Tempers Flare in Tense General Assembly Session. Buckle Up! Rubbin' son...is racing.
15 days to Sine Die, 84 days to early voting, 130 days until Primaries.
My fondest childhood memory of the Christmas season is listening to The Andy Williams Christmas Album while my mom baked and iced her famous to the family sugar cookies. Refined white sugar cookies cut into snow people who cannot become pregnant (#men), ornament circles, and Christmas tree forms topped with powdered sugar based food colored icing.
My favorite song from that album? It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Some of my strongest memories from my time in the House of Delegates come from the post-Crossover weeks prior to adjournment Sine Die.
If there were a song that captures the terribly tense tired emotions coursing the General Assembly, one could simply take the above titled song, strike <wonderful> and insert <horrible>. It’s the Most Horrible Time of the Year.
Did you sing it? I knew you could.
The 46 day “short”session is worse than the 60 day “long” session because it’s the same amount of work in two fewer weeks. As a result, there is not a lot of time for negotiating or thinking things over. This is not the Mulling Season. It’s also Campaign Season. Short sessions are held during election years in which legislators face possible nomination contests and/or general elections in the fall.
In 2023, however, around 1 out of every 3 incumbents have primary battles within their own party and/or caucus. Almost all of those are in non-competitive general election districts. They are in full campaign mode right now as their election is in 130 days on June 20 - if primary is the chosen method of nomination.
*NeedleSlidesAcrossAlbum*
Wait.
Because of Early Voting laws here in Virginia, voting starts in just 84 days - May 5th. Less the 15 days remaining in Session? 69 days from Sine Die. Just two months. Which means? Almost one third of the General Assembly is in full campaign mode RIGHT NOW.
For many, the 2023 General Assembly Session is The Most Horrible Time of EVER.
A 30 year lobbying veteran described this session yesterday - “a lot of emotions.”