Virginia Democrats Raise the Alarm Over a Potential North Carolina-Style Republican Takeover of State

With the primaries in Virginia a week away, Democrats there are raising alarms that the Old Dominion might become the next North Carolina, as allegations fly that Republicans are running under the radar in the Democratic primary.The coming elections in Virginia will take on increased importance because the state — where Republicans need to net only two seats in the senate to win the trifecta — is a last bastion for reproductive rights in the South.It can take only one party switch to shift the balance of power far to the right, as was evidenced in April, when a North Carolina state representative, Tricia Cotham, switched to deliver Republicans a veto-proof majority in the state house.Shortly after doing soon, Ms. Cotham voted to restrict abortion rights in North Carolina when a 12-week ban came to the floor in May. This was after she ran with the endorsement of EMILY’s list, an organization that largely backs Democratic women who support abortion rights.Now, Virginia Democrats are sounding the alarm about one state house candidate in particular, John Dantzler, who is running for a suburban Richmond house seat.Mr. Danztler is seeking the Democratic nomination in Henrico County, which encompasses the northern suburbs of Richmond and is a safe Democratic seat.In terms of funding, Mr. Danztler’s campaign is mostly self-funded. He has put about $54,000 into his campaign and his company, Skyy Construction Company, has donated another $50,000. Another $16,000 was donated by Mr. Danztler’s family and Skyy Realty Group.Given Virginia’s open primary system — meaning voters can vote in either primary — a few hundred Republican voters supporting Mr. Danzler in the primary could be enough to tip the scales to win him the nomination.Although Mr. Danztler’s opponent, Destiny LeVere Bolling, has been quiet about her opponent’s history, a state Democratic organization, the Blue Virginian, has highlighted his history of supporting President Trump and Governor Youngkin, among other issues.The group has alleged Mr. Danztler voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, an allegation that Mr. Danztler brushed off by saying, “I was an independent at the time.” He later denied doing so. They’ve also highlighted his endorsement from a gun lobbying group, Citizens Defense Lobby.Democrats in Henrico County have also pointed to Mr. Danztler’s support for and relationship with the ICE director, Tony Pham, who welcomed Mr. Danztler to the so-called “Phamily” at a campaign event in 2015 and during his 2021 campaign against a state senator, Lamont Bagby. Mr. Danztler has also hired Mr. Pham’s political strategy firm to help him with his current campaign, and the two happen to be members of the same chapter of the same fraternity.Aside from this, Democrats in Henrico County have raised the alarm about Mr. Danztler’s social media activity, which includes liking posts by Republicans including Mr. Trump, Mr. Youngkin, and Senator Scott.Mr. Danztler has also made posts in the past about how abortions are “killing our community’s [sic]” and how people needed to “protect our children.”Neither Mr. Danztler nor Ms. Bolling immediately responded to a request for comment.There are also signs that other Democrats in the state might be willing to flip on the issue of abortion, despite popular opinion in the state.A state senator who has been plagued by scandal after being convicted for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in 2014, Joseph Morrissey, signaled he would be open to supporting a 15-week ban.According to Pew Research Center, 55 percent of Virginians believe abortion should remain legal in all or most cases, compared to 42 percent who believe it should be illegal in all or most circumstances.A potential post-election party switch could have serious consequences in Virginia, considering the current balance of power.As it stands, Republicans control the state house of delegates, 50 to 46 seats, and Democrats control the senate, 22 seats to 18. In January, Democrats in the state senate blocked a Republican attempt to restrict abortion access, including imposing a 15-week ban.“The truth is, as long as senate Democrats have our majority, the brick wall will stand strong and these extreme bills will never pass,” a state senator, Louis Lucas, said following the vote.As it stands, abortion in Virginia is banned after the third trimester and is the closest place for many Americans in southern states to be able to legally get an abortion after the first six or 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Virginia Democrats Raise the Alarm Over a Potential North Carolina-Style Republican Takeover of State

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