Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Virginia State Del. Barbara Comstock remains ahead in overall funds, but Murphy has raised more money in 2013.
The money race for 34th District in Virginia’s House of Delegates has begun, and Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock is ahead of Democratic challenger Kathleen Murphy. But Murphy raised more in the first quarter of 2013, according to campaign finance reports available through the Virginia Public Access Project. The two candidates have less than seven months left to campaign for the 34th District seat ahead of the Nov. 5 election, which also includes Virginia's governor and lieutenant governor races and all seats in the Virginia House of Delegates. The 34th District Great Falls and parts of Tysons, Vienna, McLean and Loudoun County. Murphy began the year with a balance of $0 and raised $127,256 through March 31 Comstock began the year …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Virginia's legislature passed an amendment prohibiting some insurance companies from providing abortion coverage.
This week, Virginia’s legislature approved a measure by Gov. Bob McDonnell that prohibits certain health insurance companies from providing coverage for women seeking an abortion. The exceptions to the insurance coverage rule are in cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in danger. While the new Virginia legislation isn’t as restrictive of abortions as recent legislation passed in North Dakota and Alabama, critics are concerned about the financial effect the legislation may have on a woman’s decision. Sen. Mark Herring (D-Loudoun) said, “Women should be able to make decisions about their own health care without interference from politicians here in the state Capitol.” The Virginia Society for Human Life, an anti-abortion group, …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Significantly more Virginians support same-sex marriage than did in 2006, when Virginia voters passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
As nationwide support grows for same-sex marriage, so goes Virginia. Forty-six percent of Virginians oppose same-sex marriage and 45 percent support allowing it, according to a poll from the University of Mary Washington. That’s a marked change from 2006, when 57 percent of Virginia voters approved an amendment to the Virginia Constitution defining marriage as something between one man and one woman. Researchers from Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the University of Mary Washington surveyed more than 1,000 Virginia residents between March 20 – 24 this year, completing the survey just as the U.S. Supreme Court started hearing arguments on two cases related to same-sex marriage rights. Decisions in those cases are pending…
Monday, February 4, 2013
Murphy, a McLean resident, plans to focus on human rights, transportation and education.
McLean Democrat Kathleen Murphy will challenge Virginia Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34th) in this November’s House of Delegates Election. Murphy, a veteran political consultant who kicked off her campaign earlier this week, says she's running because she believes her opponent has failed to represent the best interests of the 34th District, which includes Great Falls and parts of Vienna, Tysons McLean and Loudoun County. Stay up to date on all Vienna news with our daily email newsletter. “I don’t believe that our delegate in Richmond votes for us,” Murphy told Patch. “She doesn’t vote for our priorities or our values and I think we can do better.” Murphy, a Fairfax County resident for more than 20 years, said she plans focus on transportation…
Monday, February 20, 2012
Del. Mark Keam says bills in Virginia House of Delegates have been divisive, stray from more important state issues
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Monday, February 20, 2012
To the Editor: As I spent this weekend at home in the 35th District, I ran into quite a number of constituents who asked me the same questions: "What is going on in Richmond with all this talk about abortion and contraception?" "With the economy still slow, why are you wasting so much time with bills on guns and gays?" "Don't you have anything better to do than debate the definition of 'personhood'?" Well, I wished I had good answers to these and many other questions I received from constituents, but unfortunately, I don't. You see, even though the Virginia General Assembly has voted on hundreds of bills this session, the only headlines you'll read about are these controversial social wedge issues. And no wonder. …
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday hunting bill makes its way through the state Senate
Five bill proposals from the state senators representing Vienna passed through their own chamber last week and await consideration from the House of Delegates. The General Assembly began its fourth week of the 60-day legislative session on Monday. Sen. Chap Petersen The Senate approved a bill that would allow hunting Sundays on private property (SB 464) with a 29-11 vote. The legislation, which had Sen. Chap Petersen's bill (SB 173) on the issue rolled into it, was introduced by Sen. Ralph Northam (D-6th District). Petersen (D-34th District) had another victory on the Senate floor when his proposal that would require state buildings to follow Virginia Energy Conservation and Environmental Standards (SB 160) passed on a 26-14 vote. Petersen…
Monday, January 23, 2012
After their second week in session, Sen. Chap Petersen and Del. Mark Keam meet with constituents
Funding transportation projects and Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed budget were at the top of residents' concerns Saturday at a town hall meeting with Sen. Chap Petersen and Del. Mark Keam. Despite a morning with snowy and icy conditions, more than 50 residents came to the American Legion in Vienna, from as close as five minutes down the road to the far-reaching part of Petersen's district in Centreville, to hear about the legislators' plans, ask questions and offer suggestions. Petersen (D-34th District) and Keam (D-35th District) both said they were optimistic about Virginia, its budget and its future. Petersen said the General Fund Revenues for FY 2012 are projected to fall in line with what they were in 2008, shortly before the recession…
Monday, January 16, 2012
Republicans seize power in the Senate; legislators receive committee assignments
Last Wednesday, the Virginia General Assembly convened for its 2012 legislative session. Though much of the first week is routine — swearing in legislators, assigning lawmakers to committees — this year's start had a spark to it, as the Republicans used Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling's role as Senate president to seize control in an evenly split chamber, despite protests from the Democrats. The Republicans, led by majority leader Thomas Norment (R-3rd District), stacked the Senate committees with legislators of their own party, giving them not just all the chairmanships but also majorities in 10 of the 11 committees — despite Senate rules that call for committees to reflect the party proportions. The committee shakeup had a direct effect on one of …
Friday, January 6, 2012
In his second term, 35th District Delegate, whose district now includes Tysons Corner, will focus on transportation
When Del. Mark Keam (D-35th) began his first term in 2009, most people wished him luck and warned he wouldn’t get anything done: the Democrat drew No. 100 among the state’s house representatives, making him the most junior member of a body controlled by Republicans. While he did struggle in certain areas — particularly in the house budget committee, on which he was the only Democrat and "couldn’t get a motion seconded" — Keam, the first Korean-American and first Asian-born immigrant to be sworn into the Virginia General Assembly, succeeded in others. One of his largest victories was the House Joint Resolution 64, co-sponsored with Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67th District), which made make delegates’ voting records more accessible on the General …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Longtime delegate says he wants to concentrate on policy, not partisan politics.
Del. Ken Plum, re-elected last week to his 16th consecutive term representing Virginia's 36th District, says he will not seek another term as Chair of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus. Plum has been in that position for three years. "It is an incredibly time consuming and thankless job," said Plum. "So we ought to pass around the opportunity to do it. When the house Democratic Caucus reorganizes, I will not be seeking re-election as chairman." Plum serves on the agriculture, conservation and natural resources committee, as well as the science and technology committee and the rules committee. He says he would prefer to work on issues rather than partisan leadership. "My passion is really policy," said Plum. "Issues like the economic …
Catherine
1:05 pm on Thursday, April 18, 2013
Delegate Comstock has a been a good friend to parents with children in our public schools - fighting to lower our ridiculously large class sizes in the McLean and Great Falls areas, and ensuring we received our share of LCI funding that then-Governor Kaine was trying to deny to Northern Virginia. I've heard more than one neighbor in McLean comment that as Ms. Murphy has been going door-to-door, … more ›