OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is popular enough that he could lead his party’s effort to turn the state from purple to bright red in Tuesday’s crucial elections.
Democrats know this, which is why they’re pulling out all the stops in order to prevent that from happening.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) headed to the state to campaign for statewide Democratic candidates using her party’s talking points regarding GOP opponents: They’re too “extreme,” even though her own party tilts as far to the left on most issues as it ever has.
“Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the state’s House of Delegates, while Democrats hold a small majority in the state Senate. All state seats are up for reelection on November 7,” The Messenger reported on Sunday.
“Pelosi campaigned with a number of Virginia Democrats over the weekend, including Virginia Democratic state Sen. L. Louise Lucas and Susan Swecker, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia,” the report continued.
Democrats are essentially running on one issue — abortion — as Lucas picked up Pelosi’s talking point and warned that “extremist Republicans” will likely pass a 15-week abortion ban if they take both chambers of the state legislature.
“Virginia voters can defend reproductive freedoms and STOP Extreme Republicans from punishing women and their doctors,” Pelosi wrote on X.
“I want to thank Nancy Pelosi for a phenomenal speech today to rally Virginia Democrats … It was an epic foreshadowing moment when a bald eagle flew above us while she was speaking about our democracy,” Lucas wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the No Labels political organization clapped back at Pelosi after she claimed that running a third-party candidate, which could tank President Joe Biden’s reelection chances, was “perilous to our democracy.”
During a call on Friday, the group mentioned that polling by the organization suggested that support for an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties was growing.
Former Missouri Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, who is leading the group’s efforts to get on the ballot in all 50 states, led the pushback, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.
“I hesitate to say No Labels because they do have labels. They’re called no taxes for the rich. No child tax credit for children. They’re called let’s undo the Affordable Care Act,” Pelosi said, per the outlet.
“When they jeopardize the reelection of Joe Biden as president of the United States, I can no longer remain silent on that,” Pelosi added in a speech to the group Third Way, a moderate-to-left-leaning political organization. “I say that completely without hesitation. This is about an illusion being created, that it’s about nonpartisanship and bringing people together.”
Nixon bristled at those remarks.
“We have a substantial, real opportunity to field a respected bipartisan third-party ticket,” he said on a press call after being told what Pelosi said.
“You got a whole lot of people, they’re gonna say a lot of things that have been part of the system as it exists. And I expect those types of comments to come from a number of elected officials over the next weeks, months and perhaps even years,” said Nixon.
“But we’re answering a call here, and we’re answering it in a very professional way. And they’re certainly entitled to say what they want, but they need to be truthful when they critique us,” he added.
“But but saying that going out and gathering signatures and getting someone to ballot and having candidates to run for president and vice president is a threat to democracy, it’s not something that I feel it’s necessary to. It’s a response to the fact that we’re doing well,” he added.
