Virginia

Recordings show Va. swing district candidate seeks ‘total ban’ on abortion

Published

1 year ago

August 10, 2023

Recordings show Va. swing district candidate seeks ‘total ban’ on abortion

RICHMOND — John Stirrup has been playing up crime, taxes and other bread-and-butter issues while running for the House of Delegates in a purple Northern Virginia district, but the Republican didn’t mince words when two strangers separately buttonholed him on abortion.

“I would support a 100 percent ban,” Stirrup told a woman who had approached him after a Republican primary debate May 18, according to a recording obtained by The Washington Post. In another recording, made June 20, he told a man he met outside a polling place that “I’d like to see, you know, [a] total ban.”

Made surreptitiously by two abortion rights supporters posing as abortion foes, the recordings seem intended to pin Stirrup down on an issue that Republicans in some swing districts would like to sidestep but Democrats hope to make a rallying cry in Nov. 7 General Assembly elections.

With control of both chambers up for grabs, about a dozen highly competitive races, including this one in part of Prince William County, will end up determining whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has the political muscle next year to roll back abortion rights in Virginia — the only Southern state that has not tightened restrictions on the procedure since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year.

Stirrup did not dispute the authenticity of the recordings, which his campaign said he was unaware of until contacted by The Post Wednesday. But he said in a text message to The Post that he does not expect to find support in Richmond for outlawing abortion entirely and that he would push instead to ban the procedure after 15 weeks, with some exceptions.

“I’m a practicing Catholic who believes in protecting life,” Stirrup wrote in the text message. “While there are differing opinions on this issue, I believe we can bring Virginians together around a consensus position to protect life at 15 weeks — when an unborn child can feel pain — with reasonable exceptions after that point for rape, incest, and life of the mother. This is a far more reasonable position than Democrats have staked out, which is one of no limits whatsoever at any time.”

On the recordings, Stirrup calls the 15-week ban that Youngkin has pursued a more politically “acceptable” goal than an outright ban and “a starting point,” but he is also dismissive of that cutoff, saying it “really doesn’t save that many lives.”

“We’ve dehumanized life for 60 years in this country, and over 60 million children are being eliminated,” he is recorded as saying, referring to an estimate of U.S. abortions during the near half-century under Roe, the landmark ruling that had legalized the procedure nationwide. “It’s just crazy. Like, at what point — how many do we have to do? … We have the craziest, most liberal abortion laws in the world. I mean, like, same as North Korea and China, and it’s just, you know, we’re barbarian.”

Josh Thomas, the Democrat running against Stirrup, said the Republican’s support for a complete ban shows a “blatant disregard for the rights and freedoms of women in Prince William County and across Virginia.”

“We know that whoever represents the 21st House District in Richmond this January could be the deciding vote on abortion access in Virginia,” Thomas said in an email to The Post. “The people of this district deserve a legislator who believes that medical decisions should be between a woman and her medical provider, not politicians, as my opponent would have it.”

Thomas laid out his own position on abortion in an interview with The Post Wednesday, saying he supports keeping the state’s abortion laws as they are. That sets him apart from many Virginia Democrats, who in recent years have pushed unsuccessfully to lift a state requirement that three doctors sign off on late-term abortions.

Abortion is lawful in Virginia during the first and second trimesters of a pregnancy, through about 26 weeks. It is allowed in the third trimester only if three doctors certify that continuing the pregnancy is “likely to result in the death of the woman or substantially and irremediably impair the mental or physical health of the woman,” state code says.

“There are laws currently in place,” Thomas said. “That’s a framework that’s been working and the one I’d like to still have this year, next year and in the future.”

Stirrup’s comments on abortion resemble those made by Youngkin, a potential 2024 presidential candidate who has publicly backed a 15-week ban but has occasionally staked out more ambitious antiabortion goals in private. During his 2021 campaign for governor, Youngkin went mum on abortion after securing the GOP nomination on a promise to “protect the life of every Virginia child born and unborn.” A surreptitious video recording made by a liberal activist captured him saying that he would go “on offense” against abortion if he won the Executive Mansion but that he had to keep his views quiet for fear of alienating independents.

Fond of saying that “Virginians elected a pro-life governor,” Youngkin refused to specify his goals on the subject until June 2022 — five months into his term and just moments after the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Youngkin, who happened to be meeting with The Post’s editorial board as the decision came down, said he would pursue a ban after 15 weeks, with exceptions, and would be willing to settle for a 20-week cutoff to get a bill out of the divided Capitol, where Democrats narrowly lead the Senate and Republicans have a slim majority in the House.

But days later in an online forum organized by the conservative Family Foundation of Virginia to celebrate the fall of Roe, Youngkin characterized his proposed 15-week ban as the fallback and indicated that he would push for stricter limits if Republicans hold the House and flip the Senate in this year’s elections.

“Any bill that comes to my desk I will sign happily and gleefully in order to protect life,” he said.

The open 21st District seat Stirrup — whom Youngkin endorsed in the primary — and Thomas are vying for is one of just seven in the House that the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project rates as “competitive.” It went blue in the governor’s race in 2017 but flipped red for Youngkin four years later.

Democrats are betting that vigorous support for abortion rights will help them in swing districts across the state, just as it fueled some blue wins around the country in midterms last year and on Tuesday led to the defeat of a Republican-backed referendum in Ohio that would have made it harder to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.

Public polling on abortion has been muddled, with some Virginia voters saying they oppose new restrictions even as they voice support for Youngkin’s proposed 15-week ban.

A Washington Post-Schar School poll released in April found that most Virginia voters oppose the idea of tightening access to abortions. Overall, 34 percent said abortion laws should “remain as they are,” and 41 percent said they should be “less strict,” while 17 percent said abortion laws should be made “more strict.”

The respondents were not reminded of the details of Virginia’s current law, however. When asked whether they would support a 15-week ban with the exceptions Youngkin had proposed, 49 percent of voters said they would support it, and 46 percent said they were opposed.

Stirrup, 66, a former Prince William County supervisor and chief of staff to then-Rep. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), does not mention abortion on his campaign website. His issues page lists four priorities: Safer communities, lower cost of living, stronger schools and the protection of rural areas and historic battlefields from “unchecked data center developers.”

Thomas, 35, a commercial real estate lawyer who served in Afghanistan with the Marines, lists eight priorities on his campaign site, including “women’s rights,” which references the fall of Roe.

“He will fight against any attempts to restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare, and will work to expand access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare for all Virginians,” it says.

In the May 18 recording, a young woman tells Stirrup she is upset by abortion and asks about his plans if elected.

“I would support a 100 percent ban,” he says. “It seems like the kind of acceptable … position has been about 15 weeks, but that really doesn’t save that many lives. It’s a start, you know, and I know the left gets really, you know, animated about this, ‘Oh you’re banning abortion.’ Abortion will always be legal in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Women will always have that option.”

More coverage of Virginia

Source link

Virginia

Virginia Tech Football: Three Keys to Victory for the Hokies on Saturday vs Virginia

Published

5 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Virginia Tech Football: Three Keys to Victory for the Hokies on Saturday vs Virginia

The rivalry matchup between Virginia Tech and Virginia is nearly 48 hours away and it is a big matchup for both teams. The Hokies and the Cavaliers are both 5-6 and needing a win to make a bowl game. The loser will be getting a headstart on 2025 instead of playing in the postseason.

At the start of the year, Virginia Tech was being talked about as one of the biggest surprise teams not just in the ACC, but in the country. This team’s biggest goals have gone away, but they still have an opportunity to reach a bowl game for the second straight season. That should still be a big deal to the program, but on the other side, the Cavaliers are trying to make a bowl game for the first time under Tony Elliott. They are going to be fired up about playing in this game and having a chance to make a bowl game, so Virginia Tech can’t take it for granted, no matter their past success vs Virginia.

So what are the keys to a win for Virginia Tech on Saturday?

Before you could even blink on Saturday night, Virginia Tech was trailing Duke 14-0 thanks to two long touchdown plays and the Blue Devils have not been a very explosive offense this season. Virginia has found a way to put points on teams like Clemson and Louisville this season and has improved since last year. The Hokies’ pass rush was non-existent on Saturday vs Duke, finishing with no sacks and being unable to disrupt Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy. They will have to be able to play better on Saturday if they want to avoid the upset.

It is still up in the air who is going to play quarterback for the Hokies on Saturday night, but whoever it is would benefit from a big game from one of the nation’s best running backs. Tuten had 84 yards on 19 carries last week, but Virginia Tech might need more than that on Saturday when the face the Cavaliers.

Our own RJ Schafer wrote this about the quarterbavck situation heading into Saturday’s game:

“Brent Pry listed both Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee as questionable ahead of the historic matchup. He added that both will practice, although very limited, and they could “just be watching” from the sidelines.

Coach Pry also added that Virginia Tech is preparing four quarterbacks to be ready to play this weekend, including Davi Belfort, a freshman quarterback from Brazil, a country which could begin to be the future of American college football.

Whoever plays this weekend is going to have to have to manage the game and not turn the ball over. I think the offense is going rely on the run game heavily this weekend due to that.

Additional Links:

Virginia Tech Football Releases Depth Chart Ahead of Matchup Against Virginia

Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades and Snap Counts For Every Player in Saturday’s Loss to Duke

Virginia Tech Football: Updated Bowl Projections For The Hokies Heading Into Final Game

Source link

Virginia

Big Tests On The Horizon For Virginia Tech Wrestling – FloWrestling

Published

13 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Big Tests On The Horizon For Virginia Tech Wrestling – FloWrestling

At 3-0 with marquee victories over #6 Missouri (23-10) and #21 Rutgers (26-11), as well as a second-place finish in the Keystone Open with just a handful of starters competing, Virginia Tech has swept through a tough November and is prepared for a difficult December.

The Hokies, #12 in Flo’s team tournament ratings but top 10 in various dual-meet rankings, are next scheduled for an annual trip to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Invitational, featuring 27 teams, of which 14 are among Flo’s top 25. And then it’s another trip west to Stillwater on Dec. 19 to challenge #5 Oklahoma State in a rare Thursday match.

The early key thus far for the Hokies has been the ability to win the bouts they’re supposed to win and grabbing a fair share of so-called toss-up bouts.

To wit, Tech’s #18 Sam Latona downing Missouri’s #13 Josh Edmond (4-2) at 141, or #25 Rafael Hipolito majoring the Tigers’ #32 James Conway (11-3) at 157 and #15 Jimmy Mullen stopping #20 Seth Nitzel (4-2) at heavyweight.

That trend continued at Tech’s Moss Arts Center match against #21 Rutgers when Latona used a late takedown to defeat Joey Olivieri 7-5, #4 Lennox Wolak pinned veteran Jackson Turley at 174 and #9 Andy Smith slipped past #17 John Poznanski 4-3 at 197.

Hokies coach Tony Robie only took a few regulars to the Keystone Open in Philadelphia and, led by championship efforts by #1-ranked Caleb Henson at 149 and heavyweight Hunter Catka, Tech placed second behind Lock Haven. Latona placed third at 141 and Sam Fisher did the same at 184.

Robie opted to use the Hokies’ roster as freshmen Dillon Campbell (125), Matt Henrich (157), Luke Robie (157) and Jack Bastarrika (133) competed as did redshirt juniors Jackson Spires (165) and Ty Finn (174). Spires placed second.

Who’s Ready For Change?

With legislation on the NCAA’s table affecting scholarship and roster limits — unlimited scholarships and a roster cap — as well as revenue sharing, some college wrestling programs likely have a serious dose of trepidation while others are confident they can deal with whatever happens.

Virginia Tech sits in the latter category.

“I have no concerns whatsoever about that,” Robie said earlier this month. “I think a lot of it probably will happen. It’s hard to say whether it’s good or bad for the sport; that’s not really for me to say. What I will say is you have to adjust with what the rules are and what the landscape of college athletics looks like, and that’s what we intend on doing.

“Is it good for the overall health of the sport of wrestling? The kid that’s the 35th kid on your roster? Probably not. But I think definitely there were probably some things that needed to change; the pendulum was starting to swing significantly the other way. At some point, it’ll probably start to go back to the middle.”

Robie said all anyone can do is wait for the final decisions.

“We have some contingency plans based on what we think is going to happen and we’ll move forward with our plan and try to execute it,” he said.

A Pretty Good Gig

Robie, in his eighth year as head coach, has been at Tech since 2006 and as each season passes, the commitment and enthusiasm remain the same.

“Well, you get to do what you like to do. And it’s a pretty cool thing to be able to coach wrestling for a living and be a part of a pretty good program, and work with some great people and try to affect the lives of the kids in your program,” he said.

“I think anybody would want to do that. For me, I’m not young anymore. I turned 50 … who knows how long I’m going to do it, but I’m going to give it the best I can while I’m doing it and hopefully continue to improve as a program and try to try to help these guys as much as possible. But it’s good, Virginia Tech’s a great place to work, it’s a great place to live. I’ve got a great staff and it makes my life pretty easy.”

Source link

Virginia

VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game

Published

21 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game

With the game of year looming this weekend, members of the Virginia football team were made available to to the media after practice on Tuesday morning to talk about the regular season finale against Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday night in Blacksburg. Watch the video below to hear what UVA senior safety Jonas Sanker, graduate tight ends Tyler Neville and Sackett Wood Jr., and graduate defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter had to say ahead of the Virginia Tech game:

Sanker is the team’s leader in tackles with 89 total tackles and also leads the ACC in solo stops with 60 unassisted tackles. He has racked up 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and an interception as part of a strong senior campaign that should earn Sanker some serious consideration for a First-Team All-ACC selection.

A transfer from Harvard, Tyler Neville is Virginia’s second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Sackett Wood Jr., meanwhile, has recorded three receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown this season. Between the two of them, Neville and Wood have combined to appear in 83 college football games and make 48 starts.

Saturday will be the 55th game in the five-year career of Jahmeer Carter, who has started nearly every game for the last four seasons at Virginia. This season, Carter has 30 total tackles, including nine solo stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass defender. For his career, Carter is up to 131 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss.

Saturday night will be the first time Virginia plays at Lane Stadium in front of fans since the 2018 season, as the 2020 edition of the Commonwealth Clash was played in front of only 250 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions and then the 2022 Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game was canceled due to the shooting tragedy at UVA.

Virginia is seeking its first road victory at Virginia Tech since 1998, as the Hokies have won the last 11 Commonwealth Clash games played at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech has won 17 of the last 18 overall games against Virginia and leads UVA 61-38-5 in the all-time series that dates back to 1895.

Both Virginia and Virginia Tech bring a 5-6 overall record into the regular season finale and both need to win the game in order to reach the six-win threshold required for bowl eligibility. There is only one other game this weekend between FBS teams who are battling for bowl eligibility (Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan). Virginia and Virginia Tech played each other for bowl eligibility at the end of the 2014 season.

UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

UVA Football Week 14 Injury Report: Kobe Pace, Kempton Shine, Trell Harris

Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Virginia Tech | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Football Opens as Touchdown Underdogs at Virginia Tech

UVA Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for Virginia vs. SMU

Source link