The Weekender (8/6/21)

Weekender

Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender.

Let’s get started.

Virginia: Democratic candidate for Governor Terry McAuliffe once again showed his support for all Virginians with his newly released plan for spurring growth in Virginia’s rural economy. His detailed plan for “Growing Greener Pastures” will support agriculture, forestry, and broadband expansion. His plan is drawing broad support with endorsements from over one hundred rural Virginia leaders. Meanwhile, Glenn Youngkin has finally unveiled his plan for Virginia’s economy, but “the result is pretty disappointing, and something of a gut punch for the rural areas,” wrote the editorial board of the Roanoke Times. Youngkin wants Virginians to believe their economy is “in the ditch,” but Democrats have led the state to back-to-back wins as the country’s top state for business — and the reality is it’s Youngkin’s disastrous plan that would hurt the economy and especially devastate rural Virginians.

New Jersey: Jack Ciattarelli is doing his best to stay afloat after plunging headfirst into the deep end of Trumpian extremism. His most recent attempt to tread water is his choice of former state Sen. Diane Allen for lieutenant governor. Ciattarelli’s pick is yet another desperate attempt to repair the damages of a bruising far-right primary. From headlining a ‘Stop the Steal’ Rally alongside white supremacists to attacking LGBTQ+ youth, Ciattarelli can’t hide the fact that he’s an extremist who would drag New Jersey backward and undo the progress of the past four years. All this pandering proves that Ciattarelli is out of touch with New Jersey values, and voters will reject his extremist agenda in November.

The Virginia GOP is Doubling Down on Donald Trump’s Conspiracy Theories, and Glenn Youngkin is Leading the Way

As he prepares for his appearance as a “featured guest” at the Virginia 5th District GOP’s so-called “Election Integrity” Rally later this week, new reporting is exposing how Glenn Youngkin would not tell a voter the truth and say that there is no possible path for Trump’s reinstatement as president, saying instead that “the court system is moving slowly and it’s unclear.”One of Youngkin’s top supporters – State Senator Amanda Chase – is leading the call for a sham audit of the 2020 election in Virginia. Chase is taking her “movement” filled with the same dangerous lies that incited the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol to a protest at the Virginia General Assembly. Despite zero evidence of widespread voter fraud taking place in the Commonwealth, Chase has submitted an open call for “election leaders and elected leaders from across Virginia who have been working on election integrity efforts” to join her as she peddles Trump’s ‘Big Lie.’And it appears Glenn Youngkin is answering her call as he doubles down on the nonsense rhetoric about non-existent voter fraud he’s based his entire campaign on and called “the most important issue.”

Evers announces support for tourism with $10 million 
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is putting funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to good use in his state. Earlier this summer, he announced $130 million for workforce development programs and $379 million to help restaurants and other eligible businesses stay open. Gov. Evers knows how to keep Wisconsin’s economy going, and his announcement for $10 million towards tourism is another massive step in the right direction.In June, Gov. Evers set aside $142 million for businesses and organizations in the tourism and entertainment sectors of Wisconsin, such as live event venues, movie theaters, and summer camps. This additional $10 million allows local governments and tourism organizations to apply for grants to support their reopening efforts.Although the Delta variant of COVID-19 poses a concern, Gov. Evers addressed concerns by saying that “we can walk and chew gum at the same time.” While he promotes boosting tourism in Wisconsin, he strongly encourages people to get vaccinated and look out for members of their communities.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on CNN stressing the urgency of fighting COVID in his state.Former Virginia Gov. and current candidate Terry McAuliffe on MSNBC with Jonathan Capehart discussing his rally with President Joe Biden and the threat of Glenn Youngkin’s extremism.


“Our goal is to make sure that every child who walks through the door of a school in Delaware has the resources they need to succeed. This legislation will help us get there by providing important services early in a student’s academic career.”

  • Delaware Gov. John Carney on signing House Bill 86 to increase funding for students eligible for special education services in kindergarten through third grade.

“I’m sick of the judgmental stuff … Nobody’s trying to get ill here.” Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net, and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!If you guessed Nebraska’s Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts for last week’s quote, you really know your governors! Gov. Ricketts claimed that updating CDC safety guidelines only furthers distrust because he would rather spew partisan nonsense than look out for the health and happiness of his constituents.