Youngkin sets September special election to replace Connolly
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced Tuesday that the special election to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) in the state's 11th Congressional District will be held Sept. 9.
Connolly died last month after a short battle with cancer. He had represented the district since 2009. In April, Connolly announced he would not seek reelection in 2026 and endorsed his former chief of staff, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw, for the seat in May.
'James brings unmatched experience, a depth of knowledge about federal issues, and a steadfast commitment to progressive values,' Connolly wrote in a letter backing Walkinshaw. 'When I took office in 2009, appointing him Chief of Staff was one of the best decisions I made.'
The Northern Virginia congressional district, which includes all of the city of Fairfax and most of Fairfax County, leans heavily Democratic. However, several Democrats have launched bids for the seat, including Walkinshaw, state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D), state Del. Irene Shin (D), Fairfax County planning commissioner Candice Bennett, retired Navy officer Joshua Aisen, attorney Amy Roma, and attorney Leo Martinez.
Candidates have until July 11 to file to run for the seat.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Los Angeles Times
5 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Candidates for California governor face off about affordability, high cost of living in first bipartisan clash
SACRAMENTO — In a largely courteous gathering of a half dozen of California's top gubernatorial candidates, four Democrats and two Republicans agreed that despite the state boasting one of the world's largest economies, too many of its residents are suffering because of the affordability crisis in the state. Their strategies on how to improve the state's economy, however, largely embraced the divergent views of their respective political parties as they discussed housing costs, high-speed rail, tariffs, climate change and homelessness on Wednesday evening at the first bipartisan event in the 2026 governor race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. 'Californians are innovators. They are builders, they are designers, they are creators, and that is the reason that we have the fourth largest economy in the world,' said former Rep. Katie Porter., a Democrat from Irvine 'But businesses and workers are being held back by the same thing. It is too expensive to do things here. It is too expensive to raise a family. It is too expensive to run a business.' Conservative commentator Steve Hilton, a Republican, argued that state leaders need to end the 'stranglehold' of unions, lawyers and climate change activists on California policy. 'I've been traveling this state. Everywhere I go, it's the same story, this heartbreaking word that I get from every business I meet, every family is in such a struggle in California,' he said, with a raspy voice he explained immediately upon taking the stage was caused by a sore throat. The candidates spoke to about 800 people at a California Chamber of Commerce dinner at an 80-minute panel at the convention center in Sacramento. The chamber's decision on who to invite to the forum was based on which ones were leaders in public opinion surveys and fundraising. Making the cut were former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Hilton, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Porter and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The sharpest exchange of the evening was between Kounalakis, a Democrat, and Bianco, a Republican. After the candidates were asked about President Trump's erratic tariff policies, Kounalakis cited her experience working for her father's reat estate company as she criticized Bianco for arguing for a wait-and-see approach about the president's undulating plans. 'You're not a businessman, you're a government employee,' she said to Bianco. 'You've got a pension, you're going to do just fine. Small businesses are suffering from this, and it's only going to get worse, and it's driven, by the way, it is driven by Donald Trump's vindictiveness toward countries he doesn't like, countries he wants to annex, or states he doesn't like, people he doesn't like. This is hurting California, hurting our people, and it's only going to make things worse, until we can get him out of the White House.' Bianco countered that Kounalakis and the other Democrat gubernatorial candidates are directly responsible for the economic woes facing Californians because they have an 'unquenchable thirst' for money to fund their liberal agenda. 'I just feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. I have a billionaire telling me that my 32 years of public service is okay for my retirement,' he said. 'It's taxes and regulations that are driving every single thing in California up. We pay the highest taxes, we pay the highest gas, we pay the highest housing, we pay the highest energy.' The Democrats on stage, though largely agreeing about policy, sought to differentiate themselves. The sharpest divide was about whether to raise the minimum wage. On Monday, labor advocates in Los Angeles proposed raising it in Los Angeles County Atkins reflected most of her fellow Democrats' views, saying that while she wanted to see higher wages for workers, 'now is not the time.' Villaraigosa said that while he believes in a higher minimum wage, 'we can't just keep raising the minimum wage.' Kounalakis, though, said not increasing the minimum wage would be inhumane. 'I think we should be working for that number, yes I do,' she said. 'You want to throw poor people under the bus.' California's high cost of living is a pressing concern among the state's voters, and the issue is expected to play a major role in the 2026 governor's face. Nearly half feel worse off now compared with last year, and more than half felt less hopeful about their economic well-being, according to a poll released in May by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by The Times. Nearly exactly a year before the gubernatorial primary next year, the event was the first time Democratic and Republican candidates have shared a stage. It was also the first time GOP candidates Bianco and Hilton have appeared together. Although the state's leftward electoral tilt makes it challenging for a Republican to win the race – Californians last elected GOP politicians to statewide office in 2006 — Bianco and Hilton are battling to win one of the top two spots in next year's primary election. The pair expressed similar views about broadly ending liberal policies in the state, such as stopping the state's high-speed rail project and reducing environmental restrictions such as the state's climate-change efforts that they argue have increased costs while making no meaningful impact on the consumption of fossil fuels. A crucial question is whether President Trump, who both Bianco and Hilton fully support, will eventually endorse one of the Republican candidates. The gubernatorial candidates, some of whom have been running more than a year, have largely focused on fundraising since entering the race. But the contest to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom is growing more public and heated, as seen at last weekend's California Democratic Party convention. Several of the party's candidates scurried around the Anaheim convention center, trying to curry favor with the state's most liberal activists while also drawing contrasts with their rivals. But the Democratic field is partially frozen as former Vice President Kamala Harris weighs entering the race, a decision she is expected to make by the end of the summer. Harris' name did not come up during the forum. There were a handful of light moments. Porter expressed a common concern among the state's residents when they talk about the cost of living in the state. 'What really keeps me up at night, why I'm running for governor, is whether my children are going to be able to afford to live here, whether they're going to ever get off my couch and have their own home,' she said.
New York Post
5 minutes ago
- New York Post
Who won the first NYC Democratic mayoral primary debate?
Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo won Wednesday night's Democratic mayoral primary debate — because his opponents' relentless attacks did more to elevate him than drag him down, a Post panel of veteran campaign strategists said. The thrice-elected Democrat took some gut punches, but there was no knockout blow or major blunder on his part, the political analysts on both sides of the aisle said. 'I tuned in to see a mayoral debate, not a debate about Andrew Cuomo,' quipped campaign strategist Ken Frydman of the nine-person debate moderated by NBC 4 NY and Politico. Advertisement 8 Democratic mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo shakes hands with fellow candidate Zohran Mamdani behind Whitney Tilson at the beginning of the NYC Democratic mayoral primary debate on June 4, 2025. via REUTERS 'By making Andrew the debate, they elevated him,' said Frydman. Because Cuomo was constantly under fire, he got more air time to respond to each jab and by default dominated the more than two hour debate, the political experts said. Advertisement 'Everyone tried to land a punch on Andrew Cuomo, but failed,' said campaign strategist O' Brien 'OB' Murray. 'The first 20 minutes gave Cuomo the center stage, literally and figuratively,' he said, referring to the ex-gov's position in the middle of the group of candidates standing on the dais at 30 Rockefeller Center. 'He handled the attacks and was able to deflect. They actually gave him more airtime than they should have,' Murray said. 8 Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during his spot at the democratic debate. via REUTERS Advertisement Republican campaign strategist Bill O'Reilly said the verbal pummeling Cuomo received from most of his eight primary rivals does not alter his status as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. 'It was Andrew Cuomo vs. the Lilliputians, and the Lilliputians fell short. That's the bottom line,' O'Reilly said. 'Someone needed to trip up the former governor to slow his momentum, but it was clear from the jump that wouldn't happen. Cuomo hasn't lost a step since leaving Albany, and the field lacked the skill to crack him.' Cuomo also counter-attacked, taking shots at his biggest threats in the polls — 33-year-old Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, a state Assembly member from Queens, and City Comptroller Brad Lander. Advertisement 8 Andrew Cuomo and Adrienne Adams hug onstage after the debate. via REUTERS 8 The nine NYC Democratic mayoral candidates Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Andrew Cuomo, Whitney Tilson, Zohran Mamdani, Michael Blake and Scott Stringer. POOL/AFP via Getty Images The former governor delivered the best line when he said' '[President] Trump would go through Mamdani like a knife through butter,' O'Reilly noted. Frydman said the candidates and moderators did force Cuomo to squirm to defend his record as governor, including his controversial nursing home policy during the COVID-19 pandemic and his approval of the unpopular 2019 bail reforms. They also tried to make him answer for the spate of sexual misconduct accusations leveled against him — that he denied, but that forced his resignation in 2021. Some of the other candidates had 'break out moments' — including former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Mamdani, said political advisor Yvette Buckner. 'That will have voters wanting to learn more about them, their policies and their candidacy,' she said. Advertisement Frydman, too, said Adams' performance 'moved the needle' for her campaign, which has been slow to gain momentum despite support from state Attorney General Letitia James. 'She introduced herself to Democratic voters well enough on substance to move up in ranked-choice voting,' he said. But Cuomo's comfortable lead over second place Mamdani in recent polls should hold, Frydman said. O'Reilly agreed, but said Mamdani remains Cuomo's 'greatest threat' for the nomination in the June 24 primary. Advertisement 8 Brad Lander and Michael Blake shake hands after participating in the debate. via REUTERS 8 Jessica Ramos is spotted leaving the NYC Democratic Mayoral Debate at NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in NY on June 4, 2025. Christopher Sadowski Two of the panelists agreed that Lander is competent, but his persona didn't translate on TV. 'He oozes insincerity in a car-salesman-type way,' O'Reilly said. Advertisement But he said Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie's sincerity came across 'easily,' calling him a rising star in the Democratic Party. 8 NY Gov. Kathy Hochul leaves NBC Studios after the debate. Christopher Sadowski 8 Zellnor Myrie talks to reporters after leaving the debate stage. Christopher Sadowski Murray concurred, saying Lander has a 'stage presence for radio and a delivery for print. He confirmed why he has his wife and daughter on videos, instead of himself.' Advertisement Another candidate, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer who previously ran for mayor in 2021, didn't break through, the panelists said. 'Stringer was Stringer — flat and after a second run for mayor still didn't connect to voters,' Murray said. All but two of the Democratic contenders will debate again on June 12, save for Blake and state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who failed to meet the campaign funding threshold. Nine days of early voting will precede the primary, beginning on June 14.
Business Insider
27 minutes ago
- Business Insider
More people are joining the military. A shaky US job market could be boosting the numbers.
Military recruiting numbers are up — the Army met its annual goal of recruiting 61,000 troops months early and signs indicate Navy numbers are in good shape. But what is it exactly that is driving the jump? Recruiting officials say it's complicated. For the past several years, the Army and Navy fell thousands of new recruits short, a trend that only began to reverse at the end of last year — which the new administration has promoted as stemming from President Donald Trump's leadership and a surge of patriotism. The shift seems to turn on a shaky economy that's hiring less and the soaring costs of higher education, recruiting officials told BI. While the US labor market has relatively low unemployment, layoffs in the federal workforce, federal policy uncertainty, and 2025 recession fears have left companies hesitant to hire and employees less likely to quit. Fewer job openings and a slowing economy have historically pushed more young job seekers toward the military. That doesn't tell the whole story, though. Nearly 75% of young Americans cannot meet the health, fitness, and academic standards required to join the military, presenting a major challenge for recruiters. To confront the problem, the Army and Navy have made herculean efforts to usher not-yet-qualified young people into what are effectively pre-boot camps where they can lose weight, improve run times, and boost their test scores before officially joining. These changes instituted in recent years are paying off with a higher number of recruits in the pipeline, paving the way for the services to better meet their annual goals. But the services may also be benefiting from a shifting economic landscape in which the steep cost of higher education and fewer openings in the traditional labor market could mean that more young people are looking for alternative career paths with a promise of stability and education benefits. Fewer job openings could spur young people to the military Instead of solely focusing on unemployment rates to understand why more and more young people may be choosing to enlist, a more accurate way to view military recruiting is through the lens of the Beveridge Curve, which compares how the unemployment rate stacks up against job vacancies, said Col. Lee Evans, Army Recruiting Command's director of market intelligence. Low unemployment and a high number of job openings indicate a growing labor market. Lately, however, lower unemployment has been met with limited job openings — meaning the economy is slowing, as shown in the chart below. Postings on the job-search platform Indeed decreased by 10% throughout 2024, and the federal nonfarm job openings rate has been trending down since 2022. Job seekers are scrambling as opportunities dry up across tech, computer science, government agencies, and more, factors that could be a boon for military recruiting. "What we've seen over the last couple years is that unemployment rates remain relatively low, right around 4%, but we've seen the job openings rate decrease," Evans said. "Many times, that provides a skills mismatch out in the labor market," he said. "And we're postured well to compete in that arena, because we have so many offerings within the Army." Evans added that in a volatile job market, young people might be more attracted to the military's career opportunities with transferable skills for later civilian life, like working as an electrician or HR specialist. Gen Z is already turning toward traditionally blue-collar technical careers. However, other jobs, including those in combat arms like artillery or infantry, can be much more difficult to transfer to the civilian sector. Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, told BI that young people are increasingly seeking jobs in air traffic control, firefighting, and cybersecurity, roles likely to lend a degree of long-term stability outside the service. Amrhein said another positive figure for recruiting is the surplus of soon-to-be recruits waiting in the military's "delayed entry program," which serves as a sort of holding pattern for future recruits to depart for boot camp at a later date. "From that standpoint, we're still garnering more and more talent in our Air Force and Space Force of an unbelievable quality," he added. Gen Z could see military service as an alternative to long job hunts and student loan debt Economic instability and fewer job openings aren't the only factors at play. The exorbitant cost of college has helped maintain a steady demand for college ROTC programs, Evans said. In 2023, a quarter of US adults under 40 had outstanding student loan debt. The military offers an alternative to debt for future officers: it can cover all or some of a student's tuition in exchange for four to eight years of service. Brig. Gen. Sara Dudley, the deputy commanding general of Army Recruiting Command, told BI that young people appear to be taking more time to decide what path they want to take, be it military service or something else. "It's really a couple of years after high school that they're ready to commit to making what feels like a big decision," she said. Enlisting is enticing for recent high school grads and twentysomethings, a chance to learn new skills and unlock generous education benefits with the GI Bill and tuition assistance programs. Many also carry on a family tradition of service in uniform, a longtime source of recruits that shrinks with each generation. Enlisted troops make up roughly 80% of the force. For those with or pursuing a bachelor's degree, a few years as an officer may be an increasingly attractive way for young people to build professional experience without the stress of student loans or an immediate post-grab job hunt. A similar trend occurred in 2009, following the widespread financial instability of the 2008 recession. America's slower birth rates aren't yet showing up in recruitment data, though the drop seems poised to hit the services soon. In 2007, the US saw over 4.3 million births. But the 2008 financial crisis prompted a drop that has largely persisted since. "That 2007 to 2008 timeframe, that's just now starting to get into our recruitable population," Evans said, referring to the military's eligible pool of young people. Even as military recruitment stands to gain from a costly higher education system and an unsteady job market,lower birth rates could present a new enduring challenge. "We're going to see that come into our recruitable population, and we know we're going to have to adapt to it," he said. "And we're already preparing for that."
