Democratic Party of Virginia - Current Events

Current Events

Although it is difficult to measure total fundraising contributions because money is donated to political action committees as well as directly to the parties, public records show that in 2007, the Virginia Republican Party received $3,376,215 compared with $8,245,806 for the Democrats.

In 2006, a budget deadlock between the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and the Republican-controlled Senate resulted in the legislative session extending far beyond its normal term as well as a special session. In general, the Democrats favored a progressive income tax and sought to eliminate the sales tax on groceries.

In 2007, the need to fund $1 billion per year for pressing transportation projects resulted in another impasse between the House of Delegates and Senate. Rather than approve additional tax increases, the final Republican plan, which was enacted into law, resulted in new abusive driving fees of up to $3,000 which are assessed against Virginia residents in addition to the historic fines assessed on out-of-state drivers convicted of the same driving law violations. The Republican plan also called for issuing general obligation bonds which Democrats claim will reduce funding of non-transportation needs in future years. In general, the Democrats opposed the abusive driving fees. On 2007-08-23, the Republican leaders of the House and Senate responded to public opposition of the new fees by promising to moderate them in the 2008 legislative session.

Leading up to the November 2007 elections, where all of the House of Delegates and Senate seats were up for reelection, Democrats highlighted the Republicans' inability to lead the legislature. In response, the Republicans focused on illegal immigration and unveiled a proposal to prohibit illegal immigrants from attending public colleges and requiring sheriffs to check people's immingation status before releasing them from jail. As a result, Democrats in 2007 regained control of the State Senate and narrowed the Republican majority in the House of Delegates to 7 or 8 seats.

In February 2009, the Republicans sought to exploit an internal dispute within the Senate Democratic caucus over the appointment of judges in Norfork to regain control of certain Senate committee chairmanships. The Republicans filed a report to change these chairmanships to Republican hands expecting one Democratic Senator to support them, thereby creating a 20-20 tie and allowing Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, a Republican to break the tie. However, Republican Party Chair Jeffrey Frederick reported via Twitter that Republicans were close to luring a Democrat in the Virginia Senate into entering a power sharing agreement. Because the Democrats were tipped off to the potential defection, they were able to prevent this from taking place.

In a special session of the legislature held on April 8, 2009 to consider extending unemployment insurance benefits in order to implement the federal stimulus package, the Republicans voted along party lines, 53 to 46 in the House of Delegates to defeat the proposal. Two Republican delegates from high unemployment districts voted in favor of Kaine's proposal.