When is gop primary

A second loss for a Trump-backed candidate in as many weeks would put a serious dent in Trump's aura of invincibility. VIDEO The News with Shepard Smith. For Teachers. NewsHour Shop. About Feedback Funders Support Jobs. Close Menu. Email Address Subscribe. Yes Not now. News Wrap: Amid tensions with Iran, U. What does William Weld believe? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Recommended Biden tries to pin supply chain chaos on Trump as he scrambles to fix bottleneck Trump stars in Madame Tussauds branch in Dubai 1st Mideast US Marshals could go after Trump aides as Liz Cheney vows charges for those who dodge subpoenas.

Already subscribed? Log in. Help take back the House of Delegates by recruiting strong candidates and raising money. Stand up to the radical far-left agenda coming out of Washington, D. The censorship and shaming we are seeing from the far left and Big Tech is downright scary — and we must fight back.

The radical left wants to silence conservative voices, but Kirk is standing in the breach. Kirk has a plan to increase transparency, prevent uncalled-for censorship, and create accountability. As Governor he will ensure that censorship and cancel culture are not tolerated in Virginia. Read the rest of his plan to hold Big Tech accountable here. Democrats in Virginia are pushing a dangerous agenda, letting violent criminals out of prison early, repealing common sense laws to keep dangerous people behind bars, and making it harder for law enforcement to do their job.

Kirk is committed to strongly supporting law enforcement and strengthening policies that will keep our communities safe. This starts with fully funding our police, reforming the Parole Board, and prosecuting violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law. Veto Democrat proposals to repeal mandatory minimum sentences and weaken penalties for drug dealers. Reform the Parole Board, which was caught last year breaking the law and releasing violent criminals early.

The Proven Candidate Kirk is the only candidate in this race with a proven record of supporting policies that keep Virginia safe. Kirk consistently voted to increase criminal penalties for human trafficking, sex slavery, child predators, and domestic violence. Kirk led efforts to increase support and funding for victims of human and sex trafficking and domestic violence.

Kirk worked with local law enforcement to create innovative programs to combat the opioid epidemic. Empowering Parents and Students Kirk was a year public school teacher.

Safe to say, Kirk knows a thing or two about educating students. Kirk recognizes the value of investing in students, providing school choice, giving teachers the resources and support they need, and standing up to the top-down administrative bureaucracies that have failed our students.

As a Delegate and as Speaker of the House, Kirk prioritized increasing education funding and supported policies to improve outcomes. As Governor, Kirk will continue to empower students and parents, improve our public school schools, provide more access to career opportunities, and make college more affordable. His priorities will be: Empowering students and parents with more access and options in education, allowing us to craft a unique path for every child. Improving our public schools by fully funding school construction, raising teacher pay to at or above the national average, prioritizing spending in the classroom, and reducing bureaucratic programs that take away from our core needs.

Focusing on the path from a good education to good career opportunities, including additional emphasis on internships, vocational training, and credentials in high-demand fields. Making college more affordable by expanding online opportunities, freezing tuition increases, and leveraging business partnerships. The Proven Candidate Kirk is the only candidate in the race who has actually been an educator and the only candidate with a proven record in education: Kirk passed the bill to reduce the number of SOL tests for students in elementary and middle school.

Kirk carried the legislation to end teacher tenure and improve the teacher evaluation system to increase accountability. Kirk helped create the education scholarship tax credit for private schools, and supported the creation of Education Savings Accounts. As Speaker, Kirk froze tuition at colleges and universities for the first time in 20 years. Kirk wrote the bill to cap student athletic fees. Kirk created the Online Virginia Network, an online pathway to degree completion for working parents, veterans and other adult learners.

Creating Jobs Kirk knows the pathway to a robust economy and job creation is through free enterprise, common sense regulations, and low taxes. Kirk believes in the dignity of work and the purpose-driven value that comes with employment. Kirk is the leader Virginia needs to build an economy that will carry us out of the pandemic recession and give people a chance to do more than just earn a paycheck.

Created GO Virginia, a bipartisan business-led economic development initiative that puts business leaders in charge of job creation efforts. Convinced a Democrat governor to reduce regulations by 25 percent.

Helping Our Veterans A strong supporter of our armed forces, Kirk has introduced over pieces of legislation designed to make life easier for active duty military, veterans, and their families. As Governor, Kirk will continue to be a strong supporter of our active duty military, veterans, and their families.

In Democrats introduced an extreme measure that would make late-term abortion legal up to the minute of birth for almost any reason. Thankfully, the Republican majority defeated this outrageous legislation. In addition, Kirk has consistently voted to defund Planned Parenthood and prevent taxpayer funding for abortions.

In , after New York passed and Virginia Democrats proposed legislation to make abortion legal up until the moment of birth, Kirk did something no one had ever seen before.

As Speaker, he temporarily gave up the gavel, took the floor of the House of Delegates, and gave a speech about protecting innocent life. As a Delegate and Speaker of the House, Kirk supported measures to roll-back egregious gun ownership restrictions, while also voting for legislation to hold criminals who abuse these rights more accountable.

He stopped Democrats from politicizing tragic school shootings, instead focusing on real solutions on how to keep our students safe in schools. He also stood up to Democrats and their gun grab.

Our literacy rates are falling. Our math scores are cratering. And after COVID, no one has offered a plan to get our kids academically on track after the disastrous distance learning experiment. Our schools should be the best in the country, our teachers should be the best in the country, and our students should be given the best opportunity to succeed in the country. Safety Virginia should be the safest place in the country.

Our streets should be safe. Our homes should be safe. Virginians should be safe, and should have the ability to protect themselves whatever may come. Virginia should have the lowest crime, the best police force, and the safest communities in the country. Jobs Virginia should have the best job market and business climate in the country.

Virginia should have the lowest unemployment, the highest median salary, the highest job and business creation rates, and a regulatory schema that enables all Virginians to work good jobs at great pay.

We should not only be the best place to start a business, but the best place for large companies fleeing places like California and New York to move to. Democrats want to move Virginia left. We need to move Virginia forward. We need big ideas. Voter Integrity Plan VIP We owe it to Virginians to have the most secure, transparent, and quickly reported voting system in the country. People need to have faith in their elections, and there should be no room for doubt as to whether an election was fair, free from interference and all and only legal votes are counted.

Further, results should be reported swiftly and completely. The first step should expand the North Anna facility. Virginia has an opportunity to power a lot of the South East and create a revenue stream for the Commonwealth. Further, we have an opportunity to generate the cleanest energy in the country. Phase Out the State Income Tax Virginia is competing for companies and jobs against states that have no state income tax.

We need to phase out Virginia's state income tax and go to zero percent. It will unleash the job creation and dynamism of our economy. Larger states are successful without an income tax. We have got to compete. Virginia should become one of the best places in the country to live, work, and do business without sacrificing services.

Anything is possible in Virginia. Five days a week with a teacher in every classroom. Career politicians and Democrats in Richmond have failed students, teachers, and parents, so we must open our schools now. Parents demand five days a week in school with teachers in the classroom. The lack of leadership to get children back in school is why Pete is running for governor. Enhance Parental Choice in Education Pete knows the student comes first, so parents must have the tools and resources to make sure their child has access to the best education possible.

Pete wants to empower parents to choose the best for their child, whether that be public schools, private schools, or homeschooling. Making College More Affordable Pete is committed to freezing rising tuition costs and paving the way for universities to innovate to offer competitive options for Virginia students and families.

Expanding Access to Career and Technical Education Pete is going to invest in career and technical education, so Virginians have the skills and knowledge to compete in a 21st-century job market. Reject the Left-Wing Indoctrination and Cancel Culture Pete is fighting back against the lunacy of those on the left trying to cancel everyone from our founding fathers to Dr. We helped more than 1, Virginia small businesses survive. As a serial entrepreneur, Pete knows a thing or two about small business.

Career politicians in Richmond picked winners and losers — essential and non-essential businesses — which destroyed lives, and the dreams of families and entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth. In response, Pete and his wife Burson launched the Virginia 30 Day Fund, a non-profit whose sole mission is to save as many small businesses and Virginia jobs as possible by providing fully-forgivable loans for small businesses in need.

They were able to raise millions of dollars to help small businesses across the state, and ultimately, the country. Making Virginia More Competitive: Pete is committed to making Virginia the best place to launch and run a business. Richmond spent deeming some businesses essential and others as unessential. This must end. We are in the middle of a pandemic and the absolute last thing hard-working families need is more taxes and more regulation by the career politicians and extremists who are running our Commonwealth in Richmond right now.

Implement and Amendment to the Virginia Constitution Requiring a Supermajority to Raise Taxes Raising taxes has wide-ranging ramifications for both businesses and families. Pete supports changing Virginia laws to force any proposed tax hike to have support from a supermajority in the House of Delegates.

Making Tax Code More Competitive with Other States Far too many Virginia businesses have been forced to leave Virginia for our neighbors like North Carolina and Tennessee as they grow and expand because of our uncompetitive tax code. Pete will make Virginia competitive and attractive to continue to get the government out of the way of job creators. As a proud gun owner, Pete is going to restore the rights of Virginians to defend themselves and their families.

This episode made clear law-abiding Virginians must be able to defend their lives and property when government fails. Pete believes the Second Amendment is for more than just hunting. It is to protect ourselves, our family, our property, and our liberty. Pete will stand-up to the radicals like Northam and McAuliffe, who are trying to seize control and take away your Second Amendment rights.

It is essential that Virginia protects and restores the Second Amendment rights of Virginians while keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, children, and the mentally ill. And as your next governor, I am going to protect life at every single turn. Pete will stand up to the radicals in Richmond who are advocating for abortion, some even pushing for late-term abortion and infanticide.

Northam was caught on tape explaining how this barbarism would happen. Democrats no longer pretend to be moderate on the issue of abortion. They support abortion on demand, up to the moment of birth, even at 9 months, all at taxpayer expense.

Whether it is Northam or McAuliffe, Democrats are extreme when it comes to the issue of abortion. Unfortunately, career politicians in Richmond have not faithfully stood up for life.

They fund abortion in state budgets and surrender when pro-abortion extremists advance their radical policies. Pete is committed to promoting adoption and making sure women have the resources and support to choose life. The freedom of religion and the God-given liberties guaranteed by our Constitution stand as the bedrock for our Commonwealth, so we must do everything we can to protect them. Northam and career politicians demanded churches close, and even tried to dictate how Virginians chose to worship.

Northam and those on the left even tried to blame churches and faith communities for the spread of COVID Whether it is standing up to those trying to tell Virginians how and where they can worship or fighting back against the cancel-culture mobs, Pete is committed to defending the religious liberty of all Virginians.

But for too many Virginians, trust in our election system has been shattered and the process has failed to deliver on the transparency and accountability expected from voters. The six pillars of Honest Vote: Accountability and Transparency Guarantee access for all campaigns to the entire voting process and forbid unelected bureaucrats from making changes to voting laws.

Photo ID at the Polls Verify all voters are indeed who they say they are while assisting Virginians in acquiring proper identification. Signature Match Absentee Ballots Confirm votes cast using signature and witness requirements for absentee ballots. Up-to-Date Voter Rolls Restore and update the system to ensure that only eligible voters are registered, and there is standardized data sharing with localities to maintain the most up-to-date information.

Protect U. Citizenship Assure only U. Establish Voter Fraud Reporting Portal and Hotline Address election concerns with urgency by maintaining an online portal and hotline for reporting issues at the local and precinct level to help identify voter irregularities. It is going to take leadership. Standing with Law Enforcement Northam and McAuliffe have disrespected law enforcement and caved to left-wing mobs that occupied our capital city last summer. Pete will stand up to the mob and have the back of law enforcement officers who commit their lives to keeping Virginia safe.

Prioritize Funding for School Resources Officers Pete is committed to opening Virginia schools, and putting the resources in place to protect children. Pete knows that we must uphold the rule of law, and enforce the immigration laws that are on the books to keep Virginians safe and protect American workers. Pete opposes using taxpayer dollars to pay for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

Pete is committed to defunding sanctuary cities that refuse to take violent illegal immigrant criminals off our streets Hold sanctuary city officials civilly liable for crimes committed by violent illegal immigrants they harbor Require employers to use e-verify to protect American workers. Virginia should lead the Nation in vaccine distribution and test availability, not be at the bottom of the pack. More Affordable Health Insurance Pete knows the way to make health care more affordable is to make it more competitive and transparent.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?