Video: Roland Martin's Virginia Exclusives; LG Nominee Hashmi Backs Del. Irene Shin for Congress; Chesley: Don't Underestimate LG Earle-Sears
➡️ There are 5 days until the June 28, 2025 CD11 primary in Virginia
➡️ There are 134 days until the November 4, 2025 general election in Virginia
➡️ There are 508 days until the November 3, 2026 midterm elections
➡️ There are 1,233 days until November 7, 2028
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Below: Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, Del. Michael Feggans, Sen. L. Louise Lucas, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, Sen. Mamie Locke, Rep. Jennifer McClellan, Del. Luke Torian, Del. Bonita Anthony and Gov. Wes Moore.
Roland Martin Interviews Several Virginia Heavy Hitters at Gala
RICHMOND, VA — Roland Martin rolled into Richmond in a large new broadcast ready vehicle and his 1.8 million YouTube subscribers and interviewed several of Virginia’s top elected officials.
#RolandMartinUnfiltered completed over three hours of live broadcasting from the annual Blue Commonwealth Gala. During the evening, Martin interviewed Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, Virginia House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, Senator L. Louise Lucas and Senator Mamie Locke all sat for an interview before dinner started. The impact of Trump’s cuts on the federal workforce and how it will impact Virginia’s economy and Democratic messaging strategy were two of many topics that were discussed.
Below is the entire broadcast
ML Charniele Herring is at 10 minutes
Del. Luke Torian is at 22 minutes
Sen. Mamie Locke is at 33 minutes
Sen. L. Louise Lucas is at 40 minutes
Del. Michael Feggans is at 48 minutes
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi is at 58 minutes
Speaker Don Scott is at 1 hr and 16 minutes
Gov. Wes Moore is at 1 hr, 20 minutes
Del. Bonita Anthony is at 1 hr, 31 minutes
Rep. Jennifer McClellan is at 1 hr, 33 minutes
Above: Speaker Scott, Roland Martin and Gov. Wes Moore.
Despite Tough Challenge, Don’t Underestimate Earle-Sears
An OPED by Roger Chesley of the Virginia Mercury: Many signs suggest a comfortable victory this fall for Democrat Abigail Spanberger against Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia’s gubernatorial contest. Spanberger had $14.3 million in cash on hand this month compared to just $3 million for Earle-Sears, the current lieutenant governor. Spanberger, a former congresswoman, has led in early polls, including a whopping 17-point advantage in a Roanoke College survey in May. (Yeah, I know, many Virginians aren’t tuned in yet, so that barometer is shaky.)
Earle-Sears, meanwhile, is the standard-bearer for Donald Trump’s party in a state that’s voted against him three times in presidential contests. He’s tried to recklessly chop the federal workforce; some 341,000 federal workers lived here in 2023. Also, Black candidates have struggled to win statewide contests in Virginia – Earle-Sears’ own victory in 2021 notwithstanding.
No matter. Spanberger would be smart not to underestimate Earle-Sears. The latter has lost contests in the past, but she’s garnered her share of impressive victories, too. Few pundits thought she would unseat longtime Del. Billy Robinson in a Norfolk district in 2001. Read entire
Norfolk: Extreme Heat Warning in Effect
Cooling Stations Now Open
From Norfolk City Councilman Carlos Clanton: The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for Norfolk and the surrounding areas, in effect from 10:00 AM Monday through 8:00 PM Wednesday. This alert activates the City of Norfolk’s Extreme Heat Plan, and I want to ensure every resident knows the resources available to stay safe.
To help our community stay safe and cool, the City has opened Cooling Stations at multiple public library branches throughout Norfolk. These locations are air-conditioned, open to the public, and stocked with complimentary bottled water to provide much-needed relief from the extreme heat.
🧊 Cooling Station Locations
Anchor Branch Libraries:
Neighborhood Branches:
Each of these locations will serve as a safe and comfortable space for residents who need a break from the heat, without any questions asked.
CD-11 Special: Democratic Nominee for LG Ghazala Hashmi Backs Del. Irene Shin to Fill Connolly Seat in
On June 28, a hastily put together special election will be conducted that greatly advantages one candidate. Today, the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi announced she is backing Del. Irene Shin to win the June 28 firehouse election. Senator Stella Pekarsky is also in the race.
"Irene is a bold leader and advocate for her community. As Chair of the AAPI Caucus, she’s been a trailblazer for AAPI Virginians. She’s tenacious, principled, and driven to serve her constituents. In the General Assembly, I’ve seen firsthand her commitment to lifting up voices too often left out of the conversation and shaping policies that better reflect the diversity of our Commonwealth. She’s exactly the kind of leader we need to take on Donald Trump in Congress—and I’m proud to endorse her,” Sen. Hashmi said in a statement today.
“I am honored to have Senator Ghazala Hashmi’s support in this race. Last week, Virginians made clear with their vote that this is a moment that calls for generational change. Senator Hashmi is a trailblazer who will make history in November when elected to become our next Lieutenant Governor. Senator Hashmi has been a progressive champion in Richmond for historic levels of investment in public education and expanding access to healthcare as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Education,” said Del. Shin, who is one of several candidates for Congress in the rushed CD-11 special election that will take place in five days.
Senator Ghazala was first elected to her seat in Virginia’s 10th Senatorial District in 2019 where her victory over her Republican opponent flipped the chamber to Democratic control. She was the first woman to ever represent the district, and the first Muslim-American to ever to the Virginia State Senate.
Hashmi is the Democratic nominee in the 2025 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election. If elected, she would be the first Asian-American and Muslim to win statewide office in Virginia's history.
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Podcast 51 🎙️ Fergie Reid, Jr. on the 100 Virginia House Races
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