Chuck Smith Archives - The Virginia Star

Second-Place Republican Party of Virginia Attorney General Candidate Requests Recount

May 12, 2021May 11, 2021 Eric Burk

Republican Party of Virginia attorney general candidate Chuck Smith wants a recount after narrowly losing the nomination to Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach.) Smith is concerned about problems in the third round of ballot counting, when candidate Jack White’s votes were allocated to Miyares and Smith.

“In the third round in the attorney general’s race there was a lot of confusion in and among the tellers counting in the third round, with ballots counted for me attributed to the Miyares stack and ballots counted for Miyares attributed to the stack for me,” Smith wrote in a press release sent to reporters on Monday.

Jason Miyares Wins Republican Attorney General Nomination by Narrow Margin

May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 Matthew Hall

Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) secured the Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia late Sunday evening. Miyares narrowly defeated Virginia Beach attorney Chuck Smith in a convention ballot that went for three rounds. Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Member Leslie Haley was eliminated in the first round, followed by Northern Virginia attorney Jack White in the second round.

John Fredericks Commentary: Analysis and Predictions for the GOP for Saturday’s Nominating Convention

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 John Fredericks

American flag flying above a large crowd.

On Saturday, May 8, up to 53,000 Virginia Republicans who pre-registered as delegates will nominate candidates for state-wide offices in November, including governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

It’s been a long time coming.

The nominating process for Republicans, an unassembled convention with about 40 voting locations across the Commonwealth – open for voting from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM – is a convoluted and confusing affair that took months to negotiate and consummate after numerous marathon and agonizing Zoom calls by the Party’s State Central Committee.

It’s been a long time coming.

The nominating process for Republicans, an unassembled convention with about 40 voting locations across the Commonwealth–open for voting from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM–is a convoluted and confusing affair that took months to negotiate and consummate after numerous marathon and agonizing Zoom calls by the Party’s State Central Committee.

Virginia Gubernatorial Candidates Hustle Before the Convention

May 6, 2021May 5, 2021 Eric Burk

After months of contention among party leadership and claims of cheating and irregularities among the candidates, the Republican Party of Virginia will finally select its candidates for statewide office on Saturday, although the final count may not be known for several days. The candidates have fanned out across the state, emphasizing policies like reopening schools and businesses, supporting gun rights, and fighting for election integrity. This week the candidates are making their final appeals to convention delegates with more calls for reform, campaign stops, and support from major GOP political figures.

Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association Starts Podcast Series on 2021 Candidates and Healthcare

May 5, 2021May 4, 2021 Matthew Hall

Set up of podcast with microphone and desktop computer with editing software.

The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) have announced a podcast series focusing on the 2021 candidates for office and their stances on healthcare. The series features statewide candidates from both parties addressing the healthcare issues of the Commonwealth.

Virginia GOP Attorney General Candidate Jack White Gave More Than $5k to Biden in 2020 – Including $2,800 Days Before Election

April 25, 2021May 3, 2021 Matthew Hall

FEC records show that Jack White, a Fairfax County attorney who had a solid Q1 finance report, donated to Biden for President twice and the Biden Victory Fund PAC twice during the 2020 presidential election, just months before he announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for Attorney General.

Northam Snubs Herring, Endorses Jones for Attorney General

March 7, 2021March 6, 2021 Eric Burk

Delegate Jay Jones (D-Norfolk) picked up a big endorsement in the race for Attorney General this week. Governor Ralph Northam chose to endorse Jones instead of incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring, Northam’s former running mate.

Chesterfield Supervisor Leslie Haley Announces Run for Attorney General

January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 Jacob Taylor

Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors member and lawyer Leslie Haley announced her bid for the Republican nomination in the 2021 Virginia attorney general election on Thursday.

Haley, who has represented the Midlothian District on the board since 2016 with stints as both the chair and vice chair, launched her campaign to be the Commonwealth’s top attorney through a press release and short video.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring Launches Office of Civil Rights

January 7, 2021January 6, 2021 Jacob Taylor

Following a summer of civil unrest over social injustice throughout the Commonwealth, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) announced the launch of the Office of Civil Rights on Tuesday.

The Office of Civil Rights will operate within the larger Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and is supposed to help ongoing efforts to protect against discrimination and the civil rights of all Virginians, according to a press release.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring Launches Reelection Bid for Third Term

December 20, 2020December 19, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) formally launched his re-election bid for a third term as the Commonwealth’s top lawyer last week.

Herring, 59, officially announced his campaign for the 2021 race through a video on Twitter where he described himself as “the people’s lawyer” and highlighted several legal wins while in office.

Virginia Undocumented Immigrants Allowed to Legally Drive in 2021 Under New Law

December 18, 2020December 17, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Beginning January 2nd, 2021, undocumented immigrants living in Virginia will be able to apply for official driving credentials, called a driver privilege card, with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), allowing non-citizens to lawfully drive within the Commonwealth for the first time.

The change in the state code stems from legislation the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed earlier this year during the 2020 regular session and signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam.

Republican Party of Virginia Chooses Convention for 2021 Nominations

December 6, 2020December 5, 2020 Eric Burk

It was a “Motion from hell,” Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) Chair Richard Anderson said during the hours-long discussion of the RPV’s nomination method for 2021.

Eventually, the RPV State Central Committee voted in favor of holding a convention instead of a primary to nominate the party’s 2021 Virginia candidates.

Vacancy Expected in Powerful Virginia Agency the SCC

December 4, 2020December 3, 2020 Eric Burk

The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Trump’s appointment of Mark Christie to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. That leaves a vacancy on the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), where Christie was the chair of the three-person panel. Governor Ralph Northam said at a Wednesday press conference that he will temporarily fill the vacancy with Angela Navarro, former deputy secretary of Natural Resources under Northam and his predecessor Terry McAuliffe.

Delegate Jason Miyares Announces Run for Attorney General

December 3, 2020December 2, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) announced Wednesday that he is running for the GOP nomination of attorney general in 2021.

Miyares, who has represented the 82nd District of the House of Delegates since 2016, made the announcement through a video posted to his Facebook profile.

Virginia Attorney General Candidate Chuck Smith: The Constitution is at Risk

October 12, 2020October 11, 2020 Eric Burk

Chuck Smith has been a marine, a U.S. Navy JAG corps commander, and a lawyer. Now, he wants to be an Attorney General.

“Never before in the history of the United States has the Constitution been more at risk,” he told a crowd at the 41st annual GOP Pig Roast on Saturday.

Unity Theme at Greene County GOP Pig Roast

October 11, 2020October 12, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia’s newest crop of Republicans sprung up at a Greene County farm on Saturday. Candidates including Daniel Gade, Bob Good, and Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) spoke to 397 people at the 41st Annual Greene County Pig Roast. The candidates expressed an urgent need for Republicans to work together to regain power in Virginia.

Gov. Northam Fights to Keep Virginia in Perpetual Shutdown

October 8, 2020October 8, 2020 Eric Burk

Only 22 percent of ventilators in Virginia hospitals were in use as of Wednesday. Fifty-two percent of ICU beds were available, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. Only 1,003 potential COVID-19 patients were currently hospitalized. However, Governor Ralph Northam’s executive orders surrounding social distancing and mask wearing remain in effect.

Herring Quits Governor’s Race, Says He’ll Run for Attorney General Again

September 5, 2020September 4, 2020 Eric Burk

Attorney General Mark Herring (D) will run for a third term, and is canceling his bid for the 2020 gubernatorial race, according to the Associated Press.

In December 2018, Herring told the Washington Post that he planned to run for the governor’s seat, but in February 2019, four days after censuring Governor Ralph Northam for his blackface scandal, Herring admitted to having worn blackface as an undergraduate, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.