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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 1d

Republican Dels. Amanda Batten, Mark Earley Jr., Chad Green, Paul Milde, and Bobby Orrock all softened or hid the anti-abortion language previously on their campaign sites.

virginiaindependentnews.com/reproductive...

Virginia Republican delegates scrub anti-abortion positions from their websites

At least five GOP members of the House of Delegates have toned down or deleted anti-abortion language.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 3d

The law that Trump wants to ignore was signed in 2019 by TRUMP.

virginiaindependentnews.com/politics/dem...

Virginia Democratic lawmakers demand Trump keep promise to pay furloughed workers

President Donald Trump is threatening to ignore a federal law guaranteeing that federal employees are made whole after a shutdown.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 3d

In every contested Virginia race, a stark choice on whether to address gun violence.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/20...

2025 legislative races will determine the future of Virginia’s gun safety laws

In 18 of the most competitive House of Delegates races, Democratic candidates support, and nearly every Republican opposes, efforts to keep guns out of the hands of kids and dangerous individuals.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 4d

"We have to go back before COVID, when we made some dramatic changes to be very inclusive. We have to go back before that and fix those numbers.” -- GOP VA LG nominee John Reid
virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/jo...

Reid falsely claims Democratic stopgap would give free health care to undocumented people

Virginia Republican nominee for lieutenant governor John Reid also defended President Donald Trump’s cuts to Medicaid in an Oct. 1 television interview.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 7d

As opposed to those more moderate Marxists? :)

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 8d

The Right has been attacking anyone they disagree with as Marxist for a long time. It's how they tried to stop MLK

americanjournalnews.com/gop-black-li...

GOP attacks on Black Lives Matter are a 'throwback' to anti-civil rights playbook

Republicans are calling protests against systemic racism ‘communism.’

americanjournalnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 8d

NBC News: Would you tell President Trump not to fire any more federal workers?”

Earle-Sears: "What is Sens. Kaine and Warner going to stand up and say they agree with what you said?"

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/ea...

Earle-Sears dodges questions about Trump administration layoffs of federal workers

Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears says she supports President Donald Trump’s job cuts.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 9d

“If Republicans are serious about governing, keeping the government open and helping working families, they should return to Washington immediately and engage in serious bipartisan negotiations.” -- @bobbyscott.house.gov

virginiaindependentnews.com/politics/tru...

Trump, GOP Congress reject Democratic plan to avert shutdown and 20% health premium hikes

Because Congress missed its budget deadlines, the federal government partially shut down on Oct. 1.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 10d

"This bill, transvaginal ultrasound bill, of which I got to tell you, I think helps women make a logical, rational decision” VA GOP Senate candidate Bryce Reeves in 2012

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/go...

GOP Senate hopeful voted to require transvaginal ultrasound before abortion in Virginia

Virginia Republican state Sen. Bryce Reeves is running to challenge Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Warner in 2026.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 11d

In much of SW Virginia, including areas in and around Montgomery County, families must travel long distances to access medical care. Now, with VA expected to lose about $29B in federal funds over a decade due to Trump’s budget law, Virginia’s health care deserts are expected to get even worse.

Southwest Virginia was already a health care desert. Trump’s law may make it worse.

Cuts to the Medicaid program made by President Donald Trump and the GOP-led Congress are expected to leave rural communities with even fewer health care providers and facilities.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 12d

"This is another consequence of the Trump cuts that [Jack Ciattarelli] endorsed, and it will hurt New Jersey." -- Rep. @mikiesherrill.bsky.social

jerseyindependent.com/politics/nj-...

New Jersey PBS to shut down after Trump and Congress defunded PBS and NPR

'New Jerseyans are losing the sources of information necessary to make informed decisions,' New Jersey U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said.

jerseyindependent.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 14d

@abigailspanberger.com has released a comprehensive plan to lower costs for Virginians. Her opponent, Winsome Earle-Sears has a paragraph on her website on the topic with no specific proposals.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/ea...

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger releases ‘Affordable Virginia Plan’

Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears has endorsed President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have caused increased prices for consumers.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 16d

If elected Virginia AG, @jonesjay.bsky.social plans to stop violent crime, get illegal guns off the streets, and protect children.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/20...

Jay Jones introduces ‘Keeping Virginia Safe’ plan

Jones, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, is the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares on Nov. 4.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 16d

"Getting rid of these tax credits wouldn’t just be an attack on working families, it’s a weight on our entire health care system that will have to shoulder the burden when patients pour into our emergency rooms with treatable diseases they couldn’t afford to treat." -- Linda Bennington, VA Beach

After voting to slash Medicaid, Rep. Kiggans wants to go after ACA subsidies next

Virginia Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans spoke out against President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to Medicaid, but then voted for them anyway.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 16d

Virginia Republican LG nominee John Reid provided no data to back up his claims that Trump's Medicaid cuts won't cut hundreds of thousands of Virginians their health care coverage.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/jo...

John Reid falsely claims Medicaid cuts won’t lead to hospital closures

Both Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid and Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears are falsely telling voters $1 trillion in federal health care cuts won’t reduce access to...

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Reposted by Josh Israel

Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · 17d

These questions sound pretty much like the *textbook definition* of a push poll, yet the company (Venture Data) conducting it for the Earle-Sears campaign claims they are against push polls. Hmmmm... bluevirginia.us/2025/09/new-...

A survey by Venture Data for the Winsome Earle-Sears campaign asks a series of extremely leading, negative, nasty, and false "questions" about Abigail Spanberger. This is basically the textbook definition of a push poll!

Venture Data's "Policy Regarding 'Push Poll'" says "Venture Data does not engage in what is commonly known as Push Polls."

Venture Data discloses that the "survey was authorized and paid for by Winsome for Governor"

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 18d

“I’m very worried about what will happen to me, to my business, and to my employees if these tax credits go away. A few days ago, I pulled up my own personal insurance statement to review, and my premium would actually double in size if not for these credits." -- Lester Johnson of Richmond

Virginia Democrats in Congress call for permanent health insurance premium subsidies

If Congress does not act, Virginians could see an average premium increase of more than $96 per month in 2026.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 22d

It seems like it's always time to vote in Virginia... but it's time to vote in Virginia!

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/20...

Early voting underway in Virginia for Nov. 4 election

Registered voters can vote by mail or in person in this year’s statewide, legislative, and local elections.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 22d

Sure looks like him.

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 23d

"Republicans would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats to keep health care affordable. They already slashed $1 trillion from Medicaid and now they want to spike Americans’ health care premiums by 75%!” [email protected]

virginiaindependentnews.com/politics/con...

Republicans in Congress refuse to address health care cost increases in stopgap bill

Democrats have demanded a provision in legislation to keep the government open that would extend expiring health insurance premium subsidies.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 23d

"Richmond is so ashamed of having been a major center in the slave trade 100 year ago, 200 years ago, 300 years ago. ... I don’t know why you would choose to become a stop on the abortion trail these days, voluntarily.” -- VA GOP LG nominee John Reid.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/20...

On talk show, John Reid said patients coming to Virginia for abortions is like slave trade

Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, repeated lies about abortion on his Richmond radio show.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 23d

About 75% of the 13,000 Virginians who have died since 2019 from drug overdoses overdosed on fentanyl or other synthetic opioids, according to Virginia Department of Health data.

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/20...

Virginia nominee for attorney general Jay Jones releases plan to stop fentanyl trafficking

The Democratic former state lawmaker proposed creating a drug trafficking unit and cracking down on online drug sales.

virginiaindependentnews.com

Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · 24d

“Her campaigning with the architect of DOGE just — it makes clear that you’re not serious about the impacts that are to come, that have already been realized for Virginia’s economy." -- former HHS staffer Tiffany Pryce Russom

virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/wi...

Winsome Earle-Sears schedules campaign event with former leader of Trump’s DOGE efforts

The Republican candidates for statewide office in Virginia have all signed on for a Sept. 19 Chesterfield rally with Vivek Ramaswamy.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · Sep 11

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“It is so important to keep on keeping on, because the arts and books and literature and the humanities will never not be needed,” -- Virginia Center for the Book director Kalela Williams

After Trump cuts, a scaled-down 2026 Virginia Festival of the Book

Virginia Humanities, which hosts the annual literary event, lost promised funding as part of President Donald Trump’s cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities.

virginiaindependentnews.com

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Josh Israel @jeisrael.bsky.social · Sep 11

Consumer prices have been rising nationally, in large part due to Trump’s economic policies. In August, the annual inflation rate rose to 2.9%, up from 2.3% in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

jerseyindependent.com/elections/co...

Consumer costs will be the top issue in New Jersey legislative races, expert says

Inflation, which had been going down nationally, jumped to 2.9% in August after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on most imported goods.

jerseyindependent.com