This is part of our Cardinal Way project on promoting civil discussions and was written in response to “Democratic hecklers drown out Republican candidates at Buena Vista’s Labor Day speech-making.”
For an opposing point of view, see “What really happened in Buena Vista: A Democratic perspective” by Joy Powers.
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In my travels up and down the 6th Congressional District, I often tell a story about how politics has changed over the past 25+ years. And how things are no longer as civil as they once were. Many of us like to think that politics has never been more hateful, and this is not exactly accurate. However, the rhetoric coming from Never Trumpers and the radical left, which now has taken over the Democrat Party, is very concerning — and should be troubling to all of us.
Back in 1998, when I was on the Arlington County GOP Executive Committee, we were going through the Clinton Impeachment phase of our history. I remember in November 1998 working the polls in Clarendon Precinct and was there with two Democrat activists. We were together for 2 hours, and we had a rather passionate yet civil discussion regarding Bill Clinton. Me, I believed that Clinton had committed perjury and that was a clear “high crime” — which is the constitutional requirement for impeachment and removal. The two Democrats believed that Bill Clinton had acted like a “scumbag” (their term, not mine), but that did not make his affairs and the attempted cover-up an impeachable offense.
Let’s fast forward to 2002. I had moved north of Leesburg and was working the polls at Luckett’s precinct. I remember multiple times trying to hand GOP sample ballots to Democrats, who would reply with “Thank you for being here, I am a Democrat, and will not be voting for your ticket today. However I appreciate your being here.” Republicans would say something similar to Democratic poll greeters.
Let’s fast forward now to the present. Democrats who cannot stand that Donald Trump is back in office are having literal hate orgies towards not only Donald Trump, but towards Republicans in general. Look at the sign held up a couple of weeks ago by an Arlington progressive, saying that Winsome Sears (a Jamaican immigrant female) should not be allowed to drink at her water fountain. Last week at the Shenandoah County Fair, the Democrat booth had a sign that said GOP – Guardians of Pedophiles.
Don’t forget what the wife of the current 7th Congressional District Congressman said shortly after a young assassin tried to kill Donald Trump and Trump took a bullet into his ear. Rachel Vindman said, and I quote, on Twitter (X), “No ears were harmed. Carry on with your Sunday afternoon.”
Whether you love Donald Trump as I do or you can’t stand Mr. Trump, the fact is that this type of speech is alarming. Let’s now go to the 2025 Labor Day Parade and Buena Vista, Virginia, political rally. For decades, this event has been the start of the political season in Virginia. Democrats showed up in force on Labor Day — good for them. However, they started heckling each member of the GOP statewide ticket. A clear violation of the First Amendment. Me personally, I want Democrats to talk more, so people can see just how loony some of their policies are.
However, this does not go both ways. Democrats Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones were perfectly comfortable with the heckling and the abhorrent behavior. Many people on both sides of the political divide are concerned that we are headed towards a second Civil War. While I believe this is a bit overstated, the fact is that because of Democrat hatred, we can no longer have civil discussions like the ones I mentioned above. I have a few Democrat friends who are concerned about the level of vitriol from their own ranks.
Evan Barker, a former Democrat fundraiser who voted for Trump in 2024, said on Fox News earlier this week (and also in her Substack) that if she ran the DNC, she would require that the DNC no longer mention Donald Trump — so that the party could fix themselves by talking about what Democrats support policy wise, and not just be a party of Trump haters. Barker also stated that Democrats need to come up with better policies and get away from their extremism on illegal immigration, gender ideology and crime. Look at Lindy Le, a former Democrat fundraiser who was called horrid names by Democrats because Le wondered how 2024 Presidential nominee Kamala Harris could blow $1.5 billion and get trounced by Donald Trump. Le asks legitimate questions Democrats should ask and gets trashed by her own people.
Polls are narrowing in Virginia, and that is for good reason. Democrats seem to stand for nothing other than “WE HATE REPUBLICANS.” Republicans, led by Winsome Sears, are pushing a positive agenda of pro-growth, pro-child, pro-woman and pro-Virginia. The fact that Spanberger seems to be perfectly ok with being the head of a hate mob should leave everyone concerned about our future.
John Massoud is the Chairman of Virginia’s 6th Congressional District Republican Committee.