Pete Snyder Archives - The Virginia Star

Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Candidates on Best Behavior at Liberty University Forum

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 Matthew Hall

The College Republicans of Liberty University hosted a forum for the Republican candidates for Governor of Virginia. Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield), Colonel Sergio De La Pena, Glenn Youngkin, and Peter Doran participated in the forum that was held at Thomas Road Baptist Church. The candidates were well prepared and measured as the 100+ person plus room listened intently.

Cox Calls for Small-Group and Individual Tutoring to Address Learning Loss

April 16, 2021April 15, 2021 Eric Burk

Gubernatorial candidate Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) agrees that schools need to be reopened immediately. But he says that’s not enough — policymakers need to address learning losses. Districts like Fairfax County have reported spikes in failing grades. Parents and medical studies have expressed concern over the long-term harms caused by a year of virtual learning. Cox is calling for tutoring programs to help students recover academically, and he says he is willing to be one of those tutors.

Q1 Finance Reports for Statewide Campaigns Filed, Youngkin Leads in GOP, Snyder Comes Close

April 16, 2021April 15, 2021 Matthew Hall

Per the Code of the Commonwealth of Virginia, all campaigns must have their Campaign Finance Report filed with the State Board of Elections by 11:59PM Thursday. These reports give voters a behind-the-scenes look on how candidates run their campaigns, who is giving them money, and how the candidates are spending their campaign cash.

According to public reports available as of press time, former Carlyle Group CEO Glenn Youngkin has out-raised the Republican field for Governor. Youngkin filed a sizable return, reporting $7.6 million in raised funds. However, he did not post yet how much cash on hand (COH) he has. Former New Media Strategies CEO and Youngkin’s main opponent Pete Snyder, meanwhile, raised $6.4 million – but also with no report yet on his cash on hand.

Pete Snyder Stumps in Roanoke with Convention Quickly Approaching

April 15, 2021April 14, 2021 Matthew Hall

With the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia Unassembled State Convention creeping closer and closer, Republican candidate for Governor Pete Snyder made his way to the Star City on Tuesday night to feed convention-goers and engage in a little retail politics.

Snyder, the former New Media Strategies CEO and longtime leader in the Republican Party of Virginia, bounced out of the car at Starkey Park to greet attendees. Syder’s Communications Director Lenze Morris – an alumnus of Governor Kay Ivey (R-Alabama) – and Republican Party of Virginia Western Regional Vice Chairman and Snyder’s Political Director Daniel Webb quietly watched as the candidate made his rounds.

Glenn Youngkin Stumps for Governor: Addresses His Dealings in China, Virginia’s COVID Policy, and Election Integrity

April 12, 2021April 12, 2021 Matthew Hall

Republican candidate for Governor Glenn Youngkin made a campaign stop in Roanoke over the weekend. Youngkin, former Carlyle Group CEO, was the guest of Dr. Nancy V. Dye and Dr. Kevin Dye at their home, the historic Rockledge manor.

Snyder Appears on Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo

April 10, 2021April 9, 2021 Eric Burk

Gubernatorial candidate Pete Snyder appeared on a Fox Business segment with Maria Bartiromo on Thursday, where he discussed reopening schools, reopening the economy, and criticized legislators for legalizing marijuana.

Gubernatorial Candidate Chase Claims More Convention Corruption

April 9, 2021April 8, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) is firing more claims of corruption at her gubernatorial opponent Pete Snyder and Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) officials, based on Snyder’s campaign hiring staffers with roles in the RPV. Snyder’s campaign and some RPV officials say the claims are baseless.

Chase Says Convention Rigged, Will Run as Independent if Snyder Wins Nomination

April 2, 2021April 1, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase, candidate for the GOP nomination for governor, says she will run as an independent if Pete Snyder is nominated. Chase appeared on The Jeff Katz Show on Tuesday, where she said that the convention process selected by the Republican Party of Virginia is rigged.

“After all the conventions that I participated in for over a decade, I can tell you, that these conventions are rigged. It’s voter suppression,” Chase said.

Former Trump Press Secretary and Arkansas Gubernatorial Hopeful Sarah Sanders Endorses Pete Snyder for Virginia Governor

March 29, 2021March 28, 2021 Eric Burk

Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has endorsed Virginia gubernatorial candidate Pete Snyder. On Thursday, the Snyder campaign posted a video call between Snyder and Sanders on YouTube.

In the video, Sanders said Snyder was a strong Trump supporter who would fight for schools and businesses to be open.

Virginia GOP Gubernatorial Candidates in Mad Scramble for Delegates in Wide Open Race

March 29, 2021March 28, 2021 Matthew Hall

The Republican Party of Virginia announced Friday that the filing deadline had passed for the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia unassembled convention, creating a scramble for the wide open Governor’s race. The unassembled convention is scheduled for Saturday, May 8th, with over 30 polling locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the Republican Party of Virginia, all but two announced candidates for Governor filed for and paid their filing fee.

The following candidates have properly filed with the Republican Party of Virginia and will appear on the Republican Party of Virginia 2021 Statewide unassembled convention ballot.

Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates Attack Their GOP Counterparts

March 28, 2021March 27, 2021 Eric Burk

Four Democratic candidates for governor blasted their GOP counterparts in a joint statement Thursday.

“Last week, the entire Republican field took their complete embrace of Donald Trump a step beyond the far right extremism that has become the norm in the Virginia GOP,” wrote candidates Jennifer Carroll Foy, Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas), Terry McAuliffe, and Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond.)

Debates, Special Elections, and Hot Dog Reviews: A Virginia Gubernatorial Update

March 21, 2021March 21, 2021 Eric Burk

With a special election coming on Tuesday for Senate District 38, gubernatorial candidates on both side of the aisle made appearances this week campaigning for Laurie Buchwald (D) and Travis Hackworth (R). But the governor’s race this week also featured hot dog reviews, a Democratic debate, and attacks between candidates.

Political Ads and Gun Shows: A GOP Gubernatorial Update

March 15, 2021March 14, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia has finally selected a clear nomination process, and the GOP gubernatorial candidates are working to register delegates who will vote for them in the unassembled convention. They’re also attending gun shows, launching new political ads, and attacking the Virginia Parole Board.

Gubernatorial Hopeful Pete Snyder Announces Election Integrity Plan

March 8, 2021March 7, 2021 Eric Burk

Pete Snyder announced his ‘Honest Vote’ election integrity plan on Thursday. The six-point plan focuses on transparency ballot verification and ballot verification measures.

“Having secure, legal, and trustworthy elections is something that we must demand in our Commonwealth. Unfortunately, for too many Virginians, whether they be Republicans, Democrats or independents, trust in our election system has been severely strained and due to many last minute Covid-related changes to our voting systems,” Snyder said in a press release.

New Mission PAC Hosts GOP Gubernatorial Forum

March 5, 2021March 4, 2021 Eric Burk

GOP gubernatorial candidates Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Peter Doran, Sergio de la Peña, and Glenn Youngkin met on Zoom on Thursday evening to answer policy questions about school reform, fixing Virginia’s tax code, improving broadband access, and making Virginia more veteran friendly. The New Mission PAC hosted the forum. PAC founder Daniel Gade and former Delegate Chris Saxman asked the questions in a format designed to allow candidates to demonstrate policy positions without engaging in direct debate.

Glenn Youngkin Creates Virginia Wins PAC to Fund Republican Candidates Across the Ballot

March 4, 2021March 3, 2021 Eric Burk

Gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday he is creating a Virginia Wins PAC to fund Republican political candidates across the ballot in Virginia.

“Youngkin’s investment and fundraising will build a team of local and statewide Republican leaders to restore the Commonwealth, and counter the liberal agenda driven in Virginia by George Soros, who in recent years funded left-wing candidates and efforts aimed at transforming school boards and prosecutor offices,” a campaign press release states.

Senator Amanda Chase Still Dominates Virginia Gubernatorial Conversation as Other Candidates Announce New Policy Plans, Make Campaign Stops

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Eric Burk

More gubernatorial polls this week show most voters are undecided, allowing contest leaders to continue to claim front-runner status while allowing everybody else to claim theoretical wins. But there’s more gubernatorial news than that — this week’s campaign news features new policy announcements, major endorsements, messaging controversy, and a late-night television mention.

First, the poll: 49 percent of Democratic voters and 55 percent of Republican voters are undecided, according to a Christoper Newport University/Wason Center Poll. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe leads Democrats with 26 percent, while Senator Amanda Chase leads Republicans with 17 percent.

Gubernatorial Candidate Youngkin Announces Plan for an Election Integrity Task Force

February 17, 2021February 16, 2021 Eric Burk

Citing a need to restore trust in elections, gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin announced an Election Integrity Task Force on Monday.

“This is not a Democrat issue or a Republican issue, it’s a democracy issue,” Youngkin said in a press release. “Both parties have long raised concerns, and we must restore Americans’ faith in the integrity of our elections.”

New Poll Results, GOP Candidates Hit The Campaign Trail, and Democrats Hit Zoom: A Virginia Gubernatorial Update

February 15, 2021February 14, 2021 Eric Burk

An independent YouGov gubernatorial poll of 508 internet respondents was released Friday. Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) leads the GOP pack with 19 percent, with Pete Snyder at 10 percent and Delegate Kirk Cox at six percent. In the poll, first reported by The Virginia Scope, former Governor Terry McAuliffe leads Democratic candidates with 33 percent. The other leading Democratic candidates are well behind McAuliffe and are effectively tied given a five percent margin of error. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) come in at six percent each, with Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas) just behind at five percent and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax at four percent. Both races are still marked by high amounts of undecided voters.

Virginia GOP Candidates Start to Collect Endorsements

February 7, 2021February 6, 2021 Eric Burk

As the 2021 campaigns accelerate, Virginia’s GOP gubernatorial candidates have started to pick up some big name endorsements, including from two former governors for Delegate Kirk Cox and from influential grassroots organizer Martha Boneta for Pete Snyder.

“Pete is the trusted, proven conservative that we need to battle career politicians in Richmond that failed us when we needed them most. I want all Republicans to support Pete for governor,” Boneta said in her endorsement Thursday.

Governor Northam Wants Virginia Schools to Provide In-Person Option by March 15

February 6, 2021February 5, 2021 Eric Burk

Governor Ralph Northam wants Virginia’s schools to provide in-person learning options by March 15, one year and two days after first ordering schools to close on March 13, 2020. On Friday, the governor sent a letter to school districts instructing them to provide in-person options and encouraged the schools to develop learning-loss mitigation strategies.

Virginia GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Call for Schools to Re-open

February 3, 2021February 2, 2021 Eric Burk

Gubernatorial candidate Pete Snyder announced Tuesday his Open Our Schools tour, where he will visit local Open Our Schools activists across the Commonwealth. Snyder said opening schools in November would be too late, and called for immediate action.

Northam Approves Permanent COVID-19 Safety Standards for Virginia Businesses

January 29, 2021January 28, 2021 Eric Burk

Governor Ralph Northam approved the Permanent COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Standards, which replace the expiring COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. The standard requires Virginia businesses to develop COVID-19 safety strategies much like other workplace safety requirements.

Former Business Executive Glenn Youngkin Officially Joins Race for Virginia Governor

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Jacob Taylor

Former business executive and political outsider, Glenn Youngkin has officially joined the 2021 Virginia governor’s race seeking the Republican nomination.

Youngkin, 54, made the formal announcement through an online statement and campaign video released on Wednesday.

Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Welcome Snyder into Race

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Eric Burk

Republican gubernatorial candidates Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) and Senator Amanda Chase welcomed Pete Snyder into the nomination race Tuesday.

“Look forward to working with you again Pete. Welcome to the race,” Chase tweeted, posting a picture of Snyder working in her 2019 campaign office.

Cox tweeted, “I’d like to welcome Pete Snyder to the 2021 gubernatorial race. It’s my firm belief that competition is a good thing — and I look forward to a robust discussion in which Virginia Republicans can choose the proven candidate that can best unify the party and lead Virginia forward.”

Running Out of Options, Virginia GOP State Central Committee Might Choose 2021 Party Nominees

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) is headed towards the State Central Committee (SCC) selecting the GOP 2021 nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. A majority of the party has voted repeatedly for an in-person convention, which is illegal under current COVID-19 executive orders. A minority of…

Businessman Pete Snyder Enters Race for Virginia Governor

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021 Eric Burk

Virginia 30 Day Fund founder Pete Snyder announced Tuesday that he is running for governor. Snyder is experienced as a social media entrepreneur, investor, and political operative. He’s positioning himself as the answer to problems caused in 2020 by Governor Ralph Northam and the Democrat-led General Assembly.

“We have faced the biggest crisis that we’ve seen in over 100 years, and our leadership in Richmond has absolutely failed us,” Snyder told The Virginia Star.

Failing businesses, closed schools, criminal justice reforms, and a loss of First and Second Amendment rights are the issues the entrepreneur said are fueling his campaign in 2021.

Former Trump Official Sergio de la Peña Joins Virginia Gubernatorial Race

January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 Eric Burk

Former Trump official Sergio de la Peña announced Monday that he’s entering the race to be the Republican nominee for Virginia governor. de la Peña served 30 years in the Army, where he reached the rank of colonel. He also served as Trump’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and he says that experience will set him apart from the suddenly crowded field of GOP gubernatorial candidates.

Former Trump Official Sergio de la Peña Joins Virginia Gubernatorial Race

January 13, 2021 Eric Burk

Virginia 30 Day Fund Partners with Barstool Fund, Providing Support to Struggling Businesses

January 7, 2021January 7, 2021 Eric Burk

Pete Snyder’s Virginia 30 Day Fund has a new partner, the Barstool Fund, which is funding businesses who are still paying their employees even though they aren’t making enough to stay open.

“I’ve been ranting and raving lately about the plight of small businesses in the United States,” Barstool Sports Founder David Portnoy said in a video. “New York City just shut down in door dining. It’s like, ‘How do you expect these people to survive? How are restaurants going to survive?'”

Virginia Governor Candidate Kirk Cox Reportedly Says Biden Will be Next President

January 6, 2021January 5, 2021 Jacob Taylor

GOP candidate for governor and Virginia State Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) reportedly said Tuesday he does not stand with Republicans in Congress who plan to object to the Electoral College votes and that Joe Biden will be the next President of the United States.

Cox’s reported comments were shared by Daniel Grimes, a reporter and weekend anchor for NBC29 in Charlottesville, in a post on Twitter.

Princess Blanding Announces Third-Party Run for Virginia Governor

December 31, 2020December 30, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Community activist and mental health advocate Princess Blanding, whose brother was fatally shot by Richmond Police in 2018, announced her entrance into the 2021 Virginia governor’s race on Tuesday as a third-party candidate, joining a group of hopefuls featuring former and current state politicians.

Blanding, 38, will be running as an independent candidate under the Liberation Party, whose mission to advance equity by uplifting traditionally underserved and oppressed communities, according to a press release.

The Virginia Star’s Person of the Year 2020: The Nominees

December 24, 2020December 24, 2020 Eric Burk

Gun rallies, a general election, COVID-19, and social unrest – it’s been a busy year for Virginians. The Virginia Star is compiling a list of Virginia’s top newsmakers; the staff has picked twelve people, and we’re also looking for reader suggestions: who should come in first and why? Who else should be on the list?

Republican State Senator Emmett Hanger Still Seriously Considering a Bid for Governor

December 21, 2020December 20, 2020 Jacob Taylor

As the 2021 elections inch closer and begin to dominate almost all political talk in the Commonwealth, Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta) is still exploring a potential run to become the 74th governor of Virginia.

Hanger, 72, recently discussed the gubernatorial election and the difficulty of securing the GOP nomination in an interview with The Virginia Star.

Chase Caves on Convention for Virginia GOP Nomination

December 13, 2020December 14, 2020 Eric Burk

Six days after the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) decided to hold a nominating convention instead of a primary, gubernatorial candidate State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) finally declared that she would run in the convention, and not as an independent.

“My team and I have received thousands of communications across the Commonwealth this past week asking me to continue to run as the next Republican Governor of Virginia,” Chase said on Facebook on Friday.

Terry McAuliffe to Run for Second Term as Virginia Governor

December 11, 2020December 10, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe officially entered Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial election on Wednesday after months of educated speculation that the long-time Democrat would throw his name into the contest and seek another four years in the Executive Mansion.

McAuliffe, 63, made the announcement during a press conference in front of Miles Jerome Jones Elementary School in Richmond’s southside that was streamed live to his Facebook page.

Chase Follows Through on Promise, Will Run for Governor as an Independent

December 8, 2020December 7, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) is now planning to run for governor in the 2021 election as an independent candidate.

The decision comes after the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee voted 41-28 on Saturday to hold a convention instead of a primary to nominate the party’s candidates for the 2021 races, according to previous reporting from The Virginia Star.

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.

The Republican Party of Virginia Faces a Day of Reckoning

December 5, 2020December 4, 2020 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) will hold a virtual meeting on Saturday to determine whether a convention or a primary will be used to nominate their candidates for 2021. The decision is strategically important for candidates and power brokers, so rumors of intrigue surround preparations for the meeting.

Campbell County Passes First Amendment Sanctuary Resolution

December 3, 2020December 2, 2020 Eric Burk

Campbell County is a First Amendment Sanctuary, according to a resolution the Board of Supervisors (BOS) unanimously passed at a regular meeting on Tuesday.

“No Campbell County funds will be used to restrict the First Amendment,” the resolution states. “[No] County funds shall be expended to aid federal or state agencies in the restriction of said rights,” the resolution adds.

COVID-19 Crushed Sales Tax Revenue, but Online Sales Helped a Little

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia’s fiscal year 2020 sales tax revenue performed well all the way up until April 2020 when sales tax revenue decreased 0.4 percent from April 2019; May saw sales tax revenue drop 12.5 percent from May 2019, indicating harm to Virginia’s retailers. At the same time, online sales were booming.

Pete Snyder Talks About His Virginia 30 Day Fund and Helping Flip the State Red for Trump

September 26, 2020September 25, 2020 Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed Founder and CEO of New Media Strategies Pete Snyder to talk about his Virginia 30 Day Fund and flipping Virginia.

Virginia Loan Authority Has Millions of Unused Funds Available for Small Businesses, Report says

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) is doing a poor job issuing loans for small businesses with millions in unused funds available, according to a new report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) released Monday.

The VSBFA is a part of the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, but operates separately from the rest of the agency.

Wednesday Is the COVID-19 Emergency Standard Compliance Deadline for Virginia Businesses

August 26, 2020August 25, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia employers face a deadline today to implement new COVID-19 safety standards.

On July 15, the Safety and Health Codes Board adopted the COVID-19 Emergency Standard. The new mandate includes precautions like requiring employers to classify each job for exposure risk, develop policies for employees who have been exposed to COVID-19, and enforce social distancing.

Amid a Crowded Field, Democrat Terry McAuliffe Moves to Run for Governor Again in 2021

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 Eric Burk

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe filed paperwork to run for governor in 2021, joining field of four other Democrats and another four Republicans who have filed or declared serious interest in running in the 2021 primary.

Strategist and Democratic political pundit Ben Tribbett told The Virginia Star that filing to run is not the same as an official declaration as Virginia does not allow exploratory committees.