Free Republic

Virginia’s Democrats know a bad thing happened to them on May 8. They know more than 53,000 Republicans signed up for the unassembled convention to select candidates for statewide office when only 5,000 were expected. They know that Republicans will have the more diverse ticket, Republicans who have the resources and momentum and Republicans who have on their side what are shaping up as the issues in this campaign. They know Republicans selected a transformational ticket, led by businessman Glenn Youngkin, who lives in Great Falls but grew up in Virginia Beach, giving him links to two of the state’s...

Like many Americans, I periodically post political views on social media. Almost all my posts are based on my personal experiences. Recently, many of those posts have been viciously attacked by certain “friends” based on neither facts nor experience; just emotion, usually anger. The sad fact is many of these attacks have come from people I grew up with. People I've known for almost 50 years, who come from the same working-class town as me; people I went to grade school, church, Bar Mitzvahs and Confirmations with. Kids who stood next to my dad and me wearing birthday hats at...

I love Ireland for its natural beauty, its people, its food (some of it), its music, its writers and especially its elections, which are shorter, less costly and designed to engage citizens and boost voter turnout. On January 14, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called a general election for February 8. That means a campaign of slightly more than three weeks. In the process, the Irish Parliament was dissolved. What a delightful thought. If only the U.S. Congress could be at least occasionally dissolved. It could use some dissolving, or at least disinfecting, after the toxic impeachment and trial of...

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania -- Eugene DePasquale and Sean Parnell couldn't be more different politically. DePasquale is a seasoned statewide-elected official and Democrat from York County, Pennsylvania, while Parnell is a western Pennsylvania Republican newcomer who has never run for office. Yet they share one very important thing this year: They are both challenging incumbent members of Congress in Pennsylvania districts President Donald Trump won in 2016. Both of their races tell the story of not just how truly uncertain the Keystone State is politically but also how completely divided it is. They also show us how hard it is to predict...