1 JUL 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia https://blackvirginianews.substack.com/ With Michael off, WTVR's Cameron Thompson joins Lauren to break down the week's headlines... IN THE NEWS: "If we finally beat Medicare"--that was one of the incomprehensible, raspy incoherent whispers of a feeble president during a televised debate last week, prompting calls by media outlets for the Democrats to dump Biden and put somebody else on the ticket. Over the weekend, the Pod Virginia All Stars addressed the topic. "The best Trump rally ever"--that was how Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin described his first public appearance with the former president in Chesapeake on Friday. Trump spoke for more than 80 minutes in a rambling and disjointed speech that would have otherwise been forgettable. But because it was right after the debate and because he was on the stage with Glenn Youngkin, it actually had some resonance to it. The Senate will be gaveling into session again today to debate financing for a college tuition program called the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program. The program was created back in the 1930s to aid the families of World War I vets, and in recent years it’s been expanded to cover out-of-state residents, graduate students and relatives of service members with non-combat related injuries. That means the cost of the program has spiraled out of control from $12 million in 2019 to $65 million last year.  TRIVIA: When did Virginia declare milk as its official state drink? At the Watercooler: - Regarding the debate: if the media won't fact-check, then what's the point? - Jane Mayer's "Dark Money," the impact of corporate money, and the rise of Glenn Beck a decade ago Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

29 JUN 2024 · On this special edition live-to-tape game show, Michael sits down with  Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Delegate Marcus Simon, and Delegate Cia Price to get their reactions to a variety of topics, including President Biden's debate performance, mute buttons, message discipline, bowties, and urban legends surrounding the Washington statue in Richmond. SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

27 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia This week, Alex Goyette of the Alexandria YIMBYs ("yes in my backyard"-s) and Jason Schwartz of the Arlington YIMBYs join Michael to talk about recent primary victories in both cities for candidates that their groups sponsored--in general,  a strong showing for candidates who supported "Zoning for Housing/Housing for All" reform and the end of exclusionary single-family zoning. They break down those races, the argument for greater housing density, and the future of housing policy Arlington and Alexandria going forward.

24 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia https://blackvirginianews.substack.com/ With Michael off, WTVR's Cameron Thompson joins Lauren to break down the week's headlines... IN THE NEWS: Good vs McGuire: The 5th District Republican primary is still too close to call and likely headed for a recount--though McGuire likely leads by about 300 votes. Still, Congressman Good is already casting doubts about election integrity. Trump Time: Former President Trump featured heavily in the Good vs McGuire race, and he'll also be showing up at a rally in Chesapeake following this week's presidential debate. Virginia might be in play on the Presidential level this year, and it seems Governor Youngkin is embracing Trump's presence a little bit more. Senate Session: The Virginia House of Delegates will return to Richmond this week, where it will likely repeal changes to VMSDEP--a tuition waiver program for spouses and children of military veterans who were killed or severely disabled. This follow's last week's Senate meeting that was ostensibly supposed to do the same thing...but that never happened. It seems like there's been some miscommunication in the legislature that needs to be sorted out. In the 7th Congressional District, the candidates who have raised the most amount of money are veterans--Democrats and Republicans alike. Same thing in the neighboring 10th Congressional District in Loudoun County, where a bumper crop of candidates is vying for attention. We're actually in an era of comparatively few veterans in office, so what does this surge mean for the next generation of lawmakers? TRIVIA: Which Virginia constitution eliminated the requirement for men to own property in order to vote? At the Watercooler: - The Virginia Democratic Convention--a good time, some expensive food, and a pro-Palestinian protest that bodes ill for President Biden's election campaign. - Cameron talks the NHL -- the Staney Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and Canada's Edmonton Oilers; Game 7 is Monday night! Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

20 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia This week, Pod Virginia favorite Sam Shirazi joins Lauren to break down this week's primary results across Virginia, including victories from Democrat Suhas Subramanyam's in the 10th District, Republican Hung Cao in the Senate primary, and the still-close race in the 5th Congressional District between Republicans Bob Good and John McGuire. What can we expect from these matchups heading into the November general elections--and how much of the results will be settled by the presidential results?

17 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia https://blackvirginianews.substack.com/ IN THE NEWS: Any time big news breaks right before an election, that’s a big red flag. So the story we are about to talk about has a huge timing problem. The Democratic primary in the 10th Congressional District is being rocked at the last possible minute by allegations from an anonymous woman who was a member of the Loudoun Democratic Committee who says the frontrunner in the primary, Delegate Dan Helmer, groped her breast at a political event in 2018. The first outlet to report on the story was NOTUS, which is associated with the Allbritton Journalism Institute. The Loudoun Times-Mirror also laid out all the known facts and the timeline. And now five of the other Democrats in the congressional primary are calling for Helmer to drop out of the race. In this primary election, a PAC for Republican candidate Hung Cao has become a source of controversy for how it spent its money; another PAC has attracted attention because it was created to attack Democratic candidate Eileen-Filler-Corn. What's going on with PACs and their influence in Virginia politics? In the 7th Congressional District, the candidates who have raised the most amount of money are veterans--Democrats and Republicans alike. Same thing in the neighboring 10th Congressional District in Loudoun County, where a bumper crop of candidates is vying for attention. We're actually in an era of comparatively few veterans in office, so what does this surge mean for the next generation of lawmakers? TRIVIA: Which Virginia senator got into a duel with Henry Clay? At the Watercooler: - More on Lauren's experience with allegations against office-holders--and her critiques of the large media outlets that fail to do their due diligence. - Secret recordings from Lauren Windsor of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, his wife, and Chief Justice Roberts. What are the ethics of secret recordings, how should media outlets use them, and is Windsor a journalist or an activist? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

13 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia This week, Michael is joined by Tom Davis, a former Republican Congressman and former Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, to break down the statewide and local primary races now underway. Who are the Republicans vying to challenge Tim Kaine, and will they have a chance in November? How is the Good vs. McGuire race affected by the switch to a primary system over conventions? Could Virginia be in play for the presidential race in November?

10 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia https://blackvirginianews.substack.com/ IN THE NEWS: Don't California My Virginia--that was the platform Republicans ran on last year, and now the governor is following through by ditching California emission standards, even though Democrats who control the General Assembly don't agree. Members of the General Assembly are also clashing with the governor about whether Virginia should be part of two multi-state groups, one to combat climate change and another to update voter information. A text ding might be the sound of modern campaigning in Virginia. Campaigns for everything from Congress to your local City Council are increasingly embracing a new way to reach potential voters. But does this kind of campaigning get too personal? Virginia's unemployment rate is 2.8 percent, and inflation is going down. But are ordinary people actually feeling these economic trends? TRIVIA: Who was the first member of Congress to represent the 10th Congressional District? At the Watercooler: - Jonathan Haidt's Anxious Generation and the effect of cell phones and technology on younger Americans - Major news for friend of the show Sarah Taylor--congratulations on her new job at Capitol Square Strategies! Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

6 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia This week, Michael is joined by the Washington Post's Northern Virginia reporter, Teo Armus, to break down the candidates in Arlington and Alexandria's Democratic primaries for Mayor and City Council—with the winners all but guaranteed to win the general. With housing as a key issue (the Missing Middle and Housing for All) and the fallout of the Arena Deal, which candidates will differentiate themselves? First up, for Alexandria Mayor: up Alyia Gaskins, Amy Jackson, and Steve Peterson For Alexandria's City Council (6 seats total): John Taylor Chapman, Kirk McPike, Jesse O'Connell, Abdel Elnoubi, Canek Aguirre, Jimmy Lewis, Sarah Bagley, Jacinta Greene, Jonathan Huskey, and Charlotte Scherer For Arlington County Board: Natalie Roy, J.D. Spain, Tenley Peterson, Julie Farnam, and James DeVita

3 JUN 2024 · SPONSOR: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/656274/burn-the-page-by-danica-roem/ LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/PodVA http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia https://blackvirginianews.substack.com/ IN THE NEWS:  A new poll from Roanoke College has the presidential election tied in Virginia, with Biden at 42 percent and Trump also at 42 percent. The poll was conducted right before the guilty verdict in the New York hush money trail, but points to a murky presidential year ahead. The poll also shows that Democrats are not all that positive about the Biden years, but nine out of ten Republicans view the Trump years as mostly good. Former President Donald Trump lost Virginia in 2016 and in 2020,  but Republicans across the state are clamoring for his endorsement. Now two candidates are receiving just that from the leading Republican candidate for president. One is Hung Cao, a Republican running in the U-S Senate primary against four other candidates; the other is state Senator John McGuire, who is running against incumbent Congressman Bob Good in the 5th Congressional District. Are some students bullied more than others? Delegate Joshua Cole wanted to change the definition of bullying to protect the most vulnerable--students with disabilities, Black and brown students, and LGBTQIA+ students--but Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill, saying it might cause confusion. TRIVIA: Who was the New Deal Democrat who defeated Congressman Colgate Darden in the 1936 Democratic primary? (Hint: he was the publisher of the Portsmouth Star) At the Watercooler: - Biden's Black Voter Engagement event...that almost nobody heard about. So what's the plan for Black voters in Virginia? - Can you run for President from prison? Socialist Eugene V. Debs managed it in 1920, getting 3% of the vote. Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia