Virginia

Obama rallies for Democratic governor candidates in New Jersey, Virginia

Published

5 months ago

November 1, 2025

Obama rallies for Democratic governor candidates in New Jersey, Virginia

Former President Barack Obama spoke in Virginia and New Jersey on Nov. 1 in support of fellow Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill as both battle to become governor of their respective states.

Obama rallied for Spanberger at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, praising her for her experience in law enforcement and the CIA. The former president supported Sherrill in Newark, New Jersey, at Essex County College, saying she would be a “governor who thinks for herself” and would “bring people together and not divide them.”

Spanberger is challenging Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the gubernatorial race. Current Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, is nearing the end of his first four years leading the Commonwealth, and under a unique state law preventing governors from serving back-to-back terms, is barred from running in this year’s election.

Regardless of whether Spanberger or Earle-Sears wins on Nov. 4, Virginia will have elected its first female governor.

“The stakes are now clear,” Obama said during the rally in Virginia. “We don’t need to speculate about the dangers to our democracy. We don’t need to ask ourselves how much more coarse and mean our culture can become. Elections matter, and they matter to you.”

Who is Abigail Spanberger?

Spanberger, 46, previously served as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2025, according to her bio on her campaign website. She also worked at the CIA as an operations officer, gathering intelligence on nuclear proliferation and terrorism from 2006 to 2014, before then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed Spanberger to the Virginia Fair Housing Board in 2017, USA TODAY previously reported.

After defeating Republican incumbent and Tea Party member Dave Brat by just over 6,600 votes, Spanberger became the first Democrat to represent the district since 1970, according to her bio on her campaign website.

Spanberger then narrowly defeated Nick Frietas, a Republican member of the House of Delegates, in 2020 to be re-elected.

Who is Mikie Sherrill?

Sherrill, who previously served as a naval officer and as a federal prosecutor, represents a federal congressional district near Newark, New Jersey, according to her bio on the U.S. House of Representatives website.

The 53-year-old congresswoman grew up in Reston, Virginia, and after high school, she earned an undergraduate degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, her bio on the House’s History, Art and Archives website says. She was a Navy helicopter pilot, campaigning on her experience. In the video announcing her campaign for governor, she sported her Navy flight jacket.

After 10 years in the Navy, she earned a law degree from Georgetown University, went to work in litigation in New York City and became a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, according to her bio.

Sherrill, in 2018, won a once-solidly Republican congressional seat, beating Jay Webber. She won a closer 2020 re-election race, defeating Republican Rosemary Becchi with 53.3% of the vote to 46.7%.

Polls show likely voters favoring Spanberger

According to a Suffolk University poll of likely voters released on Oct. 23, Spanberger garnered 52% of the vote among survey respondents, followed by Earl-Sears’ 43%. Another 3% said they were undecided.

The poll, conducted between Oct. 19 and 22, surveyed 500 likely voters across Virginia. Spanberger has led the race in every major poll for months, including by as much as 10% in an Emerson College poll conducted in September.

Virginia has been heralded as a national indicator when it comes to its gubernatorial elections, held only a year into a presidential term. Since 1977, except for in 2013, the Commonwealth has elected a governor from the opposite party as the sitting U.S. President, USA TODAY previously reported.

November poll of likely voters shows slight lead for Sherrill

According to an AtlasIntel poll released Nov. 1, Sherrill had a slight lead over Ciattarelli. Specifically, the poll, which recorded responses from more than 1,600 likely voters in New Jersey from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30, showed Sherrill receiving 50.2% of the vote compared to opponent Jack Ciattarelli’s 49.3%, with a 2% margin of error.

Ciattarelli is a former member of the state legislative assembly who lost to current Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in a closer-than-expected 51.2% to 48% governor’s race in 2021. Murphy could not run again due to New Jersey’s two-term cap on consecutive stints as governor.

Although President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Ciattarelli, hasn’t joined him in person on the campaign trail, he did support the Republican candidate during a telephone rally on Oct. 24.

In a recent debate, Ciattarelli graded Trump an “A” for his performance so far in his second term, while Sherrill gave the president an “F.”

Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Kathryn Palmer, Jennifer Borresen, Karissa Waddick, Phillip M. Bailey &Katie Sobko/ USA TODAY

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Virginia

Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia

Published

51 minutes ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (WCHS) — Gov. Patrick Morrisey signaled support for the horse racing industry in West Virginia through a bill signing Monday.

Senate Bill 1060 updates laws to include certified thoroughbred horses and raises a funding cap for restricted races from $1 million to $2 million.

The measure allows horses that have lived in West Virginia for six months to compete for larger purses. State leaders are hopeful the move will incentivize out-of-state horse owners to relocate to West Virginia.

In addition, the bill would allow licensed racing associations to transmit broadcasts of races with a portion of wagers going toward the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund.

Changes will go into effect on June 7.

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Currently, horse races are held in West Virginia’s panhandles, at the Mountaineer Racetrack and Resort in New Cumberland and the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town.

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Virginia

Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park

Published

13 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach police are investigating after a large crowd of teens were fighting Saturday evening at Nova Adventure Park.

A Virginia Beach police officer was in the 2000 block of Lynnhaven Parkway at approximately 9:35 p.m. when a large group of teens started fighting. Additional officers arrived and the teenagers disbursed.

Police said at least one victim involved suffered an injury that was not life-threatening.

The incident is under active investigation.

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Virginia

Gas prices dip slightly in Virginia, but relief may not last

Published

1 day ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Gas prices dip slightly in Virginia, but relief may not last

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Gas prices in Virginia are easing slightly, but any relief at the pump may be short-lived.

AAA reports the state average is now $4.01 per gallon, down about four cents from last week. Despite the dip, prices remain significantly higher when compared to recent months, up roughly 65 cents from a month ago and nearly a dollar more than this time last year.

The national average is also elevated, sitting at $4.12 per gallon.

Experts say the primary driver behind the sustained increase is the rising cost of crude oil, fueled in part by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Even if those pressures begin to ease, analysts warn that drivers should not expect immediate relief.

“The old adage is about gas prices going up they go up like a rocket and then come down like a feather. So they tend to go up very fast in geopolitical crisis like this, but they come down much much slower. So we’re watching and waiting to see what happens there in the Middle East,” said Morgan Dean, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA.

For now, the outlook remains uncertain as global events continue to influence what drivers are paying at the pump.

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