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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter shares information on last week’s Special Session of Virginia’s General Assembly, shares information on tomorrow’s Election Day, summarizes the recent meeting of the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC), highlights some recent community engagements, and reflects on the life and service of Chesterfield County Supervisor Jim Holland. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Redistricting and the General Assembly Special Session
Last week, members of the General Assembly convened in Richmond for a Special Session to take up a House-proposed resolution on Congressional redistricting [[link removed]] . All Democratic members of the Senate and the House voted in support of the measure. During Friday’s floor session, I used my point of personal privilege to highlight how Donald Trump’s federal overreach is jeopardizing democracy and eroding the rule of law in ways that will take generations to repair. A recording of my remarks [[link removed]] is available, along with the full session of the Senate. [[link removed]]
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The full transcript of my remarks is provided here:
The effort that we have engaged in this week, to strengthen – not dilute, as some have argued – Virginia’s redistricting process, is about the people and it’s about honesty. Honesty about what is happening all across this nation; honesty about the crisis points we are facing; honesty about the intentional damage that is being inflicted on the various communities that we represent: our farmers, veterans, rural families, seniors, immigrant communities, and children in poverty. We must remind ourselves that yes, we are Virginians and, critically as well, we are Americans. America is in crisis, and Virginia has the opportunity to respond – in this most precipitous moment.
This is a moment we must meet with urgency, and it is incumbent on us to act swiftly. It is incumbent on us to answer the calls of Virginians in every corner of the Commonwealth who have made one message loud and clear: they are angry at the direction of our country.
Across our country, we are witnessing a crisis of faith in our democracy and a crisis in democracy itself. The refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election engendered the violence of the insurrection of January 6, 2021, and while that tragic moment and the horrific images of people storming our US Capitol continue to resonate powerfully in our minds, that tragedy has been compounded even further over the subsequent years.
Since 2020, we have seen amplified efforts to discredit the lawful results of elections, to consolidate political power, and to rewrite the basic rules of fair and equal participation. Statehouses across the nation, from Florida to Texas to Ohio, have taken up revisionist history along with the redrawing of maps and the writing of laws in order to prioritize party and politics over the people.
These are not isolated incidents. Nor are they happening in a vacuum. There is a clear and direct line from the centuries of dispossession, disenfranchisement, and dehumanization of Black and Brown peoples to what we see happening today. There is a clear and direct line from Jim Crow, segregation, and redlining to what we see happening today.
Thomas Paine, whose words helped give birth to American liberty, warned us long ago: “The right of voting . . . is the primary right by which all other rights are protected.” When that right is manipulated or subverted, when lines are drawn in ways that suppress voters, every other right is undermined.
The right to vote and the right to fair representation are foundational to the right to economic justice, the right to social justice, and the right to civic engagement. And so when we fight for fair representation, we are fighting for better wages, we are protecting healthcare and healthcare access, we are responding to the dismantling of public education. This effort is not just about protecting representation; it is quite literally about access, equity, and justice.
If we in Virginia fail to act, we risk following the same path we’ve seen elsewhere: a path that replaces trust with cynicism and where voters believe the outcome is rigged before even the first ballot is cast. That is how democracies falter: not with one tragic, magnificent collapse, but with a steady erosion of fair representation, one district at a time. Not with a bang but with a whimper, as the poet TS Eliot warned.
Thomas Paine also reminded us, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must . . . undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” This moment, right here, right now, is our collective fatigue. It’s the hard work of protecting democracy from the slow decay of vile self-interest, contemptuous disregard for the rule of law, and the debilitating destruction of demagoguery.
So we have been called upon to act with courage and conviction. Some have asked why now, why the urgency? Some have accused us on this side of the aisle of playing craven political theater. As we all know, theatrics does have a certain role to play in politics. However, the serious nature of this moment is far beyond theatrics. It is also well beyond the hysterics of hypocrisy.
Virginia is among the states that have felt the immediate and immense economic pain from the chaos of the Trump administration. We know he is eroding the rule of law in his relentless pursuit of power. We know we must face the moment with urgency, rather than sit on the sidelines as we watch our democracy be stripped away in ways that will take generations to repair.
All across Virginia, tens of thousands of our constituents have marched and rallied. They have called upon us to act, to take a stance, to respond to the chaos and destruction of Trump's Washington with more than just empty words. This week, we did just that, and Virginians are proud.
Today is the first step in an endeavor to stand up against unlawful power grabs and return that power back to the people of Virginia. It is through our actions today that we may give Virginia a voice in deciding the future of America.
Madam President, I conclude my comments with a reminder of what Abraham Lincoln urged of us, his fellow citizens, in 1862; in moments of grave crisis, moments of historic urgency, we are called to act boldly and with full determination. It is Lincoln who said,
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”
Madam President, we have just taken our first steps in disenthralling ourselves from the dogmas of the quiet past. Thank you, Madam President.
Election Day is Tomorrow, November 4
Tomorrow is Election Day and the eyes of the nation are on Virginia. On Tuesday, Virginians will be electing a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and all 100 members of the House of Delegates. We are the only state in the nation with these consequential elections. The impacts of Donald Trump’s policies on Virginians and their families have been disastrous, ranging from mass layoffs with our federal workforce to rising costs to the gutting of essential programs such as SNAP and Medicaid. These crises require competent, sober, and skilled leadership, not spectacle and performative politics.
Tomorrow, Virginians have the opportunity to send a strong message that the harms to our health care, schools, and hardworking families will not be tolerated.
Voting information is below:
Voting on Election Day
For those voters who did not cast early or mail-in ballots, Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 4:
* Polls are open from 6:00am until 7:00pm. Individuals in line by 7:00pm should stay in line—they will be able to vote.
* Election Day polling locations can be confirmed at the Virginia Department of Elections website [[link removed]] .
* An acceptable form of ID [[link removed]] is required.
* Curbside voting is available for constituents with disabilities or mobility limitations.
Absentee Voting
Individuals choosing to vote absentee:
* Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by November 4 and received by November 7 at 12:00pm.
* Absentee (mail-in) ballots may also be returned to a drop-off location. Instructions are provided on mail-in ballots.
* Individuals who requested an absentee ballot but now prefer to vote in-person must bring the absentee ballot to the polling location to be voided. More information on absentee ballots and voting is available at the Virginia Department of Elections [[link removed]] .
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Joint Commission on Health Care
On October 22, the Executive Committee and full Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) convened for its October meeting to vote on policy and budgetary recommendations. The full Commission was briefed on policy and budget recommendations [[link removed]] stemming from the report Policy Solutions to the Commonwealth’s Fentanyl Crisis [[link removed]] . All policy recommendations outlined within the presentation were adopted and will be presented as legislative proposals in the 2026 Session. The second presentation [[link removed]] focused on the Strategies to Address Transportation-Related Barriers to Health Care [[link removed]] ; this report highlights the disparities in access to transportation which can lead to poor chronic illness management and negative health outcomes. Policy and budgetary recommendations from the report will be considered during our December meeting. JCHC concluded with members voting on our 2026 Commission Work Plan. Topics supported by members include the following:
* Assessments of the impacts to Virginians from the gutting of Medicaid under the Trump administration
* Financial challenges to Virginia’s rural hospitals
* Assisted living facilities (ALFs) and their role in long-term care services
* Public health impacts of e-cigarette use
The recordings of the Executive Committee meeting [[link removed]] and full Commission meeting [[link removed]] are available.
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Select Community Engagements
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Recently, I joined Clean Virginia’s “The Energy Bills are Too Damn High!” statewide tour in both Richmond and Fredericksburg, to discuss the key factors driving up energy bills and the steps needed to continue lowering energy costs across our Commonwealth.
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On Saturday, I joined hundreds of Norfolk families, friends, and Norfolk State University alumni for the Homecoming parade full of Green and Gold pride, alongside many of my colleagues from the Hampton Roads General Assembly delegation.
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From Norfolk, I traveled to Ettrick to join Virginia State University (VSU) families and alumni at VSU's President Dr. Abdullah's Homecoming “President's Tailgate.”
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I began last Sunday joining the congregation at Saint Paul's Baptist Church in Henrico County in worship. The powerful message of service to the community was resonant throughout the morning.
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Later that morning, AAPI community members greeted me in Ashburn for a Diwali Day of Action at the home of State Senator Kannan Srinivasan. As Lieutenant Governor, I look forward to continuing to celebrate our diverse faiths and communities all across our state.
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I concluded an action-packed Sunday by joining Fairfax County School Board representative Rachna Sizemore Heizer in support of her campaign as Fairfax County’s Braddock Supervisor.
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On Monday, I traveled to Charlottesville to meet with students from the University of Virginia and listen to their concerns about the future of our Commonwealth and nation. With so much at stake in this November’s election—education access, housing affordability, labor protections, reproductive freedom, and civil rights—students are engaged with the issues of our time.
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Later on Monday, I joined clean energy leaders for a roundtable discussion to hear about the challenges facing the Commonwealth as we transition to cleaner, more affordable energy. The future of Virginia’s clean energy economy depends on strong leadership paving the way, and I plan to continue this work as lieutenant governor.
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This past Tuesday, I met with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 26 and other labor representatives to discuss how I will continue to support expanding apprenticeships and technical training opportunities as Lieutenant Governor. These pathways offered in partnership with our unions provide family-sustaining wages and lead to lifelong careers.
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Later that afternoon, I met with staff from the Local Office on Aging in Roanoke, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for the 5th Planning District. Offering more than thirty community-based services to seniors, caretakers, and individuals with disabilities, our AAAs are cornerstones of our provider landscape.
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On Wednesday, I toured Feed More’s new state-of-the-art facility in Henrico County and learned more about its impressive operation, bringing more than 39 million pounds of nutritious food to residents in need across 34 different central region cities and counties.
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That same evening, I joined supporters at our last official campaign event. Over the past 19 months since officially announcing my campaign for Lieutenant Governor, I have come across remarkable Virginians ready to turn the page and write a new Virginia story. I am beyond grateful to my incredible staff and supporters for entrusting me to be their voice in their critical moment in our Commonwealth's and nation's history.
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On Thursday evening, I joined the Leesburg community for its 69th Kiwanis Annual Halloween Parade. It was great connecting with many voters and seeing some amazing customs.
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On Halloween, I joined Delegate Betsy Carr and Candidate May Nivar for their respective trick-or-treat voting events in Richmond and Henrico.
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On Saturday, with just 3 days left before Election Day, I had the honor of welcoming former President Barack Obama to Norfolk alongside our statewide ticket. Over 7,000 Virginians packed the stadium, and their energy and passion was resounding and palpable.
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Sunday morning began with the congregation of St. Peter Baptist Church with our City of Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin. I extend thanks to Reverend Dr. Kirkland R. Walton and First Lady Brenda Diana Bowman for welcoming me to their service.
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Later Sunday morning, I traveled to Chesterfield County for a canvass launch supporting Leslie Mehta for the 73rd House District. We were joined by the president of EMILY's List, Jessica Mackler, who shared the importance of this election for reproductive healthcare access in Virginia. All of reproductive health care is on the ballot this Tuesday, and securing that health care depends on sending a strong, pro-choice majority to the House of Delegates.
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After canvassing, I traveled to the Greenspring Senior Living Community in Springfield to share the importance of Tuesday’s elections. Residents highlighted their concerns about the harms to public education because of loss of federal funding, the cuts to vital programs by the Trump Administration, and the rising cost of living. As the Commonwealth’s next Lieutenant Governor, I will prioritize protecting Virginians against the harms of Trump’s actions.
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Sunday concluded with a visit to Delegate Kathy Tran’s fun, annual “Don’t Boo, Vote Blue” Rally in Springfield. Democrats are excited going into Election Day and ready to send new executive leadership to our Capitol.
Remembering Supervisor Jim Holland
In October, we lost Chesterfield County Supervisor James ‘Jim’ Holland. Below is an excerpt of the message I shared on his life and legacy:
I join countless others across Chesterfield County and Virginia in mourning the passing of our good friend and dedicated public servant, the Honorable James “Jim” Holland. As a Chesterfield County Supervisor, Jim Holland's service to his constituents and communities transformed the County in profound ways. First elected in November 2007 to represent the Dale District, Supervisor Holland charted a historic path as the first African‑American Member and then Chair of that Board in 2014....
Supervisor Holland’s legacy is not only in buildings, budgets, and plans, but in the way he displayed exceptional grace in leadership: lifting up historically underrepresented communities in local government; providing a leadership grounded in integrity and thoughtful action; sharing his own expertise as a CPA and educator; and engaging in community service to create lasting, inclusive change.
I have been honored to know and serve Chesterfield County alongside Supervisor Holland. He leaves us with a community that is more connected, equitable, and attuned to the needs of all its residents. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.
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Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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