For Virginia Democrats, will short-term losses in Capitol mean long-term gains outside it?
Less than halfway through Virginias annual legislative session, many of Democrats top priorities are already dead.
Attempts to regulate gun possession, roll back abortion restrictions, better enforce equal-pay laws and codify gay marriage have failed, most without a vote on either the House or Senate floor.
With Republicans in control of both legislative chambers, the frustration of progressive policies isnt a surprise. The only question is whether, in a year when every lawmaker will face voters in a state growing more liberal, Democrats will win outside the Capitol what they could not win inside by forcing votes on issues some Republicans would just as soon ignore.
Virginia is purple and moving blue for statewide elections, said Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Jones. It appears to me that these are things that play out differently in localities than they do in the General Assembly.
In contrast with past years, Democrats are the ones aggressively pushing these hot-button issues. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) highlighted all three in his first State of the Commonwealth address, making a particularly forceful push for gun legislation. It was a reminder of the liberal-oriented campaign that brought him to office in 2013.
While conservative Republicans have filed a smattering of bills to expand gun rights, limit abortion, block undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition and allow government employees to refuse to perform gay marriages, the party has done nothing to amplify those ideas.
Weve had a lot of discussion down here that you should really deal with kitchen table issues, said House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights), a conservative who co-sponsored the states 2006 marriage amendment.
Democrats, by contrast, have organized news media conferences and sent reams of news releases highlighting what they call Republican obstruction.
In a memo circulated to members before the session began, House Minority Leader David J. Toscano (D-Charlottesville) encouraged his caucus to create dilemmas for our Republican colleagues, especially those in targeted seats.
Republicans are crying foul, saying the other side is too focused on the elections this fall. Three moderate senators are retiring from seats that will probably have hot competition from both parties, and Democrats are hoping to gain a few seats in the overwhelmingly Republican House.
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For Virginia Democrats, will short-term losses in Capitol mean long-term gains outside it?