Latest news with #Stoney
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia's Democratic lieutenant governor candidates discuss taking on Trump, federal cuts
A field of six candidates is competing to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in Virginia's June 17 primary election. It's a job that, at first blush, doesn't appear to have as many responsibilities as other elected offices. The lieutenant governor is first in the line of succession for the governor, and shall assume the position if the governor is not able to complete his or her job duties, according to the Constitution of Virginia. But the office also presides over the Virginia Senate, and casts tiebreaking votes. It's a distinct possibility in the chamber, which currently has a 21-19 Democratic advantage. Additionally, several former lieutenant governors, such as Doug Wilder, Tim Kaine and Ralph Northam, have used the office as a springboard to successfully run for governor. This year, retired attorney Alex Bastani, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, state Sen. Aaron Rouse, former prosecutor Victor Salgado and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney are Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican nominee and former talk radio host John Reid in the November general election. At least by campaign fundraising amounts and endorsements, the candidates can be divided into two groups: three longtime Virginia Democrats with years of governing experience and three relative newcomers to politics. Leading the money race this year is Stoney with about $1.4 million raisedas of March 31, Rouse with $1.2 million and Hashmi with $1.1 million , according to the Virginia Public Access Project. During the same time period, Lateef has raised about $970,000, Salgado has raised $204,000 and Bastani $134,000. In cash donations of less than $100 — a metric campaigns often tout as an indication of grassroots support — Hashmi leads with 1,721 donations as of March 31, followed by Rouse with 994 donations, Lateef with 374, Stoney with 210, Salgado with 117 and Bastani with 14. In the endorsement game, Stoney has the backing of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Rouse has endorsements from U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott and state Sen. Louise Lucas. Hashmi has endorsements from Rep. Ro Khanna of California and the Sierra Club. Lateef has been endorsed by the Move Chamber, a Muslim chamber of commerce, and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 51. The list is compiled through campaign announcements and websites and is not definitive. Several candidates say their government experience helps them stand out, while others touted their outsider status. Rouse, a former professional football player and Virginia Beach City Council member, touted his experience in local government and the Virginia Senate. He noted his track record of moves such as sponsoring a bill to revise a property tax exemption program for seniors and winning a seat previously held by a Republican in a 2023 special election that helped safeguard against a GOP effort to enact a 15-week abortion ban. That bill however, was defeated in committee and Rouse did not vote on the legislation. 757 Votes: The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press 2025 primary election guide 6 Virginia Democrats run for election in crowded lieutenant governor primary Democrats running for attorney general say Virginia needs to challenge Trump Rouse, who was raised in Norfolk and later Virginia Beach by a single mother, said he would continue to showcase the values the region taught him. 'I look forward to making my hometown proud,' he said. Hashmi is the first Muslim elected to the Virginia Senate and spent 30 years as a college professor. She took office in 2020 and touted her experience in the state legislature. She serves as chair of the of the Senate Education and Health Committee. 'I think it's really important to have someone in this position that's ready on day one to start taking on the critical areas that are impacting Virginia,' she said. Stoney, who was Richmond mayor for eight years and secretary of the commonwealth under McAuliffe, touted his experience as well. 'For eight years, I've had to make bold, consequential decisions in the daily lives of Virginians,' Stoney said. During his time as mayor, Stoney decided to remove over a dozen Confederate monuments after 2020 protests triggered by the police killing of George Floyd. However, he faced criticism over the police tear gassing of peaceful protestors, unrealized development projects and supporting two failed casino referendum votes. Lateef is a is an ophthalmologist and has served as chair of the Prince William County School Board since 2018. He touted student improvement during his time on the school board, and said he would focus on kitchen table issues like the economic prosperity for all Virginians. He also said he would advocate for using the state's recent revenue surpluses to invest in Virginia school capital improvement projects. Salgado, a former federal prosecutor with the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, said he had anticipated the federal government's incursion into states' rights and would help advise the governor and attorney general on how to fight back against the Trump administration. He's also made campaign finance reform a central pillar of his campaign, saying he would withhold votes in the Virginia Senate if a campaign finance bill was not passed by lawmakers. Salgado is pushing for limits on personal and corporate campaign contributions, to forbid conduit contributions — where a straw donor is used to hide the identity of the actual donor — and to create a watchdog agency to investigate violations. Bastani, a former U.S. Labor Department lawyer, is presenting himself as the progressive choice for the office by supporting universal health care and repealing the state's right-to-work law, which lets workers choose whether or not to pay union dues. All six candidates say they would like to repeal the measure, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger told a Richmond TV station she would not sign a repeal. Bastani said his potential win would signal that voters want to repeal the law and put additional pressure on Spanberger to sign a bill. He also believed universal health care could be implemented at the state level, saying studies have shown the program could save billions if implemented in the entire country. The candidates also offered differing solutions to standing up to President Donald Trump's cuts to federal jobs, grants and services like Medicaid. Hashmi said she would move for Virginia to quickly rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, saying it could provide millions of dollars in climate program funding to plug holes from federal cuts. Gov. Glenn Youngkin directed Virginia to leave the 12-state carbon emissions reduction program in 2022. A federal judge ruled the move was unlawful in November, but the state is appealing the ruling. Rouse said he would attempt to not only push back but work together with federal officials to try and reverse the cuts. Stoney said he would continue to speak out about the cuts, and called out Youngkin and current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP candidate for governor, for not doing more to resist the federal actions. Salgado said the state must be ready to combat Trump's bill in court immediately once it is signed into law. Additionally, he called for looking into whether state funding sources could be used as stopgap measures. Lateef also supported taking the Trump administration to court, and advocated for civil disobedience if the administration did not comply with court orders. Bastani also advocated with working together with federal lawmakers to reverse the cuts, and said he supported raising Virginia's corporate tax rate to create more revenue to support affected communities. Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345,
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Buttigieg endorses Levar Stoney for Virginia lieutenant governor
Pete Buttigieg is endorsing former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) on Monday in the race for Virginia lieutenant governor ahead of the June 17 Democratic primary. 'As a mayor, I know leadership starts on the ground—and no one understands that better than @PeteButtigieg. I'm proud to have his endorsement in our campaign for Lieutenant Governor,' Stoney said in a post on X. 'Mayors know how to lead—and it's time to bring that experience statewide,' he added. Six Democratic candidates are running to be Virginia's No. 2 official: local labor leader and former Labor Department economist Alex Bastani; state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi; Prince William County School Board chair Dr. Babur Lateef; state Sen. Aaron Rouse; Georgetown University Law Center professor Victor Salgado; and Stoney. The endorsement from Buttigieg — himself a former mayor of South Bend, Ind. — is notable given he's widely been seen as a 2028 White House contender. His endorsement comes just two weeks from the primary. Radio host John Reid is the only Republican running for Virginia lieutenant governor. The general election is Nov. 4 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
02-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Buttigieg endorses Levar Stoney for Virginia lieutenant governor
Pete Buttigieg is endorsing former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) on Monday in the race for Virginia lieutenant governor ahead of the June 17 Democratic primary. 'As a mayor, I know leadership starts on the ground—and no one understands that better than @PeteButtigieg. I'm proud to have his endorsement in our campaign for Lieutenant Governor,' Stoney said in a post on X. 'Mayors know how to lead—and it's time to bring that experience statewide,' he added. Six Democratic candidates are running to be Virginia's No. 2 official: local labor leader and former Labor Department economist Alex Bastani; state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi; Prince William County School Board chair Dr. Babur Lateef; state Sen. Aaron Rouse; Georgetown University Law Center professor Victor Salgado; and Stoney. 2024 Election Coverage The endorsement from Buttigieg — himself a former mayor of South Bend, Ind. — is notable given he's widely been seen as a 2028 White House contender. His endorsement comes just two weeks from the primary. Radio host John Reid is the only Republican running for Virginia lieutenant governor.
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian women to face Costa Rica in ‘Pride Celebration' friendly in June in Toronto
TORONTO – The Canadian women's soccer team will host Costa Rica in Toronto on June 27 in a 'Pride Celebration' friendly. After the BMO Field game, the seventh-ranked Canadian women will travel to Washington, D.C., to face the top-ranked U.S. in a previously announced game on July 2 at Audi Field. Both games fall in FIFA's June-July international window. The Canadian women have never faced No. 43 Costa Rica before. The Toronto game marks the third consecutive year that the Canadian women have celebrated Pride on home soil, 'underscoring Canada Soccer's ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.' The Canadian women will wear a special kit which features Pride-themed numbers. 'I'm excited for the challenge Costa Rica will bring,' Canada coach Casey Stone said in a statement. 'They're a dynamic team that will provide another challenge for us as we look to test ourselves against different styles of play. 'With this match also marking our Pride Celebration, it's a powerful opportunity to show that football is for everyone. We want our games to reflect a space where every member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community feels seen, celebrated, and at home. I can't wait to celebrate alongside our fans.' It is a cause dear to Stoney, who has three children with her partner Megan Harris, a former Lincoln Ladies teammate. Canada has a 4-53-9 all-time record against the U.S. in a rivalry that dates back to 1986 when the Canadian women's program was established. The Canadian women have not won on American soil since Nov. 11, 2000. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. In their most recent meeting, in April 2024 at the SheBelieves Cup in Columbus, Ohio, the two teams played to a 2-2 draw before the U.S. won a penalty shootout 5-4. The Americans also won by penalty shootout in the game before that, the CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal in March 2024. Canada's last win over the U.S. was a 1-0 decision in the Tokyo Olympic semifinal in August 2021. That was the Americans' first loss to their northern neighbours since March 2001, in the group stage of the Algarve Cup. The Canadian women are 3-1-1 under Stoney, a former England captain who was hired Jan. 13, and are coming off a 1-0 loss to Argentina on April 8 in Langford, B.C. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025
Axios
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Mayor Avula talks reelection, reopening Observation Deck in Reddit AMA
Mayor Avula's "Ask Me Anything" thread on RVA Reddit this week is offering a snapshot of where Richmonders stand after his first 100-ish days in office. Why it matters: It's been a long 100 days. The big picture: Questions in the thread, which has nearly 600 comments, revolved largely around housing, cost of living, transportation, speeding, gun violence, frustration with city services and the budget. Zoom in: We combed through the responses and found some gems Avula sprinkled into his responses, from the "serious" to how much he tips. The serious: 🏃 He plans to run for reelection (a common thing Richmond mayors do). 🏢 The Department of General Services is working on a plan that could include reopening access to the Observation Deck at City Hall, which has been closed since 2020. 🏠 He's hoping the zoning ordinance rewrite will help reduce rents by making it easier to build more housing. 💰 The city is also considering the idea of "tiny homes" to help with the affordable housing crisis. 🏗️ He still wants to do something about the area around the Coliseum, years after City Council killed the controversial Navy Hill project. The lighthearted: ❤️ He has weekly date nights with his wife, a few weekly family dinners and goes to his kids' games when he can. 💀 When asked if he could confirm whether or not you can get chlamydia from the James River, he said, "Depends on what you're doing in the river?" 🎭 Former Mayor Stoney gave Avula "a massive poster of his face for me to admire" as a prank before leaving office. 💅🏼 He tips 20%, minimum. 🍽️ His go-to restaurants when out-of-town friends are visiting: Heritage, L'Opossum, Grisette, and Edo's. 🦅 He's an Eagles fan. The immediate future:
