Dear Friend,

This week’s newsletter highlights the first stop of my Energy Costs Listening Tour in Loudoun County, as well as a campaign event with South Asian voters in Georgia and with US Senator John Ossoff; it also shares select community engagements from this past week and Labor Day greetings to workers and organized labor across the Commonwealth. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.

Energy Costs Listening Tour: Thank You, Loudoun

On Wednesday, our office traveled to Loudoun County for the first stop of our Energy Costs Listening Tour, and more than 200 residents and community members joined us to make their voices heard.

The Energy Costs Listening Tour is about bringing the conversation directly to Virginians as we consider one of the most consequential decisions facing the Commonwealth’s energy system: the proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy. If approved, the acquisition would create the largest utility merger in U.S. history and reshape Virginia’s electric system for decades to come. Virginians deserve a transparent and rigorous review, and a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

The Loudoun conversation brought together residents, community organizations, elected officials, and energy experts to discuss what the proposed acquisition could mean for Virginia families and businesses. We heard questions and concerns about rising utility rates, grid reliability, the growing energy demands of data centers, clean energy, corporate ownership, and the role of state regulators.

We were joined by Senator Danica Roem, Senator Russet Perry, and Delegate John McAuliff, who brought the concerns of their constituents to the conversation, and shared what they have heard on their own journeys across the state. Shelby Green, our designated Energy Costs Listening Tour’s energy policy researcher for Loudoun, provided important technical contexts about the proposed acquisition and its potential implications for ratepayers, utility regulation, and Virginia’s broader energy system. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network was also present to listen to residents, document public comments, and help ensure that the perspectives shared by members of the community are preserved and brought forward to the State Corporation Commission.

The State Corporation Commission has a responsibility to determine whether the proposed acquisition is in the public interest. On July 6, I sent a letter to the State Corporation Commission urging it to seek answers from Dominion Energy and NextEra to 64 detailed questions about the proposed takeover. That letter followed my call for a stronger review process and additional scrutiny of the transaction.

As I have said throughout this process, energy is one of our most critical public goods. The interests of Virginia families and ratepayers must come first. Loudoun was just the beginning of the Energy Costs Listening Tour, as we are taking this conversation across the Commonwealth so Virginians have an opportunity to share their experiences, ask questions, and help shape the discussion about our energy future.

Virginians who wish to participate directly in the State Corporation Commission proceedings can register as a public witness through November 2. Public witness testimony is currently scheduled for November 5, 9, and 10. Written comments will also be accepted through November 9, before the evidentiary hearing begins on November 17.

I am committed to listening to Virginians, asking the hard questions, and making sure the public interest remains at the center of this process. Thank you to everyone in Loudoun who showed up, asked questions, shared experiences, and helped start this important conversation.

Upcoming Energy Costs Listening Tour Stops:

September 8 | Norfolk
The Slover
6:00–7:30 PM
September 9 | Richmond
Diversity Richmond
6:00–7:30 PM
September 14 | Charlottesville
Jefferson School, African American Heritage Center
6:30–8:00 PM
September 24 | Roanoke
Roanoke City Market Building
6:30–8:00 PM

The recap of this week’s Energy Costs Listening Tour stop in Loudoun is available here. More information about the tour, upcoming events, and how to participate is highlighted at VAEnergyTour.com.

Georgia Democrats are Ready to Join Virginia’s Successes

This past Thursday, I was in Georgia to deliver a strong message to Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) voters in the Peach State: their votes matter; they cannot sit this election out; and Georgia – just like Virginia in 2025 – is poised to deliver a stern rebuke to the failed policies of the Trump administration and the Republican Congress. In the one and a half years of this disastrous administration, we have witnessed increased job losses, economic anxieties, rising grocery bills, exorbitant gas prices, devastating impacts on farmers, targeted attacks on immigrant communities, closure of healthcare services, and much more. I joined Indian American Impact and SAATH for two events in the Atlanta area.

The first event (a roundtable discussion with Congressman Raja Krishanamoorthi, Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee Josh McLaurin, and state elected officials) focused on the rise of violence and hate crimes targeting AAPI and immigrant communities. Community members shared their concerns in the face of these escalating incidents; they sought answers on how to strengthen protections and the role of local and state government in crafting policy solutions to address these concerns. The need for comprehensive data, appropriately disaggregated in order to be meaningful and effective, was a strong part of the discussion. Virginia’s AAPI communities have shared similar concerns especially as incidents of bigotry, xenophobia, and targeted violence have risen.

The second event brought together Democrats from the Atlanta region in support of the coordinated campaign’s efforts for candidates up and down the ballot. I was delighted to join Senator Jon Ossoff who is running for re-election, LG nominee Josh McLaurin, and several others. In speaking with the gathering, I shared Virginia’s historic election results last November which continue to inspire communities and candidates across the country.

Returning to Georgia for these two events was personally meaningful because Georgia raised me. As a child of the South in the early 1970s, I experienced desegregation within the schools I attended; I saw communities work to overcome deep divisions through dialogue; and I witnessed firsthand the essential goodness of neighbors helping neighbors. The Georgia of my childhood was led by compassionate and wise leaders such as Jimmy Carter, Sam Nunn, Andrew Young, and John Lewis. The leadership of Senators Ossoff and Raphael Warnock and of many others reminds me that we have the opportunity in this November’s election to restore a politics that centers the people we serve rather than the few who seek to control it for their own personal gain.

Select Community Engagements

On Tuesday, my staff joined Petersburg Sheriff Crawford’s Reentry Forum: “Learning Life All Over Again.” Speakers Wesly Nicholas, Angela White, and Dr. Kendall Taylore shared perspectives on the challenges that returning citizens face in accessing resources such as housing, employment, and healthcare. The critical work of reentry is to help prevent incarceration and recidivism by empowering individuals to find passion and purpose.

On Saturday, I was honored to speak at the Battle of the Capes Commemoration Ceremony in Virginia Beach, recognizing the decisive French naval victory in 1781 that helped secure the path to victory at Yorktown and ultimately made American independence possible. This year’s ceremony held even greater significance as we recognized both the 250th anniversary of our nation and the 400th anniversary of the French Navy. It was a momentous and humbling occasion to honor the enduring partnership between the United States and France, our oldest ally.

Later on Saturday, I served as the keynote speaker at the Henrico NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, centered on the theme “Reclaiming Our Rights, Renewing Our Power, The Fight Continues.” This annual gathering brought together more than 200 advocates, civic leaders, and community members committed to advancing civil rights and social justice. At a time when so many of our fundamental freedoms are on the line, I was grateful to stand with those mobilizing to defend voting rights and ensure equal opportunity for Virginians across our Commonwealth.

Happy Labor Day

Labor Day honors the hard work of everyday people and the power of organized labor to secure fair treatment, dignity, and safety for all workers. More than just a long weekend, Labor Day is a tribute to organized labor and the historic victories of working people. From the eight-hour workday and weekends to vital workplace safety standards and fair wages, the labor movement has shaped the modern workplace for the better.

Connect With Me

Stay up to date on my work across the Commonwealth, upcoming events, and the issues that matter most to Virginia families:

Connecting With My Office

Reach out to my office via email or phone:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 804-593-2897

— Ghazala

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