State and National Government
(AP) Virginia’s Supreme Court won’t reconsider its decision to allow removing a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that was cut into pieces and hauled away from Richmond’s Monument Avenue weeks ago. Today the court denied a motion for a rehearing. Four property owners who failed to block the removal filed the motion last month, alleging the justices made “several fundamental errors” in their September 2nd decision.
Rep. Morgan Griffith (left) file photo
The Republican candidate for Virginia Governor is catching heat after a rally supporting him involved a flag from January 6th. But a local U.S. Congressman says it’s “just not that big a deal.” WFIR’s Caroline more with the story:
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The two most recent statewide polls suggest the race for Virginia governor is shaping up to be a close one. One poll comes from the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University. It shows likely Virginia voters favoring Democrat Terry McAuliffe over Republican Glenn Youngkin 49 to 45 %. 5% remain undecided. Another poll, this one from Emerson College in Boston, shows an even tighter race, with McAuliffe leading Youngkin by just one percentage point. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
WASON CENTER NEWS RELEASE: With voting underway, Democrats hold small but narrowing leads in Virginia’s statewide races, according to our survey of likely voters in the Nov. 2 general election. Since we polled these races in late August, Democratic leads have shrunk, and the contests for governor and lieutenant governor now stand within this survey’s margin of error (+/- 4.2%). Independent voters have moved significantly toward all three Republican candidates. Republican voters are more enthusiastic about voting than Democrats, with 61% of Republican likely voters indicating they are very enthusiastic compared to 55% of Democrats.
Governor: Democrat Terry McAuliffe maintains a narrow lead against Republican Glenn Youngkin, 49% to 45% in the race for governor. This represents a tightening in the race since our August 26 poll, which showed McAuliffe with a 9-point lead (50% to 41%).
Independent voters have shifted significantly, with Republican Youngkin gaining 11 points since late August (from 39% to 50%), while McAuliffe has lost ground among Independents (from44% to 41%).
Click here for full Wason Center Poll results and methodology.
Click here for full Emerson College Poll results and methodology.
If you still go to the DMV in person for some functions beginning tomorrow Department of Motor Vehicles customers may choose to schedule an appointment for service or opt for walk-in service on alternating days at all 75 customer service centers. Appointment-only service will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; walk-in service only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Hours vary by office location.
Photo: Shawn Nowlin
Democrat Terry McAuliffe maintains a small lead over Republican Glenn Youngkin according to the latest Monmouth University Poll of the Virginia governor’s race conducted by phone over the past 5 days, involving 801 respondents. Overall, McAuliffe holds an advantage on handling issues that are priorities for a great number of voters, particularly the pandemic. Just under half (48%) of registered voters currently support McAuliffe while 43% back Youngkin – virtually unchanged from the Democrat’s lead in Monmouth’s August poll.
It’s been the topic of council meeting after council meeting, now the priorities for American Rescue Plan funding are starting to take shape in Roanoke. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates has apologized after tweeting a derogatory comment about the appearance of House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn that some Democrats said was an antisemitic attack.
The Washington Post reports that Hahns Copeland, who is running to represent the Norfolk-based 89th District, on Friday tweeted a response to a tweet by House Democrats that featured a video of Filler-Corn, who is Jewish, talking about a child care subsidy program. “I was surprised to see a pair of eyes and a mouth with that NOSE,” Copeland tweeted.
Copeland apologized in another tweet late Friday, calling the earlier tweet “immature and impulsive.”
“It was never intended to be anti-Semitic or reference her ethnicity or religion,” Copeland’s tweet said. He conceded his earlier tweet was “inappropriate and insensitive.” Democrats said it was an anti-semitic attack on Filler-Corn. Filler-Corn’s staff said Friday she had not heard directly from Copeland.
“These types of hateful comments are unfortunately far too common today, and they are too often invoked instead of solutions to the real issues Virginians face,” Filler-Corn said in a statement. “I hope this candidate and his supporters choose to do what is right and acknowledge that words from those in office or seeking it have an impact, whether they say them directly or from behind a screen.”
Copeland faces Democratic incumbent Jerrauld C. “Jay” Jones in November’s election. The 89th District leans strongly Democratic.