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We like to say that Virginia is the bellwether state.
We have elections every year; this is exhausting, and some consider this a form of voter suppression, citing voter apathy and voters being worn out from the constant bombardment. Others disagree; voting early builds electoral muscles as it engages citizens in the political process, leading to more participation and informed voters.1 Either way, until this is changed, we are the year-round election hamster wheel.
Network NOVA was born out of the crazy hamster wheel — we just didn’t know much about Virginia elections in 2017, we just knew we had an opportunity to turn Virginia blue after the 2016 Hillary loss. The 2017 election cycle became our stomping ground to learn, innovate, create, and flip seats from red to blue. We devised a program called “Adopt A Candidate” to lend support to all the progressive women and men who courageously stepped up to run for elected office in their district. The Adopt-A-Candidate program allowed voters in “safe” blue districts to help candidates win in red districts.
We traveled to different groups and huddles to educate and sign up activists so they would eventually canvass, phone bank, and hold fundraisers for their “adopted” candidate. More importantly, this wave of activism unknown to most, gave the new candidates confidence and a supportive network of motivated people who were willing to go door to door, text and phone bank, and to hold fundraisers; to volunteer time, expertise and talent in all areas of campaigning and social digital media; and to spend hours posting on Facebook or Twitter to connect, network, and inform the various grassroots communities on the issue of the day to move members to action.
The Democratic Party of Virginia targeted 4 - 8 races, whereas we focused on 17 races. Election night, we breathlessly watched as we flipped 17 seats that by the next day was reported to be 15 historic wins.2 Elected on the stage Googled the names of these winners. We knew every single person! What we learned that year is the importance of supporting every candidate in every district — but more importantly, we learned how important it was to be independent of small pond thinking that kept Democrats on the losing side for 24 years. In 2018, we went on to win 3 Congressional seats (Wexton, Spanberger, and Luria), and then in 2019, the energy of the grassroots infrastructure delivered a blue trifecta.
In 2019, voters handed Democrats unified control of the Virginia government for the first time in 21 years, guaranteeing the party at least two years of unfettered lawmaking before the next election.3
Why is this information important? Well, it is now 2025, and it feels like deja vu as we again enter the hamster wheel after a Trump victory— but way more dangerous and consequential. All eyes and hands, and BIG MONEY, will be on Virginia, and we are ready to go to battle for 100 House Delegate seats and the State Executive seats that include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. Delivering another blue trifecta will be a major win for democracy and offer a path forward for other states across the nation.
NOW, LET’S GET TO SHOW BUSINESS
Friday, February 21, 2025, the badass crew at the Friday Power Lunch will host:
Abigail Spanberger, Virginia Candidate for Governor
Jake Fein, Senior Regional Organizer, Indivisible
Timothy Cywinski, Communications Director& Paige Wesselink, Digital Communications Lead, Sierra Club VA Chapter
Abigail Spanberger is a special person. She was raised in Henrico County, Virginia, near Richmond. Abigail’s background is in public service as a federal law enforcement officer — working money laundering cases and tracking narcotics traffickers with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and then as a CIA case officer. She worked undercover her entire time at the Agency — collecting intelligence, managing assets, and overseeing high-profile programs to combat terrorism and keep Americans safe.
We got to know Abigail when she ran for Congress in 2018 against David Brat, who infamously said about women in the grassroots working to unseat him: “… the women are in my grill no matter where I go.” And we plan to be up in the Republicans’ grill no matter what! Abigail also supports the grassroots. She sponsored the 2024 Women’s Summit as a BLUE POWER supporter. She knows who has her back — and grills hard!
NEXT UP - INDIVISIBLE
Next, we will hear from Jake Fein, Senior Regional Organizer, Indivisible. Jake is a veteran organizer. He has worked on many Virginia election cycles, notably as Field Organizer for Russet Perry’s campaign. Jake will be working with the grassroots and the campaigns across Virginia to go fight and win! Indivisible was the first grassroots organization that came out fighting back against the fascist MAGA agenda and delivered resources and a plan to fight back. When elected seemed lost, Indivisible stepped in the void. We know it is grassroots and the people who will save us. We can't wait - and Jake is not waiting either.
DATA CENTERS
We will cover an important topic in the news right now: DATA CENTERS!
Timothy Cywinski, Communications Director and Paige Wesselink, Digital Communications Lead, Sierra Club VA Chapter will join us to discuss the impacts of data centers. Tim and Paige are amazing environmental champions at the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. They are sounding the alarm on the existential health and energy threat: DATA CENTERS. We will discuss the inaction in the General Assembly and the impacts on our health, water, and quality of living as the footprints of data centers are built in neighborhoods across Virginia.
Share this post, and get ready to dance in the room to Tracy Chapman's “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”. Right now, we need to turn the tables on the MAGA agenda. The Virginia election in 2025 offers again an opportunity to win for Democracy.
See you in the room!
BIG MIC - Katherine White
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-01-30/an-effort-to-study-virginias-yearly-elections-is-still-alive-in-richmond
https://wtop.com/virginia/2017/11/women-won-big-va-house-delegate-races/
https://virginiamercury.com/2021/03/03/democrats-controlled-virginia-government-for-two-years-heres-what-they-did/
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