Virginia
Democrats, Republicans release dueling abortion ads in high-stakes Virginia elections
Democrats and Republicans in the state are ramping up their attacks ahead of high stakes state-wide elections in Virginia, releasing dueling ads about abortion — a hot-button issues at the center of nearly every race in both the GOP-led state House and the Democratic-controlled state Senate.
Last week, Virginia Republicans ran an ad titled “No Limits” accusing Democrats of fighting to make late-term abortions “the rule and not the exception,” while Democrats released a number of ads across the state this week warning Republicans would ban abortion if they take full control of the General Assembly.
Virginia is currently the southernmost state that hasn’t banned or restricted abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Political science experts told ABC News that while Republicans in the state refrained from campaigning on the issue of abortion last year and much of this campaign season, they are joining in now to mobilize Republican voters.
“While Dobbs served Republicans well, they lost the messaging enemy in Roe that had been successful for them,” Dr. Chapman Rackaway, a professor and Chair of Political Science at Radford University. “The inverse happened for Democrats. Dobbs gave them a threat on which they could message, and they did so aggressively in 2022.”
“From the newly-released ads, it looks like Republicans believe that using the extremist tag on Democrats is the messaging on which they can mobilize,” Rackaway added.
Activists who oppose abortion told ABC News that Republicans in the state are backing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s stance on abortion — a 15-week ban with exceptions.
“In 2022 with the midterm elections, Republicans used the ostrich strategy … kind of burying your head in the sand and hoping the issue goes away,” said Billy Valentine, the vice president of Political Affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “Looking ahead to Virginia, I think the party has recognized that strategy didn’t work. We need to find where we stand and contrast that with the Democrats.”
Valentine told ABC News that he believes Democrats in the state are trying to misrepresent Republican candidates’ stance on abortion by saying they would ban abortion without exception, pointing to several recent ads from Democratic candidates.
“It’s incumbent on our candidates to tell the truth, which is what we are advocating for, is a 15-week limit, not a ban because it has exceptions for life of the mother, rape, and incest,” he said.
Republicans in the state say Democrats are putting out “misrepresentations and half truths” about several Republican candidates’ stance on abortion.
“This is out of character even for them,” said Garren Shipley, director of communications for the Republican Party of Virginia. “They’re our caucus and our candidates. We’re behind the governor on the 15-week limit with common sense exceptions.”
Meanwhile, Democrats in the state say their ads are informing voters that the Virginia GOP will ban abortion if they take full control of the General Assembly.
“This is nothing more than the Governor’s handlers trying to correct a narrative that their candidates themselves have been pushing,” said House Democratic Caucus Leader Don Scott.
“Just this year Republicans introduced life at conception bills, banning all abortions at the moment of fertilization and criminalizing anyone who performs the procedure,” Scott said. “No matter how they try to dress it up, if something is legal today, and a law changes making it illegal tomorrow, then that’s a ban. There’s no lies about that.”
Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker echoed Scott’s concerns that Republicans will increase restrictions on abortion.
“Anyone who has looked at Republicans’ records knows that Youngkin and the MAGA extremists who are running to control the General Assembly want to ban abortion immediately and will increase the restrictions every chance they get,” Swecker said in a statement. “They’ll overturn our rights and then keep taking more.”
In the highly competitive Fredericksburg-area state Senate race, Republicans criticized Democrats for releasing an ad about Republican candidate Tara Durant who is running against Joel Griffin, the Democratic nominee.
The ad published by Griffin’s campaign said Durant supports letting Virginia ban abortions without exception.
“Virginia Democrats are reverting to their tired tactics of overt falsehoods and flagrant fear mongering,” said Dave Rexrode, Youngkin’s political adviser and chairman of his PAC, Spirit of Virginia.
“Joel Griffin’s ad is just the latest desperate and despicable attempt to mislead voters. It will not work,” Rexrode added in a press release.
Griffin’s campaign defended the ad, saying Durant publicly praised the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“While we watched the legal landscape shift, Durant reaffirmed where she was on abortion rights, sending a mailer stating her 100% pro life stance,” a spokesperson for Griffin’s campaign told ABC News. “The stakes are clear: If elected, Tara Durant would let Virginia ban abortions with no exceptions.”
Control of both chambers of the General Assembly is up for grabs, with several political experts indicating that the results could be viewed as a referendum on Youngkin given his successful push for his preferred candidates to win their primary races earlier this year.
Virginia
Virginia Tech Football: Where do Hokies Finish in Final ACC Power Rankings?
Just a few months ago, before the 2024 season ever officially kicked off, Virginia Tech seemed like a program that was trending up. They finished the 2023 season strong and were returning a ton of starters from that team and seemingly had a favorable schedule in front of them. They were talked about as the dark horse to win the ACC and make the college football playoff, but it wasn’t long before that was proven to be false.
The Hokies started the season with an upset loss to Vanderbilt, lost to Rutgers a few weeks later, and had the controversial loss to Miami to drop them to 2-3. After rallying to win three straight to get to 5-3 and still have a shot at the ACC Championship, the Hokies collapsed, losing four of their last five, including the bowl game to Minnesota last Friday. Not only was this season very disappointing, but the Hokies are losing most of their contributors from this team to the transfer portal or the draft. RB Bhayshul Tuten, OL Xavier Chaplin, Braelin Moore, and several members of the secondary. They are working to fill those holes in the portal and quarterback Kyron Drones is coming back, but there is not as much optimism heading into this offseason as there was for last season
While all eyes might be on moving forward to the 2025 season, where did Virginia Tech finish in the final ACC Power Rankings From 247Sports analyst Grant Hughes?
“Bowl Result: Lost Duke’s Mayo Bowl to Minnesota, 24-10
“Virginia Tech entered the 2024 season with ACC championship aspirations but failed to live up to expectations after dropping three of its first five games. A 1-4 finish to the campaign secured the Hokies’ fourth losing season in the last five years. The good news is that starting quarterback Kyron Drones is returning for the 2025 season, and the Hokies have already replaced star running back Bhayshul Tuten via the portal with former top-100 recruit and Tennessee transfer Cameron Seldon.”
All of that has led to speculation about head coach Brent Pry being on the hot seat going into 2025. Pry has gone 3-8, 7-6, and 6-7 in his three seasons in Blacksburg. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg listed Pry as a coach on the hot seat going into 2025 and listed him in the “Don’t backslide” category alongside Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, Florida’s Billy Napier, and Cal’s Justin Wilcox:
“The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November, and if the Commonwealth Cup had gone differently, Virginia Tech could have had a decision to make after a disappointing fall. Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season got him to a bowl game, but he will enter Year 4 with a new defensive coordinator and a staff that will include former longtime Hokies DC Bud Foster as an advisor/analyst.
Pry is halfway through his contract and Virginia Tech isn’t in the best position to eat a seven-figure buyout. Virginia Tech should be more competitive in a very winnable ACC, especially with quarterback Kyron Drones back. The Hokies have eclipsed seven wins just once since 2017.”
Will Pry need to improve upon his record in 2025 to be ensured of another season in Blacksburg? Virginia Tech opens the season against South Carolina in Atlanta and the Gamecocks are likely going to start the season with a lofty ranking. They also face Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Louisville next season, but it is not a murderers row of a schedule. Needless to say, the Hokies need to see some progress next season.
Virginia Tech Football: Hokies Get Commitment From New Mexico Safety Transfer Christian Ellis
Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades and Snap Counts for every Hokies player in the 2024 Season
Virginia
Virginia Tech grads living in LA share wildfire experiences
ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Firefighters are continuing to battle the devastating fires in Los Angeles that have destroyed thousands of homes and led to the evacuations of over 180,000.
While the fires are thousands of miles away those flames have connections to our hometowns. WDBJ7 spoke with two Virginia Tech Alumni living in Los Angeles on Thursday. While neither of them have had to evacuate their homes, they shared what it’s like to be in LA during the fires and how people there are handling the destruction.
“It definitely feels like a little apocalyptic, just the sky being somewhat black and grey. Here it’s more like the sun is covered by the smoke so it’s just very eerie,” said Jillian Ostick, a 2017 Virginia Tech graduate who lives in Los Angeles.
Ostick lives in the South Bay area of Los Angeles about 10-15 miles from where the fires are.
“It’s close by but in terms of being evacuated or anything we’re very safe down here. We’re really just affected by the air quality and being worried about other people,” she said.
Ostick works in residential real estate and says many of her clients have lost their homes or evacuated and her team is currently working to help them find rentals.
“People have lost everything and they’re just scared but I think people have a place to stay and have resources. Our team is collecting blankets and clothes and is just messaging out to everybody ‘If you need help, no questions asked just fill out this form’,’” she said. “A lot of people did have to just pack up quick last night if they were in an evacuation area.”
Leah Gay is a 2014 Virginia Tech Graduate who is from the Blacksburg area. She lives in the West Hollywood area of LA and hasn’t had to evacuate yet but says she is prepared to do so if needed.
“Everything so far in our area has just been super smokey, there’s been ash on the ground, on the car, everything like that but in terms of actual fires our area is safe,” said Gay. “Last night we got a new fire that was in the Hollywood Hills. It’s since been contained so that’s good but we could see those flames, the second you open the door it smelled like you were right in a fireplace. It was super close to us so we could see it, especially with the night sky it was super illuminated with all that fire.”
Gay said that she is remaining alert and closely following the latest updates on the fires.
“There’s an app called Watch Duty that pretty much everyone in LA is using for updates. It gives you real-time information about where first responders are being placed and where needs to be evacuated, where the flames are even if they’re moving in a certain direction. It’s a really great app, it has an amazing map in it so you can see in real-time who is being affected and what you need to do next,” she said.
Gay said that she does know several people who have had to evacuate. She said that it is an emotional time in Los Angeles.
“It’s super heartbreaking, so many people’s lives have been affected by this. It feels almost like COVID outside how there are so many less people out on the streets, many people are wearing masks to stay safe from the smoke, so it’s kind of feeling like a completely different Los Angeles,” she said.
Both Gay and Ostick said that people are already doing everything they can to help those who have lost everything to the fires. They both noted that there are many places where people can donate to help those in need.
While not everyone in L-A has had to be evacuated from their homes, the smoke from the fires is causing major air quality problems that can be harmful to people. The air quality is being adversely affected as far as 100 miles from the fire.
Copyright 2025 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
Virginia
JUCO Edge Rusher Keenan Eck Sets Visit to West Virginia
Citrus College edge rusher Keenan Eck is one of several transfer portal recruits who will be in Morgantown this weekend for an official visit to West Virginia.
He began his career at Division II Black Hills State in South Dakota, and in his freshman season, he was responsible for 13 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. Eck then transferred to Citrus where he notched 6 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and one forced fumble.
“I love it,” Eck said about the opportunity of playing at West Virginia. “A huge culture of winning is being built there; I would love to put in every bit of hard-hitting energy when it comes to rushing the passer for the mountaineers!”
Eck has had several conversations with head coach Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Zac Alley, whom he looks forward to meeting in person this weekend.
“I really like how fired up they are for a turnaround. They’ve proven to be successful for many years, and they’re bringing the heat with this class of athletes. They want some dawgs that are ready to WORK!”
In addition to West Virginia, Eck has also heard from Eastern Illinois, Montana, San Diego State, Southern Utah, and Texas State. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
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Montana State RB Transfer Scottre Humphrey Receives West Virginia Offer
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