When Virginians explain to the outside world that we have elections every year, I add: we have elections at least every year! Early 2023 will start with 2 special elections, see below and we also will have a Special Election for CD 4 on February 21 with a Democratic Firehouse Primary on Tuesday, December 20, to select our nominee. Because this primary election is party-run, we need all hands on deck to make sure that this process runs smoothly. Please sign up and share this volunteer link as widely as possible, especially if you live in or near Virginia’s 4th Congressional District.
To add to the holiday busyness, many are preparing for our 2023 General Assembly Session which starts on January 11. Along with many of the special interest groups, the Virginia Grassroots Coalition has a list of Priority Bills that we will support as a coalition. In order to submit a bill for the coalition’s priority bills letter, you must meet the following criteria: 1) You accept responsibility for tracking the bill during the legislative session and will notify the coalition of opportunities for calls to action, 2) The bill you are recommending either has bipartisan support, can be used for messaging during the 2023 elections, and/or threatens existing legislation and needs to be opposed, 3) Submissions are due by January 5th at 8pm. Please email your submissions to luisaboyarski@gmail.com, including the bill’s number and links to the bills in LIS.
If you have not already done so, please make sure to Power Map yourself. – We need to know where we have support across the state so that we can utilize our collective power during the Legislative Session. Please let us know where you are here: https://actionnetwork.org/
I’ll be taking a bit of a break from the Thursday BADASS Briefing, yet will promise Tuesday Tidbits throughout the holidays with regular Briefings starting back up on January 5. If you have additions to the Tidbits or Briefings, please email me directly at networkvirginia@gmail.com with the suggested format.
Thanks all – enjoy the holidays.
ALL IN,
Stair
Special Elections – January 10, 2023
Support Candidate Aaron Rouse – SD7!
- Canvassing December 16-17 – Join Senator Dave Marsden to canvass for Aaron Rouse. Senator Marsden will meet everyone interested in carpooling to Virginia Beach area at 8am on Friday morning at Ravensworth Shopping Center in front of Kilroys. Please reach out to Senator Marsden (david.marsden37@gmail.com) or call him at 703-964-6821. Dinner is planned on Friday after canvassing and Dave has reserved a block of rooms for those who will stay overnight and canvass again on Saturday morning. An afternoon trip home (arriving home around 5pm) is planned at the conclusion of the canvass.
- Canvassing January 7-8th – Sign up Here for the Grassroots Canvassing GOTV Weekend
- Canvassing opportunities EVERY weekend
- Daily Phonebanks
- Postcards – Sign up here: postcards4va.com
- Sign up for one-on-one meeting with Field Director, Tonianne Beals: https://calendly.com/ta
teamrouse/30min , 917-921-8099 - Donate – https://secure.actblue.com/d
onate/rouseforsenate
Support Candidate Holly Seibold – HD35!
- Sign up on Holly’s website to volunteer to help the campaign: https://www.hollysei
bold.com/volunteer.html - Canvassing opportunities on the weekends
- Wine Wednesday Phonebanks
- Tuesday and Thursday phonebanks
- Postcards – Sign up here: postcards4va.com
- Donate – https://secure.actblue.com/d
onate/hollyseibold
Friday Power Lunch
Holiday Lights and Legal Rights
Reproductive Freedom for All
12/16/2022, NOON ET
The end of Roe is having serious repercussions in Virginia. Governor Glenn Youngkin is shopping a 15-week ban on abortion. Even more horrifying, Delegate Marie March (R) recently pre-filed House Bill 1395, which would define life as beginning at fertilization, thereby banning abortion and potentially even jeopardizing access to emergency contraception.
Senator Jennifer McClellan (SD9 and newly announced candidate for Congress in CD4), Tarina Keene, Executive Director, and Lexi White, Policy Director, for REPRO Rising Virginia, along with Delegate Charniele Herring (HD46) will help us understand why any and all abortion bans are harmful to women and what we must do to protect women’s health. Lexi White will lead the discussion on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to secure abortion rights in VA.
Gene Rossi (former assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia and popular legal commentator and trial analyst) will join us for a segment on “All Things Legal” to give us an update on Trump’s latest legal woes.
We’ll end the show spotlighting candidate Holly Seibold running in the January 10 special election for HD 35, the seat vacated by Mark Keam who is joining the Biden administration. We absolutely need to keep this seat BLUE as step number one toward regaining the majority in the House of Delegates in 2023.
Please tweet about the show – Share the Facebook Event – Love and Comment on Instagram
CALLS TO ACTION
Stop Manchin’s Dirty Deal – ASAP Manchin is now trying to amend must pass legislation with the “Building American Energy Security Act” that would gut environmental protections and push through harmful fossil fuel projects. Call your Senators at (888) 997-5380 – Call your House Member: (917) 791-2257 – Use this easy portal to send an email to your members of congress. Questions: Contact Freeda Cathcart, contactfreeda@gmail.com
Keep Truth and Democracy in our Public Education! Demand that the Board of Education vote for “first review” of the original August version at their first meeting in 2023 to keep truth and democracy in Virginia’s education! Send an email here.
Send an email to legislators urging them to uphold Virginia’s progress on climate and clean energy, particular clean car standards and electric vehicle transition.
Tell your representatives – it’s time for affordable and clean energy. The 2023 legislative session is the time to pass common sense laws that will ensure a more affordable and equitable clean energy transition in Virginia.
Send a letter to your state delegate and senator in support of Virginia Declaration of Solar Rights
Thursday, December 15th, 4:00pm
Virtual Education Caucus with Delegate Kaye Kory
Delegate Kory has been hearing from many constituents with grave concerns about the current state-mandated assessments/tests for elementary and middle school students. Join her to share your thoughts. Join Zoom Meeting at 4pm
A Winter Brunch for Kathy Tran
Alexandria
Please join Delegate Kathy Tran and special host Anh Phan for a fundraiser to support Kathy Tran’s reelection campaign!
December 18, 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Campaign Kick-Off for Delegate Luke Torian & Delegate Briana Sewell
Woodbridge, VA
Celebrate with local, state, and federal elected officials as we begin the race to win back the majority in the House of Delegates
To RSVP, please email info@delegatetorian.com
Thursday, December 15, 6:30 PMPPAV Holiday House Party
Arlington, Virginia Join Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) for their holiday house party fundraiser at the home of Matt and Brooke de Ferranti. Enjoy holiday cheer, food and drink, and great company, including special guests Congressman Don Beyer, Delegate Hope, & Delegate Lopez to help support PPAV’s organizing efforts in the Commonwealth.
Stella and Rachna’s Banned Books Holiday Bash
Please join Maggie Godbold for a merry and bright banned books holiday bash in support of Stella Pekarsky and Rachna Sizemore Heizer.
Weekend Canvass: Knock Doors with Holly Seibold for Delegate!
Join Holly Seibold’s campaign team every weekend to knock doors and make sure folks get out to vote in the special election on January 10th!!
Canvass & Cookies with Representative Gerry Connolly
Vienna, VA Please join after canvassing for a fundraiser in support of Holly Seibold for Delegate, Democratic Candidate, House of Delegates, 35th District
Legislative Briefing: Protecting Abortion Rights during the 2023 Virginia Legislative Session
Join Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) to learn about Gov. Youngkin’s and Virginia Republicans’ plans to attack abortion rights during the 2023 Legislative Session and how you can help us fight back and defeat these unpopular and dangerous proposals.
Wednesday, December 21, 5:30pm, virtual
Please join Virginia Redress Network’s monthly meeting to learn what progress Virginians are making on restitution and the many issues relating to racial and social justice. REGISTER HERE
Saturday – Sunday January 7th and 8th
Canvassing Weekend – Aaron Rouse for Virginia Senate – Special Election
Join Virginia Grassroots Coalition volunteers heading down to Virginia Beach on January 7-8, 2023 to flip a critical Virginia Senate seat in a January 10 special election which is highly winnable. This will be ultra-high-impact canvassing on the weekend right before the election in an under-the-radar race where few voters will show up! We will canvass out of the Virginia Beach Democratic Headquarters. This could well make the difference on whether we retain or lose women’s right to choose in Virginia in the upcoming legislative session! Aaron Rouse is a fantastic candidate! He has experience, having been on the Virginia Beach City Council for many years. Aaron has the name and the popularity as he is a former NFL football star; he has local community support big time – and he would bring more diversity to the Virginia Senate which still needs it! Senate District 7 includes a small section of Norfolk and the Western part of Virginia Beach, approx. 3.5-hour drive from DC. Free volunteer housing is available, as well as carpools. For more information, contact Chris LeMenestrel at cslemenestrel@gmail.com and/or fill out this form.
Sunday, January 8, 6:00pm
Virginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Virtual Virginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Join 50+ grassroots groups as we review our legislative priorities and get ready for session.
Contact Luisa Boyarski for Zoom link: luisaboyarski@gmail.com
Culture Wars and Weaponization of Critical Race Theory
Former VA Secretary of Education Atif Qarni will explain the origins and historical context of Critical Race Theory (CRT), how the CRT discourse was shaped over the last 2 years, and how the CRT debate influences education. Sponsored by 4 Public Education, NAACP Fairfax, and the Hamkae Center.
Please register to get the zoom link.
Also please consider addressing this call to action: https://hamkaecenter.org/historysol/ luisaboyarski@gmail.com
Moms Demand Action VA-Statewide-Advocacy Day 2023
Join volunteers from across the state for our annual Advocacy Day at the Capitol in Richmond! State Sen. Jennifer McClellan will be the keynote speaker at the morning kickoff meeting. Volunteers will have an opportunity to meet their lawmakers, engage with them about our legislative priorities, and network with volunteers at caucus meetings.
Monday, Jan 16 – 2-5 PM
Honor MLK Vigil and Lobby Day
Please plan to join the Virginia Center for Public Safety, its partners, and the Virginia Community as we honor the memory and teachings of a great civil rights leader who was killed by gunfire. We will also honor the lives of all Virginians killed by gun violence and we invite you to commit to reducing gun violence by raising your voice for responsible gun laws. More details including information on buses from Roanoke, Hampton Roads, and NoVA, are coming.
Tuesday, January 24, 8:00am-4:00pm
Please join for a day of activities in support of good governance policy! If you are interested in a room block at the Berkeley Hotel (2/10ths of a mile from the Capitol) for $149/night, please connect with heididrauschak@gmail.com.
Thursday, January 26, 2023, 9am – 1pm
Day of Action for Affordable Energy
Richmond, VA
Join the Energy Burden Coalition for a Day of Action for Affordable Energy
Be a BADASS, Power Map Yourself and Forward this Email to a Friend
