IN THE NEWS:

1. From the UVA Board of Visitors to the Virginia Potato Board, open records laws have requirements for what qualifies as a public meeting. Now those requirements are shifting online for state agencies, regional bodies and local advisory commissions. Public bodies that were once allowed to conduct 25 percent of their meetings virtually are now able to conduct 50 percent of those meetings online.

2. Cocktails-to-go was one of the silver linings of the pandemic, new rules allowing restaurants to sell margaritas or old fashions in takeout containers. Now a new law in Virginia will extend the pilot program for that indefinitely. But state regulators say third-party vendors like DoorDash and Uber Eats are compliant only half the time.

3. Nine years ago, the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage and overturned the part of Virginia's Constitution that banned it. Now, Governor Youngkin has signed a law ensuring that same-sex marriage will remain legal in Virginia regardless of any future court decisions.

At the Watercooler:

• The media's continuing focus on President Biden's mental condition--and its effect on the November election

• When was the last time a Democrat running for President won a majority of the white vote--and what does that tell us?

This week, Michael and Lauren are joined by three Democratic Congressional candidates running in deeply Republican districts: Leslie Mehta, running in the 1st against Rob Wittman; Gloria Witt, running against John McGuire in the 5th District; and Karen Baker, who is challenging Morgan Griffith in the 9th. 

IN THE NEWS:

1. "If we finally beat Medicare"--that was one of the incomprehensible, raspy incoherent whispers of a feeble president during a televised debate last week, prompting calls by media outlets for the Democrats to dump Biden and put somebody else on the ticket. Over the weekend, the Pod Virginia All Stars addressed the topic.

2. "The best Trump rally ever"--that was how Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin described his first public appearance with the former president in Chesapeake on Friday. Trump spoke for more than 80 minutes in a rambling and disjointed speech that would have otherwise been forgettable. But because it was right after the debate and because he was on the stage with Glenn Youngkin, it actually had some resonance to it.

3. The Senate will be gaveling into session again today to debate financing for a college tuition program called the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program. The program was created back in the 1930s to aid the families of World War I vets, and in recent years it’s been expanded to cover out-of-state residents, graduate students and relatives of service members with non-combat related injuries. That means the cost of the program has spiraled out of control from $12 million in 2019 to $65 million last year. 

At the Watercooler:

• Regarding the debate: if the media won't fact-check, then what's the point?

• Jane Mayer's "Dark Money," the impact of corporate money, and the rise of Glenn Beck a decade ago

On this special edition live-to-tape game show, Michael sits down with Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Delegate Marcus Simon, and Delegate Cia Price to get their reactions to a variety of topics, including President Biden's debate performance, mute buttons, message discipline, bowties, and urban legends surrounding the Washington statue in Richmond.

This week, Alex Goyette of the Alexandria YIMBYs ("yes in my backyard"-s) and Jason Schwartz of the Arlington YIMBYs join Michael to talk about recent primary victories in both cities for candidates that their groups sponsored--in general,  a strong showing for candidates who supported "Zoning for Housing/Housing for All" reform and the end of exclusionary single-family zoning. They break down those races, the argument for greater housing density, and the future of housing policy Arlington and Alexandria going forward.

With Michael off, WTVR's Cameron Thompson joins Lauren to break down the week's headlines...

IN THE NEWS:

1. Good vs McGuire: The 5th District Republican primary is still too close to call and likely headed for a recount--though McGuire likely leads by about 300 votes. Still, Congressman Good is already casting doubts about election integrity.

2. Trump Time: Former President Trump featured heavily in the Good vs McGuire race, and he'll also be showing up at a rally in Chesapeake following this week's presidential debate. Virginia might be in play on the Presidential level this year, and it seems Governor Youngkin is embracing Trump's presence a little bit more.

3. Senate Session: The Virginia House of Delegates will return to Richmond this week, where it will likely repeal changes to VMSDEP--a tuition waiver program for spouses and children of military veterans who were killed or severely disabled. This follow's last week's Senate meeting that was ostensibly supposed to do the same thing...but that never happened. It seems like there's been some miscommunication in the legislature that needs to be sorted out.

4. In the 7th Congressional District, the candidates who have raised the most amount of money are veterans--Democrats and Republicans alike. Same thing in the neighboring 10th Congressional District in Loudoun County, where a bumper crop of candidates is vying for attention. We're actually in an era of comparatively few veterans in office, so what does this surge mean for the next generation of lawmakers?

At the Watercooler:

• The Virginia Democratic Convention--a good time, some expensive food, and a pro-Palestinian protest that bodes ill for President Biden's election campaign.

• Cameron talks the NHL -- the Staney Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and Canada's Edmonton Oilers; Game 7 is Monday night!

This week, Pod Virginia favorite Sam Shirazi joins Lauren to break down this week's primary results across Virginia, including victories from Democrat Suhas Subramanyam's in the 10th District, Republican Hung Cao in the Senate primary, and the still-close race in the 5th Congressional District between Republicans Bob Good and John McGuire. What can we expect from these matchups heading into the November general elections--and how much of the results will be settled by the presidential results?

IN THE NEWS:

1. Any time big news breaks right before an election, that’s a big red flag. So the story we are about to talk about has a huge timing problem, The Democratic primary in the 10th Congressional District is being rocked at the last possible minute by allegations from an anonymous woman who was a member of the Loudoun Democratic Committee who says the frontrunner in the primary, Delegate Dan Helmer, groped her breast at a political event in 2018. The first outlet to report on the story was NOTUS, which is associated with the Allbritton Journalism Institute. The Loudoun Times-Mirror also laid out all the known facts and the timeline. And now five of the other Democrats in the congressional primary are calling for Helmer to drop out of the race.

2. In this primary election, a PAC for Republican candidate Hung Cao has become a source of controversy for how it spent its money; another PAC has attracted attention because it was created to attack Democratic candidate Eileen-Filler-Corn. What's going on with PACs and their influence in Virginia politics?

3. In the 7th Congressional District, the candidates who have raised the most amount of money are veterans--Democrats and Republicans alike. Same thing in the neighboring 10th Congressional District in Loudoun County, where a bumper crop of candidates is vying for attention. We're actually in an era of comparatively few veterans in office, so what does this surge mean for the next generation of lawmakers?

At the Watercooler:

• More on Lauren's experience with allegations against office-holders--and her critiques of the large media outlets that fail to do their due diligence.

• Secret recordings from Lauren Windsor of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, his wife, and Chief Justice Roberts. What are the ethics of secret recordings, how should media outlets use them, and is Windsor a journalist or an activist?

This week, Michael is joined by Tom Davis, a former Republican Congressman and former Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, to break down the statewide and local primary races now underway. Who are the Republicans vying to challenge Tim Kaine, and will they have a chance in November? How is the Good vs. McGuire race affected by the switch to a primary system over conventions? Could Virginia be in play for the presidential race in November?

IN THE NEWS:

1. Don't California My Virginia--that was the platform Republicans ran on last year, and now the governor is following through by ditching California emission standards, even though Democrats who control the General Assembly don't agree. Members of the General Assembly are also clashing with the governor about whether Virginia should be part of two multi-state groups, one to combat climate change and another to update voter information.

2. A text ding might be the sound of modern campaigning in Virginia. Campaigns for everything from Congress to your local City Council are increasingly embracing a new way to reach potential voters. But does this kind of campaigning get too personal?

3. Virginia's unemployment rate is 2.8 percent, and inflation is going down. But are ordinary people actually feeling these economic trends?

At the Watercooler:

• -Jonathan Haidt's Anxious Generation and the effect of cell phones and technology on younger Americans

• Major news for friend of the show Sarah Taylor--congratulations on her new job at Capitol Square Strategies!

This week, Michael is joined by the Washington Post's Northern Virginia reporter, Teo Armus, to break down the candidates in Arlington and Alexandria's Democratic primaries for Mayor and City Council—with the winners all but guaranteed to win the general. With housing as a key issue (the Missing Middle and Housing for All) and the fallout of the Arena Deal, which candidates will differentiate themselves?

Alexandria Mayor: Alyia Gaskins, Amy Jackson, and Steve Peterson

Alexandria's City Council (6 seats total): John Taylor Chapman, Kirk McPike, Jesse O'Connell, Abdel Elnoubi, Canek Aguirre, Jimmy Lewis, Sarah Bagley, Jacinta Greene, Jonathan Huskey, and Charlotte Scherer

Arlington County Board: Natalie Roy, J.D. Spain, Tenley Peterson, Julie Farnam, and James DeVita

IN THE NEWS:

1. A new poll from Roanoke College has the presidential election tied with Biden at 42 percent and Trump also at 42 percent. The poll was conducted right before the guilty verdict in the New York hush money trail, but points to a murky presidential year ahead. The poll also shows tha Democrats are not all that positive about the Biden years, but nine out of ten Republicans view the Trump years as mostly good.

2. Former President Donald Trump lost Virginia in 2016 and in 2020,  but Republicans across the state are clamoring for his endorsement. Now two candidates are receiving just that from the leading Republican candidate for president. One is Hung Cao, a Republican running in the U-S Senate primary against four other candidates; the other is state Senator John McGuire, who is running against incumbent Congressman Bob Good in the 5th Congressional District.

3. Are some students bullied more than others? Delegate Joshua Cole wanted to change the definition of bullying to protect the most vulnerable--students with disabilities, Black and brown students, and LGBTQIA+ students--but Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill, saying it might cause confusion.

At the Watercooler:

• Biden's Black Voter Engagement event...that almost nobody heard about. So what's the plan for Black voters in Virginia?

• Can you run for President from prison? Socialist Eugene V. Debs managed it in 1920, getting 3% of the vote.

This week, Pod Virginia favorite Sam Shirazi joins Michael to break down the Democratic primary in Virginia's 1st Congressional Distict, a longtime Republican seat that includes the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Democrats Leslie Mehta and Herb Jones are facing off to see who will face incumbent Republican Rob Wittman in November. Who are these candidates, and how will the presidential race factor into their chances for the general election and beyond?

IN THE NEWS:

1. In his final round of record-breaking vetoes, Governor Glenn Youngkin is taking action against contraception and in favor of Confederates. He vetoed a bill that would have allowed slot machine style games at convenience stores and truck stops.  He also vetoed two bills that were opposed by Confederate groups: one would have eliminated tax breaks for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the other that would have eliminated two state-issued license plates, one celebrating Robert E. Lee and another celebrating the Sons of Confederate Veterans. 

2. Some predatory lenders advance cash to grieving relatives about to gain an inheritence while trying to claim the money isn't a loan--but a ne bill signed by the Governor would help fight those practices.

3. Did Sam Altman steal the voice of Scarlett Johansson? That's a question that's troubling for Congressman Don Beyer, who introduced the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act. The idea is that OpenAI should share the identity behind "Sky” – the now-suspended voice of artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT. Beyer is focused on building trust in an era of deep fakes.

At the Watercooler:

- Eileen Filler-Corn's response to progressive attacks in the race for the 10th Congressional district -- and why responding to criticism might increasingly be the right move

- Voting has opened for the June primary! An Arlington Democratic candidate forum on Wednesday, June 5 at Innovation Elementary School, and an Alexandria Mayoral forum for on Saturday, June 8th at Taqueria Picoso

This week, Trevor Baratko, editor of Inside NoVa and Fauquier Now, joins Michael to break down the dozen or so candidates for Virginia's 7th Congressional District and the race to replace Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger. The Democratic primary is being led by Eugene Vindman, but with plenty of other candidates including Margaret Franklin, Andrea Bailey, Elizabeth Guzman, Brianna Sewell, Carl Bedell, and Clifford Heinzer; while the Republican race is led by Derrick Anderson, with Cameron Hamilton, Maria Martin, Jonathon Myers, John Prabhudoss, and Terris Todd. What differentiates the candidates, and what will the truly competitive general election race look like?

IN THE NEWS:

1. After failing to pass a budget before they left town, the General Assembly returned for a special session last week to strike a deal. No new taxes, skill games remain unresolved, and several Democratic priorities were cut--but both sides call it a win. 

2. On last week's game show, Senator Scott Surovell pointed out that the General Assembly never really adjourned, so we're in a sort of neverending special session--a common practice to prevent the Governor from being able to appoint judges.

3. This month is the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v Board. And so it’s worth remembering how Virginia responded.

At the Watercooler:

• Senator Lucas' observation that the Washington Post's endorsements in the 7th and 10th district oppose the 13 total women and minority candidates for both races

• The controversy over Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's upside-down American flag stunt--and journalistic confusion when it comes to Fairfax County and Alexandria

On this week's live-to-tape game show, Michael sits down with Senator Scott Surovell, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Delegate Marcus Simon, and Alexandria Assistant City Manager Sarah Taylor to get their takes on Governor Youngkin's legacy budget, student protests, invasive plants, and Jeff Ryer on Pod Virginia.

IN THE NEWS:

1. Virginia's budget is still a work-in-progress, but a deal was announced late last week--there's likely to be no RGGI, no ERIC, and no tax increases, but pay raises for Virginia teachers and state employees.

2. Police officers in riot gear cracked down on student protestors at the University of Virginia last week, pushing students on the ground and using pepper sprays. More than 2300 have been arrested in protests nationwide so far, and support for Palestinians doesn't seem to be decreasing.

3. What kinds of investments do members of the General Assembly make? The folks at VPAP made a chart--Democrats are likely to invest in Microsoft, Verizon, and Johnson & Johnson, while Republicans tend to be invested in Dominion, Tesla, and Amazon. 

At the Watercooler:

• Will Trump actually try to contest Virginia, or is his stated plan a head-fake?

• The race in the 5th Congressional District between Bob Goode and John McGuire--which type of leader do Virginia Republicans want?

With the start of early voting, Antonio Olivo of the Washington Post joins Michael to discuss the race to succeed Jennifer Wexton in Virginia's 10th Congressional District--with twelve in the Democratic primary and and four in the Republican primary, what are the dynamics of the race this year?

IN THE NEWS:

1. Republicans opposed the creation of a 45-day window for early voting in Virginia. But then last year, they switched gears After the election was over, several Republican delegates introduced bills to roll back early voting. Now that early voting has started for this cycle, Republicans are trying to embrace early voting...again.

2. Governor Glenn Youngkin says he stands with law enforcement officials who arrested some students at Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University last week. A group of young Democratic opponents say it's important that students continue to have the right to speak their mind and assemble peacefully.

3. Clean up your act or shut down--that's the message from the Environmental Protection Agency to power plants that use fossil fuels. The new rules issued last week are aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

TRIVIA:

• When was the state flag of Virginia first adopted? At the Watercooler: - The state police crackdown at UVA's peaceful pro-Palestinian protest

• Michael's upcoming May 9th talk at the Arlington Historical Society about "Shotgun Justice," plus the May 18th Alexandria City Council Candidates Forum