Opinion

Progressive “outsiders” have fared well in other states. They didn’t in Tuesday’s primaries in Virginia. Plus, insight into how Roanoke council member Peter Volosin lost.

We have built an economy that is requiring difficult choices, on the environment, on jobs, on land use, on lots of things. Is government capable of handling all these?

Not everyone eligible to register to vote does so. And not everyone who is registered actually votes. Here’s a guess at how many voters this action will produce.

This is where we’ll be commenting on the election through the day and the primary results once they come in.

There are things Governor Spanberger and lawmakers can do to lower drug costs and improve access to care. 

The election will tell us things besides who wins and who loses.

Our current system relies on isolated local zoning decisions to address consequences that are plainly statewide. Local officials can evaluate a proposed site and negotiate local impacts. But they cannot determine whether Virginia has enough electricity for the continued growth or protect ratepayers statewide from footing the bill.

The vast majority of Virginia companies that sell go to out-of-state buyers. In the Roanoke region, the share is 91%. In Southwest Virginia, 89%. In Southside, 84%. The ownership of this economy is leaving faster than the jobs are.

The challenges to energy development often override political ideology. With Valley Link, Republican-voting counties are opposing policies pursued by the Trump administration (although Biden pursued them, as well).