C (7:03)

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D (8:53)

I want to give a hat tip to Dave Veneer and Jeff Singer. They described this in a recent article as well this Surprise Plan Launched by Democrats here's how they describe it In a major surprise, Democrats in the Virginia Legislature announced this past week that they'd convene a special session on Monday, likely to consider congressional redistricting. Such a move could result in the state using a new map as soon as next year, before the midterms in the state and see Republicans lose up to three states. Sorry, three seats in the state's delegation, which currently favors Democrats 6 to 5, quote, we're coming back to address actions by the Trump administration, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surville told the New York Times Reed Epstein, who confirmed the story first reported by Virginia Scopes Brandon Jarvis about the possibility of a special session. Senator Surville, the Democratic leader, didn't directly state whether Democrats would try to revisit Virginia's maps, but political observers believe the topic will be on the agenda. Any response to the GOP's push to gerrymander the lines in red states before the midterms, however, will require speedy action, Democratic unanimity and success at the ballot box on two different dates, as I described. That's because redistricting in Virginia is in the hands of an independent commission, which was enshrined in the state constitution following a landslide vote in 2020. As in California, repealing or modifying those rules would require voters to approve a new constitutional amendment. That process, though, is considerably tougher in Virginia. In California, the legislature only needs to vote once to refer an amendment to the ballot. In virgin Virginia, by contrast, lawmakers must approve an amendment twice, with an election for the House of Delegates in between. That's why Democrats want to hold a vote before November 4, Monday, when this the vote would be this Monday, when Virginia will host elections for statewide offices like governor and crucially, the state House. Remember, that's an Abigail Stepan Burger election race, where she's expected to win as the Democratic governor Normally, Democrats wouldn't be able to gather on such sort notice, since two thirds of members in each chamber of the legislature must agree to hold the special session while the governor can also call a special session. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, would never do so to help the Democrats. But as Epstein explains, Youngkin already called a special session for May of last year. That meeting became necessary after the two parties failed to agree on a budget during the regular session, which had concluded a month earlier. Between the two gatherings, both sides hammered out a budget agreement, then passed it the very same day during the special session. That session, however, was never formally adjourned, giving legislative leaders the ability to summon lawmakers back to work whenever they desire. It's precisely that power Democrats are deploying now. They currently hold the 51 to 49 majority in the chamber, as well as a 21 to 19 edge in the state Senate. So when they meet again, they'll need the support of every member to pass a new amendment. They'll also need to retain control of the House next month. What they appear poised to do the Senate is not up until 2027. If anything, they're likely to gain seats. Democrats have outra Republicans better than 2 to 1 per Ballotpedia and have spent three times as much on the airwaves according to Ad Impact. So if all goes according to plan, the legislature would then need to greenlight the amendment a second time after it assembles for its regularly scheduled session in January. They'd also need to schedule a special session to put the matter before voters, which under the state constitution could take place no sooner than 90 days later. That tight timeline would almost certainly require the state to delay its candidate filing deadline which is April 2nd and likely it's June six primary as well to alter the calendar. It goes on to say Democrats would likely need Abigail Spamberger to prevail in her campaign to succeed Youngkin and that's expected to happen, which she's favored to do based on public polling and spending data. Should they have the chance to pass a new maps, Democrats could target two or three Republican held districts. So I think this is a really big deal right here. Now I've had the opportunity to interview Virginia's Democratic Speaker Don Scott and I got his take on the upcoming election and he described how William Earl Sears who's running to as the MAGA Republican candidate what what she had to say and she's basically saying that she'll she's fine winsome Earl se she thinks it's not discrimination if you fire gay people Here, play this clip, I guess make sense of those clips and then we'll get into have you react.

F (13:40)

I can't make sense of that. Are you asking me to perform a miracle? I mean, this lady is so unhinged and so out of touch with everything that she says. I mean, you would have thought it would have been a joke. I was sitting in the room when she said that. You know, she said she wants to fire people because they gay. And she interrupts her to, to I've never seen, but interrupt her to say, excuse me, that's not discrimination. And she says it two or three times. I have never seen anything like that in my life. You know, if, if, if you can make sense of it, let me know. I mean, there's some psychiatrists or somebody out there that may be able to give her the help that she needs.

D (14:17)

But yeah, I'll ask you, not as the psychiatrist, but as the speaker of the House of Delegates though. So when you hear these MAGA Republicans in Virginia, by the way, including the governor, basically saying things like it's okay for Virginians to lose their jobs, it's happened to people before. Why do people make a big deal? We hear the MAGA Republican governor saying that right now. We hear win some rose. What's your response to that?

F (14:43)

I mean, it's sad and I don't think they're connecting with real people. I mean, the empathy that you, that's required. Okay, you, first of all, you won't stand up to Donald Trump. We know you're all sycophants. You're just going to fall in line whatever he says. But then the fact that you will not even, you know, try to empathize with the people whose lives are being upended, you lose your job. Like, okay, she's making it sound like this is a job at McDonald's. And like you, you've been working there a couple of years, you're in high school. These are people whose whole livelihoods are built around their employment. They've moved to a region for this job. They're putting kids through college, they're paying their mortgages, they're paying their bills. They're trying to make a life for themselves and their families. They're taking care of, of elderly parents. To see someone so detached from the pain and suffering that the Trump administration is causing is really sad. And it just tells you that they have no idea what everyday hardworking Virginias are going through. And then when you couple that with, you know, the chief's running with a person on her ticket. He was a lieutenant governor who happens to be gay. So you put all of that together, you start saying these people just, you can't make this stuff up. You really can't.

D (15:51)

I didn't even, I didn't realize that fact. She's, she's running with a gay person and she made that comment, she's running.

F (15:57)

The lieutenant governor, he's gay. And I guess she, I guess you're going to fire him. I don't know.

D (16:04)

Here was another portion of my interview with Don Scott, Democratic speaker of Virginia. Play this clip.

F (16:11)

You know, I always say Virginia is for lovers. And I think we're going to send a love letter to the rest of the country that we have not all lost our damn mind. You know, Republicans are focused on one thing in Virginia. I mean, her whole race is, you know, on, you know, policing bathrooms. I mean, they're the, they're the pee and poop caucus. That's what they, that's all they do. They police where the kids are peeing and pooping. They're not worrying about where kids are learning and what they're getting out of school.

D (16:34)

Now, folks, I think it's also important to take a look at the popularity of Proposition 50 in California. The most. The latest poll by YouGov shows that by a margin of 62% to 38% people support Prop 50 in California to stop the election rigging by Donald Trump to allow this mid decade gerrymandering, this short, this on short notice to take place in California in response to Trump cheating. Should also be noted that already, as of two days ago, 3 million California votes were already made with Prop 50. That's faster than what we saw in the 2024 general. And also one of the things that we see is turnout is more democratic than the 2024 election. Net +23 democrat compared to net +19 democrat in 2024. That's a big deal right there as well. And just to remind you about this race, Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate, Congresswoman or congresswoman against winsome Earl Sears. Winsome Earl Sears. The Midas Touch network found this clip of her. And this is the ad that Spamberger made about Winsome Earl Sears. Play this clip.

B (17:51)

I'm Abigail Spanberger, candidate for governor and I sponsored this ad. Mega Republican Winsome Earl Sears.

D (17:57)

I am speaking.

B (17:58)

I am speaking. And when she speaks it gets more disturbing. I can't support abortion. And she talks about violence against those who disagree with her.

D (18:08)

Murder is murder. And one day it's gonna be your.

B (18:12)

Turn talking about the murder of those who support abortion rights. If Sears said this, what else is out there? Winsomer Sears so far right, she's wrong for Virginia.

D (18:21)

And we're just to remind you about what went down at the debate with Winsomerle Sears here. Play this clip right here.

B (18:27)

My opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry. She has said that she discrimination.

D (18:34)

Well, there you have it folks. Let me know what you think. But a big move by Virginia, a surprise move that you gotta fight fire with fire. And I'm glad Virginia Democrats figured out that loophole. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe let's get to 6 million. We appreciate you want to stay plugged in.

C (18:50)

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