Free Republic

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger appeared confident that she would succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (D-VA) as the next chief executive of the Old Dominion on the first day of early voting. At a campaign rally outside the Fairfax Government Center, Spanberger encouraged a group of supporters to cast their ballots early as she seeks to defeat Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) in the November showdown. “I look forward to the next 45 days of early voting for encouraging people to use their voices in casting their vote,” Spanberger said before reminding the crowd of the early voting window. “I...

A woman who championed “traditional American values” was booted from the Virginia Board of Education one week after sparring with another board member over whether public schools should present socialism as “incompatible with democracy.” “I thought people celebrated diversity. Whether it’s diversity of thought, diversity of viewpoint or diversity of any of the many characteristics?” Suparna Dutta, who immigrated to the United States from India, told Fox News ahead of the vote. “I’m flummoxed.” Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Dutta to the Virginia Board of Education in July. Dutta was set to be confirmed by the Senate of Virginia Tuesday...

A Virginia woman who advocated for “traditional American values” was kicked from the Virginia Board of Education after contending that socialism is “incompatible with freedom.” Suparana Dutta, who Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed to the Virginia Board of Education in July, was removed from her nomination just moments before she was set to be confirmed by the Senate of Virginia. Virginia State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi introduced an amendment that stripped Dutta of her nomination. The amendment passed on a party line vote.

Ghazala Hashmi (D) unseated Virginia state Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R) on Tuesday to become the first Muslim woman elected to the state senate, according to The Associated Press. Hashmi, a former community college professor, will represent the state’s 10th Senate District, which includes Powhatan County and parts of Chesterfield County and Richmond. She emigrated to the U.S. from India as a child and 2019 marked her first campaign for public office. Hashmi’s campaign hit heavily on issues such as gun violence and education, and she was a supporter of Gov. Ralph Northam’s (D) universal pre-kindergarten proposals. During the campaign, she...