazala Hashmi 🌞 Delegate and former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn 🌞 fmr. Delegate Jay Jones 🌞 Newport News School Board Vice Chair Terri Best 🌞 Newport News Clerk of Court Angela Reason 🌞 HD92 candidate Bonita Anthony 🌞 CD02 candidate Missy Cotter Smasal 🌞 Portsmouth City Councilman Vernon Tillage 🌞 Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor 🌞 HD100 candidate Charlena Jones 🌞 Newport News Commissioner of Revenue Tiffany Boyle 🌞 Franklin City Councilman Lynwood Johnson 🌞 Delegate (and SD21 candidate) Angelia Williams Graves 🌞 Virginia Beach City Councilwoman Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond 🌞 Newport News Councilwoman Tina Vick 🌞 Newport News School Board Chair Lisa Surles-Law 🌞 fmr. Farmville City Councilman Carl Anderson 🌞 Williamsburg James City County School Board candidate Randy Riffle 🌞 Chesapeake Soil & Water Conservation Director candidate Blaizen Buckshot Bloom 🌞 and fmr. Newport News Mayor Dr. McKinley Price (who received one of loudest rounds of applause.)
Significant others: Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker 🌞Democratic Black Caucus Chair E.J. Scott 🌞 Virginia Democratic Party Vice Chair Gaylene Kanoyton 🌞 American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten 🌞 CD02 Chair Sandra Brandt 🌞 Chesapeake Democratic Chair David Washington 🌞 Norfolk City Democratic Party Chair and the 3rd Congressional District Chair Charlie Stanton 🌞 Hampton Democratic Committee Chair Josh Moran
Youngkin Kicks Off Bus Tour in Suffolk Hours Before Scott Cookout
SUFFOLK, VA — At 10 a.m. at the Ruritan Club of Suffolk, thirty minutes and two hours away from the stories Bobby Scott Cookout, Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin, who surprised many by defeating former Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2021 and ushering Republicans into control of the Virginia House, brought back his bus tour strategy that propelled him to victory with the assistance of red rural districts in Southwest.
Once again to the tune of Sprit in the Sky, Youngkin arrived at the event via giant bus where about 100 of the 250 people who attended gathered around. There were free hats, T-Shirts and BBQ at the rsvp only event that was attended predominantly by Suffolk Republicans and local candidates and elected officials including Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Mike Dillinder and Emily Brewer. There were also tables and iPads set up to encourage attendees to sign up to vote early but the line for the BBQ was longer.
RELATED: Biden has DNC plow $1.2M into Virginia amid Youngkin fundraising blitz / The Washington Post
During a 15 minute speech, Youngkin referred to the recent news that national Democrats will send millions to Virginia in an effort to take back the Virginia House of Delegates and hold control of the Virginia Senate.
“We got ‘em on the run if you haven’t noticed. They just recently put out the SOS: we need help from President Biden.’ This is where they have to go. I sure hope he shows up and campaigns for them,” Youngkin said of Biden.
“It’s time for us to do the work. It’s time for us to finish chapter three of us transforming the Commonwealth of Virginia. We’re gonna get it done starting on September 22 in early voting. Every day is Election Day. Every single day,” Youngkin told the crowd emphatically.
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