Spanberger Betrays Virginians. Does Anyone Care?

Many of us saw this disaster of an election approaching as Abigail Spanberger lied her way to the position of Virginia’s governor. Despite her record as a progressive, people believed she had gone through a major transformation and had become a moderate. Or, they were your typical low-information voters and simply paid no attention. Republican voters are angry, for whatever their wrath is worth:

‘Screw any and all of you who lied to low-information voters and sold Abigail Spanberger as some kind of moderate,’ complained Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late United States senator, John McCain. ‘She’s been in office like 6 hours and is already trying to turn Virginia into Minneapolis.’

McCain isn’t wrong.

How bad is the damage? Here’s an overview:

Spanberger is refusing to have local law enforcement assist ICE in immigration arrests; mandatory minimum sentences for rape, manslaughter, assaulting a law enforcement officer, possession and distribution of child porn, along with other felonies, are being considered for elimination; a constitutional amendment to codify second- and third-trimester abortion is likely to be ratified this November; the governor is rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which nearly guarantees the administration will receive the most dire projections on climate change (and rate affordability will be out the door); and of course, she will push the expansion of solar and wind development which will not provide the power needed for the population. Additionally, the gun restrictions she’s proposing are unconstitutional. These are only a fraction of the changes that are in the works to satisfy her progressive agenda.

How devastating will the results be?

With a compliant legislature and a governor whose record foreshadowed exactly this agenda, Virginia Democrats are moving quickly to lock in policies that raise taxes, weaken public safety, and consolidate political power. Whether Virginians believed the campaign rhetoric or were simply disengaged, the consequences are now unmistakable. The question is no longer what Democrats plan to do — but how much damage will be done before voters have another chance to respond.

Also worth noting is that several Republican lawmakers broke ranks and voted with Democrats on a number of these issues.

What can Republican voters do in the meantime besides wring their hands and cry bitterly? They will need to be aggressive in tracking every negative outcome of these laws and advertising them widely. A strategy to determine the most consequential abuses and losses must be put in place so that every week or two, an announcement on television and radio is made for the citizens to see or hear. For example, every criminal who is set free without a mandatory minimum sentence who commits another crime needs to be called out; increases in utility bills and gas rates must be decried with specific numbers.

Republicans must be proactive, pointing out not only Spanberger’s claim of moderation but also publicizing how egregious her lies were. They might even consider other forms of advertising, such as ads in print media or on billboards.

All over the country, other states should look to the canary in the coal mine of Virginia, and everyone needs to stop being complacent and resigned to these outcomes.

We must start taking back our country.

[originally published in American Thinker]