Virginia Insider

A Washington Post-Schar School poll has Republican incumbent John McGuire ahead of Democrat Tom Perriello in Virginia's 5th Congressional District, 51 percent to 45 percent among likely voters. Uriah Kiser reads the WSET report. WSET put the margin of error at 4.5 to 4.6 points. McGuire won the seat in 2024 by 15 points. President Donald Trump carried the district by 12 points that same year.

The poll, in the field September 23-28, also has Trump at 47 percent favorable and 53 percent unfavorable inside the 5th. WSET quotes University of Lynchburg political scientist Dave Richards, an ABC-13 analyst, saying Republicans are struggling to motivate voters who are fed up with the economy, whether or not they blame Trump. Perriello, who held the seat from 2009 to 2011, is running on affordability. WSET says he does better in Charlottesville and the college towns, and McGuire holds the more conservative parts of a district that runs from Charlottesville down through Lynchburg.

Virginia Public Access Project analysis in the WSET piece ranks the McGuire-Perriello race second in the state for early voting, behind the 1st District matchup of incumbent Rob Wittman and Democrat Shannon Taylor, Henrico County's commonwealth's attorney. Kiser's commentary on the air questions the poll, the early-voting calendar, and whether a Washington Post survey is built to depress Republican turnout. The numbers themselves are the WSET report of the Post-Schar poll. A 6-point lead inside a roughly 5-point margin of error is a lead. It is not a 15-point lead.

Early voting is underway. Comment if you have already voted in the 5th, or if you are waiting until Election Day. Like and subscribe for the next district read. Hit the bell.

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Sources:

WSET: https://wset.com/news/local/5th-district-race-tightens-ahead-of-election-day-according-to-new-poll-september-2026-tom-perriello-john-mcguire-politics

Schar School: https://schar.gmu.edu/news/2026-10/washington-post-schar-school-poll-shows-democrats-leading-bellwether-districts

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Early voting opened in Virginia today. Every ballot this fall carries three constitutional amendments — on abortion, marriage, and automatic restoration of felons’ voting rights. Uriah Kiser walks through the language Democrats put on the ballot and the arguments opponents say the slogans leave out.

Starting September 18, Virginians can vote early through October 31 for the November 3 midterms. On the ballot: a U.S. Senate race, all 11 congressional seats, local offices, and three proposed changes to the Virginia Constitution. Same questions in every locality. Different consequences if they pass.

Question 1 would add a Bill of Rights section declaring that every individual has a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” covering prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care. That right could not be denied, burdened, or infringed except by a compelling state interest using the least restrictive means. The Commonwealth could regulate third-trimester abortion, but could not prohibit one a physician judges necessary to protect life or physical or mental health, or if the fetus is not viable. Opponents — including the Virginia Catholic Conference, the Virginia Society for Human Life, and former Del. Tim Anderson — call the mental-health-plus-single-physician standard late-term abortion on demand. They warn courts could strike Virginia’s parental-consent statute. Republican floor amendments for parental notice and born-alive protections were rejected.

Question 2 would strike the 2006 one-man, one-woman clause and declare marriage “one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness.” The state could not deny a license to two adults based on sex, gender, or race and would have to treat lawful marriages equally. Same-sex marriage is already legal in Virginia. Opponents at the Family Foundation and Heritage Action say writing “sex” and “gender” as separate constitutional categories is the real fight — schools, sports, locker rooms, women’s shelters, family court, and custody — with no religious-liberty carve-out.

Question 3 would declare a fundamental right to vote that “shall not be abridged,” restore all political rights automatically on release from incarceration with no further action required, and put murder, rape, and child-sex offenses on the same clock as nonviolent felonies. Critics including Todd Gilbert and former Del. Paul Milde say release is not completion of sentence, many felony convictions are probation-only, and automatic restoration also means the right to run for office — including school board. Kiser ties that to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s parole board, which WJLA reported is granting releases at roughly ten times the Youngkin-era rate.

Like, comment, and subscribe. Hit the bell so you do not miss the next Virginia Insider report. Tell us in the comments: yes or no on each amendment — and why.

POLYMARKET: https://richmond.com/news/nation-world/article_79e5024d-b5f3-54ca-a1f2-1153b1e5e22c.html

Yes. I’d make this a reusable “Potomac Local Article Social Promo” project. The goal is different from a normal thumbnail: it should look like someone is seeing a compelling portion of the actual Potomac Local News article, with enough information to understand the story but not enough to eliminate the need to click.

You can paste the following directly into the project instructions:

They didn’t hold a ceremony. They didn’t send a press release. On Friday, August 28, crews in Capitol Square lifted Virginia’s last state-owned Confederate statues off the grounds of the Capitol — Stonewall Jackson, William “Extra Billy” Smith, and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire — and hauled more than a century of bronze off the lawn.

Virginia Insider host Uriah Kiser walks through what happened, how it was paid for, and why almost no one in Richmond was invited to watch.

The statues came down under Budget Item 71 #1c, not a standalone vote the public could easily track. Sen. Adam Ebbin of Alexandria introduced SB636 to remove them. That bill passed the Senate on a 21-19 party-line vote and then died in House Appropriations after cost estimates approached $2 million. Lawmakers revived the project in the June appropriations package used to keep state government open. The Department of General Services confirmed the work and said the Commonwealth has gifted the monuments to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation for battlefield display — not a melt-down like Charlottesville.

This is also the unfinished chapter after 2020, when Monument Avenue came down under then-Mayor LeVar Stoney and large pieces of that collection sat for years at a wastewater plant off I-95. Visitors once came from around the world to walk those streets. The question now is what story Virginia still tells on the grounds of its own Capitol — and whether packing controversial projects into must-pass budget bills is how Richmond now makes history disappear.

Sources:

VPM: https://www.vpm.org/news/2026-08-28/richmond-confederate-statues-capitol-square-stonewall-holmes/

WWBT 12 On Your Side: https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/08/28/three-confederate-monuments-taken-down-capitol-square/

WTVR CBS 6: https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/richmond/removing-confederate-statues-capitol-square-aug-28-2026

Richmond Times-Dispatch: https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/article_49d25b64-090a-400e-9985-341e1170e278.html

Budget Item 71 #1c: https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/amendment/2026/2/HB30/Introduced/CR/71/1c/

SB636: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB636

Virginia Democrats tried to turn a 6-5 congressional map into a 10-1 machine. The courts stopped it. Now the money trail is out in the open.

Uriah Kiser breaks down new Daily Signal reporting and a Capital Research Center donor study on who bankrolled Virginia’s failed mid-decade redistricting push — and why this fight may come back in 2027.

In April, Democrats in Richmond moved to sideline the bipartisan redistricting commission that Virginians approved in 2020 by about 66 percent. The goal was blunt: remove four Republican members of Congress and lock in a 10 Democrat, 1 Republican map. A referendum narrowly passed. The Virginia Supreme Court then struck the measure down as an illegal process that violated the state constitution. The maps that remain are still 6-5 Democratic. That was not enough.

The Daily Signal reports the campaign exposed a coalition of House Democrat campaign groups, labor-backed nonprofits, entities linked to George Soros, and the Sunflower Services dark money network — infrastructure previously associated with Arabella Advisors. Capital Research Center president Scott Walter said unions and those networks “work together as one Borg” to benefit one party, and that the left can mobilize megadonors and tens of millions even for a project courts quickly quashed.

The largest check came from House Majority Forward, the advocacy group affiliated with House Majority PAC, which gave about $39.3 million to Virginians for Fair Elections. The Fairness Project — with origins in an SEIU-affiliated California healthcare union — added nearly $12 million. Hopewell Fund and the Sixteen Thirty Fund helped feed that pipeline. Most of the groups did not respond to requests for comment.

A Maryland judge has now blocked a similar Democratic redistricting push next door after lawmakers skipped their own process. Uriah walks through what that means for Virginia voters: majority power in Richmond does not erase the constitution. He also flags the host’s warning that Democrats may try again in 2027 if conservative judges are replaced and conservative turnout stays low.

If you live in Virginia, this is about whether your congressional voice can be rewritten by national money when the law gets in the way.

Like this video. Drop your take in the comments. Subscribe to Virginia Insider and hit the bell so you don’t miss the next statewide report.

Source: https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/08/25/virginia-redistricting-fight-offers-rare-window-lefts-election-funding-machine/

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Sources:

The Daily Signal — https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/08/25/virginia-redistricting-fight-offers-rare-window-lefts-election-funding-machine/

Capital Research Center — https://capitalresearch.org/article/major-donors-to-the-virgina-redistricting-ballot-measure/

Governor Abigail Spanberger just ordered Virginia agencies to fight to keep people on Medicaid and SNAP as federal rules change. Hundreds of thousands of Virginians are about to face new work requirements, extra paperwork, and tighter eligibility. The question in Richmond is simple: who stays covered, and who pays for the workaround?

Uriah Kiser breaks down Executive Order 20, the “Keep Virginia Covered” directive Spanberger signed after Congress passed H.R. 1, the reconciliation law Republicans call the One Big Beautiful Bill. Of Virginia’s nearly two million Medicaid enrollees, more than 500,000 will be subject to new work requirements and yearly verification. About 5,800 lawful immigrants are slated to lose Medicaid coverage. Roughly 749,000 Virginians receive SNAP food assistance as eligibility and payment rules shift.

Spanberger says keeping people covered prevents bigger hospital bills later. “We are lessening the risk that individuals may walk into a hospital with an emergency need because they haven’t previously sought medical care,” she told reporters. The order calls for plain-language outreach, inter-agency coordination, a state-level subsidy to help certain populations buy Affordable Care Act coverage, public-private partnerships, and more connections to jobs, apprenticeships, and training. The state also launched a dashboard to track health and social-services data.

That is the official pitch. The political fight is over what “eligible” means after the federal law changes the rules, how much state money gets used to blunt those changes, and whether Virginia should spend taxpayer dollars to keep people on programs Washington just tightened. Spanberger has leaned on executive orders before. Critics argue this one is less about paperwork and more about preserving a benefits system the new federal law was written to shrink.

This is Virginia politics with real kitchen-table stakes: Medicaid, food stamps, work rules, immigration eligibility, hospital costs, and the state budget. Watch the full breakdown, then tell us where you stand.

If this kind of statewide reporting matters to you, like the video, subscribe to Virginia Insider, and hit the bell so you do not miss the next briefing. Drop your take in the comments: should Richmond backfill federal benefit cuts, or should the new work and eligibility rules stand?

Source:

Virginia Mercury — Spanberger orders state agencies to prepare for Medicaid, SNAP changes

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/08/26/spanberger-orders-state-agencies-to-prepare-for-medicaid-snap-changes/

Governor’s office — Executive Order 20, “Keep Virginia Covered”

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2026/august-releases/name-1122870-en.html

Nine men walked into a Fairfax County sting thinking they were meeting a child. Detectives were waiting. Hours later, ICE publicly asked Governor Abigail Spanberger not to release a Mexican national in Franklin County facing more than 20 child-pornography charges. Uriah Kiser breaks down both cases and what they mean for Virginia.

Fairfax County police say undercover detectives posed as juveniles online, then arrested nine men, ages 21 to 48, who believed they were traveling to Fairfax County for a sexual encounter with a minor. Police say the suspects face 20 charges combined, including solicitation of a minor, procuring a minor for prostitution, and attempted indecent liberties. The men listed addresses in Ashburn, Manassas, Springfield, Alexandria, Stafford, Woodbridge, Reston, and Statesville, North Carolina. Several were released on bond. Fairfax County Police called it a proactive Child Exploitation Unit operation.

Separately, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jorge Gilberto Zamorano-Burciaga, 36, in Rocky Mount on August 12 after a search-warrant investigation. Local and federal reports list 21 felony counts: nine possession of child pornography, six producing child pornography involving a child under 15, three reproducing or selling child pornography, two possessing obscene material using minors, and one reproducing, transmitting, or selling child pornography. He is being held at the Franklin County Jail. DHS says he is a Mexican national who entered illegally, received DACA in 2013 that expired in 2018, and has prior Franklin County arrests for DWI and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. ICE lodged a detainer and called on Governor Spanberger and local officials not to release him.

Uriah also ties this to the July 2026 case of Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda, found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2019 Fairfax County killing, then given a 48-hour pass from a state mental hospital before flying to Tajikistan. The question in the comments is the same one ICE is putting in writing: will Virginia cooperate on removal, or will sanctuary policy decide who stays?

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Sources:

Fairfax County sting (FOX 5): https://www.fox5dc.com/news/9-men-arrested-undercover-fairfax-county-child-exploitation-operation

Franklin County arrest (WSLS): https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2026/08/12/man-arrested-on-multiple-charges-including-production-sale-of-child-sexual-abuse-material-in-franklin-county/

DHS / ICE detainer statement: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/08/27/ice-asks-governor-abigail-spanberger-not-release-criminal-illegal-alien-charged

7News reporting: https://wjla.com/news/local/ice-lodges-detainer-for-virginia-man-facing-more-than-20-child-porn-charges-dhs-federal-crimes

A man found not guilty by reason of insanity in a Fairfax County killing was given a 48-hour pass from a Virginia mental health hospital. He did not go back. He went to Dulles and flew to Tajikistan.

Uriah Kiser breaks down the Fox 5 report, the Virginia law that allowed an unescorted weekend pass, and Governor Abigail Spanberger’s promise to “get to the bottom of it.”

Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda was accused of killing his landlord, Mohammad Hemmatian, in Vienna in 2019. A court later found him not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute. In June 2026, a judge again denied conditional release and said he remained mentally ill and needed inpatient treatment. Weeks later, the facility still authorized a 48-hour community pass. Court records say he left for an apartment tied to Fairfax’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program, then boarded a one-way flight from Dulles through Istanbul to Dushanbe.

This was not his first trip off campus. In 2024, he was allowed an escorted visit to the Tajik embassy in Washington to obtain a passport — a request supported by the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney. DHS later said he entered the United States legally in 2009, later violated the terms of his admission, and was ordered removed by an immigration judge on June 24. On July 6, he left the country. Officials called it self-deportation. Fairfax families and police are asking a harder question: how does a committed patient walk out, get on a plane, and leave the United States?

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said his department is “completely unaware” of any process that notifies local police when these unescorted visits are granted. On August 5 — a month after Toshpulodzoda left — prosecutors asked a judge for a warrant enforceable outside Virginia. Spanberger’s office says the governor will work “aggressively” to change the system that allowed it. Uriah also puts the case in the larger Northern Virginia debate over ICE cooperation, prosecutorial decisions in Fairfax County, and whether state mental-health pass laws still match what voters expect after a homicide finding.

If this is how Virginia handles a committed killer, who gets the next weekend pass? Watch the full breakdown, then tell us whether the law should change.

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Sources:

FOX 5 DC: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/virginia-governor-promises-change-after-accused-murderer-flees-u-s-from-mental-health-facility

FOX 5 DC original report: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/accused-murderer-boards-flight-out-u-s-weekend-pass-from-virginia-mental-health-facility

FOX 5 DC / Chief Davis: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/fairfax-county-police-raise-concerns-over-law-allowing-accused-killers-unescorted-community-visits

WTOP: https://wtop.com/virginia/2026/08/man-found-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity-in-fairfax-co-killing-flees-on-one-way-flight-while-on-hospital-pass/

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is now investigating the Greene County Sheriff for working with federal law enforcement to remove criminal illegal aliens from his community. Governor Abigail Spanberger and her AG are choosing to target local law enforcement instead of the criminals.

In this episode of Virginia Insider, Uriah Kiser breaks down the latest move by Attorney General Jay Jones—nicknamed “Two Bullets” for past comments about using two bullets on the children of Republican opponents. Jones has opened an investigation into the Greene County Sheriff near Charlottesville over traffic stops and cooperation with federal authorities aimed at removing illegal criminal aliens. The AG’s office cites allegations of unlawful patterns of practice that supposedly deprive people of rights and privileges.

Uriah examines the letter from the Attorney General’s office, the murky claims about state law versus executive orders, and the larger question Virginia voters are asking: when did non-citizens who entered the country illegally gain the same rights and protections as American citizens and legal residents who follow the rules, pay taxes, and build communities? He contrasts the treatment of law enforcement officers doing their jobs with the sanctuary-style policies that Democrats continue to defend—even as legal immigrants and longtime residents express frustration and fear over rising crime and open-border consequences.

This is a clear example of statewide priorities under the current administration: pressure on sheriffs who cooperate with federal partners rather than focus on criminal illegal aliens who break the law and endanger Virginians. Watch for the full breakdown of the investigation, the political backdrop, and what it means for public safety across the Commonwealth.

If you value independent coverage of Virginia politics that doesn’t pull punches, support the work directly.

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Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano is accused of stonewalling a congressional investigation into his office’s handling of illegal immigrant defendants. In a letter obtained by WJLA 7News, House Judiciary Committee leaders Jim Jordan and Tom McClintock say Descano has failed to produce key records on cases involving foreign national criminals and preferential treatment that may shield them from immigration consequences.Support Virginia Insider

Become a Member → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFRsz0wQzFOpQG6_HUwLMRA/joinUriah Kiser breaks down the latest developments from Capitol Hill and Fairfax County. The committee requested materials on January 15 and June 4, 2026, regarding Descano’s office policies that critics say prioritize limiting immigration consequences for criminal aliens. Descano’s responses allegedly claimed the requests were based on a misunderstanding and that Congress lacks oversight authority. Jordan and McClintock rejected those arguments and reiterated demands for the number of nolle prosequi cases, defendant nationalities, and related records, with a deadline of September 7, 2026.

This comes after high-profile cases including the February 2026 stabbing death of Stephanie Minter at a Fairfax bus stop. Her accused killer, Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant with a lengthy prior record, had multiple charges dropped by Descano’s office despite police warnings. Separate reporting has highlighted lenient plea deals, including two illegal immigrant defendants who faced up to 40 years for murder but received five-year sentences.

Descano previously faced congressional questioning, including a hearing where he sat near Minter’s mother, Cheryl, offered a limited apology, and declined further questions.The scrutiny intersects with broader Virginia debates over sanctuary-style policies. Half of Fairfax County’s 2026 homicide suspects have been identified as being in the country illegally, according to local reporting.

This includes the recent killing of Carmen Lizet Puch, who was stabbed and doused in gasoline. Governor Abigail Spanberger’s early executive actions rescinding prior directives on state-local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement remain part of the larger context.Watch as Uriah walks through the letter, the history of dropped charges and plea deals, the human cost in Fairfax County, and what the ongoing House investigation means for public safety and accountability in Virginia’s largest locality. Like, comment with your thoughts on prosecutorial discretion and immigration enforcement, subscribe for more statewide coverage, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an update.Sources: WJLA 7News reporting by Nick Minock and the House Judiciary Committee letter.Follow Virginia Insider:

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The election is right around the corner. On September 18, Virginia begins 45 days of early voting for the fall congressional elections — and Republicans are getting serious about holding key seats.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is heading to Virginia Beach to campaign with Congresswoman Jen Kiggins in the 2nd District rematch against Elaine Luria. National Republicans see this heavily military Hampton Roads seat as critical to keeping their House majority. At the same time, longtime 1st District Congressman Rob Whitman faces Democrat Shannon Taylor, while Doug Olivet challenges Eugene Vindman in the competitive 7th District.

Uriah Kiser breaks down the races, the national attention, and the political headwinds created by one-party Democratic rule in Richmond under Governor Abigail Spanberger — from energy costs and data centers to immigration policy and cultural flashpoints. The video also covers Vindman’s recent confrontation with constituents at a King George County event and his subsequent apology.

Virginia voters will decide these races this fall. Early voting starts September 18. Stay informed, stay engaged, and make your voice heard.

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Sources referenced in this episode include reporting from WTKR and coverage of the Vindman event from The Advocate. Like, comment, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss Virginia political updates. Download the podcast wherever you get your podcasts.