Virginia

Gov. Spanberger Leads Virginia Economic Mission to United Kingdom, Italy and France

By Uriah Kiser
Spanberger

“Strengthening relationships with international employers, attracting new business investment and expanding economic opportunity in Virginia is the goal of a European trip this week by Gov. Abigail Spanberger,” The Center Square reported. The governor is joined by the secretaries of commerce and trade and of agriculture and forestry, along with officials from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Tourism Corporation and Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, and will attend the Farnborough International Airshow.

Existing Virginia employers with European roots include BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce from the United Kingdom, Selex Galileo from Italy and Airbus Group from France. The delegation is scheduled to return this weekend after meetings aimed at positioning the commonwealth as a top U.S. investment destination.

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Virginia Gun Shops Resume Assault-Style Weapon and Magazine Sales After Statewide Injunction

By Uriah Kiser
Virignia State Capitol

“Gun shops across Virginia resumed sales of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines today after a statewide injunction blocking enforcement of the new ban officially took effect,” WSET reported. A Washington County judge clarified that the temporary order applies statewide, preventing enforcement of the ban across the commonwealth following weeks of legal challenges over its constitutionality.

Del. Tim Griffin, R-53rd District, called the ruling a win for Second Amendment rights, while Del. Sam Rasoul, D-38th District, urged patience as the case proceeds. The attorney general’s office said the state remains confident the ban will be upheld and noted that related U.S. Supreme Court cases could inform the outcome.

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Suetterlein, McNamara Seek Special Session to Extend Dominion-NextEra Merger Review

By Uriah Kiser

“State Sen. David Suetterlein and Del. Joe McNamara on Tuesday asked Gov. Abigail Spanberger to call a special session of the General Assembly to extend the time the Virginia State Corporation Commission has to review the proposed $67 billion Dominion Energy-NextEra merger,” Cardinal News reported. Under current law the SCC must rule within 180 days or the deal is approved by default, giving Virginia the shortest review window of any state involved.

The Roanoke County Republicans argue that forcing Virginia to decide first weakens its leverage and risks leaving Dominion ratepayers—who outnumber those in North Carolina and South Carolina—without the full benefit of any later concessions. A spokesperson said the governor is examining the merger’s effects on electricity costs, jobs and in-state renewable generation and is considering all options, including a special session.

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Supplier of Gun Used in Old Dominion Attack Pleads Guilty

By Uriah Kiser

“The gun used at Old Dominion University by a convicted foreign terrorist supporter came from a Virginian who stole it and was dealing firearms without a license, according to his guilty plea,” The Center Square reported. Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to three counts of making false statements during firearm purchases and faces up to 35 years at his Dec. 18 sentencing. Prosecutors say he stole the weapon from a vehicle in Newport News a year earlier and sold it to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh the day before the March 12 attack.

Jalloh, previously convicted in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, killed one person and wounded two others during a shooting at an Army ROTC class on the Norfolk campus before he was subdued and fatally stabbed. Cellphone records showed Chapman’s number was the most frequently contacted in the week leading up to the attack, and ammunition matching that used in the shooting was recovered from Chapman’s residence the following day.

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Virginia Loses More Jobs Than Any Other State, Ranks 48th in Growth

By Uriah Kiser
Photo: Spanberger Facebook page

“Over the past year, Virginia has lost more jobs than any other state,” Cardinal News reported. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the Commonwealth shed 51,400 jobs from May 2025 to May 2026, with heavy losses in federal positions and professional services, placing it 48th nationally for job growth.

Northern Virginia communities, heavily tied to federal contracting, face heightened risks as manufacturing declines accelerate and a gap widens with neighboring North Carolina, despite Virginia’s solid CNBC business climate ranking.

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Low Birth Rates Could Create Housing Glut as Fredericksburg Market Balances

By Uriah Kiser
New housing being built off of Stafford's Little Whim Road.

Bloomberg News via The Virginian-Pilot reported that low U.S. birth rates and restricted immigration risk a housing glut starting in the 2030s as deaths outnumber births and household formation slows, with builders already facing excess inventory in Sun Belt states. Locally, the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) reported an active but more balanced market where inventory has improved, buyers are value-conscious, and pricing/presentation matter more as multiple offers fade.

In Northern Virginia, this national demographic shift could further ease pressure on the Fredericksburg area’s constrained supply of updated homes, though affordability challenges persist for lower- and middle-income buyers amid steady local transactions.

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Federal Workforce in Washington Region Hits 30-Year Low Amid Job Losses

By Uriah Kiser

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) reported via its Regional Economic Monitoring System that the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area lost 54,500 federal jobs from May 2025 to May 2026, part of a broader decline of 100,500 total jobs. Federal employment dropped from 375,800 in January 2025 to 312,500 by May 2026, the lowest level in three decades.

The region’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.9 percent while the professional and business sector also shed jobs, highlighting ongoing federal workforce reductions impacting Northern Virginia’s economy.

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Virginia House Budget Proposal Seeks to End Mandatory Campaign Finance Audits

By Potomac Local News
Spanberger

7News reported that the Virginia House of Delegates’ proposed budget includes language repealing a law requiring audits of campaign finance reports for statewide candidates and certain elected officials.

The move would halt ongoing audits of Governor Abigail Spanberger, Attorney General Jay Jones, Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi, and others selected by the Board of Elections, drawing criticism from reform advocates like Clean Virginia and BigMoneyOutVA who argue it weakens transparency in a state with already lax campaign finance rules.

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Poll: Voters Urge Caution on New Data Center Approvals Amid Infrastructure Concerns

By Potomac Local News
Village Place Technology Park in Gainesville, approved by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in 2022

“The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 62% of voters say local governments should be cautious about new data centers while 24% think they should encourage them because they create jobs, tax revenue and support America’s digital economy,” The Center Square reported. The national survey of 2,585 registered voters, conducted June 1-4 by Noble Predictive Insights, showed similar views across party lines, age groups and regions, with a margin of error of +/- 1.93%.

In Northern Virginia, where data centers have rapidly expanded in areas like Prince William, Loudoun and Stafford counties, the results highlight ongoing local debates over electricity demands, water usage, land impacts and rising utility costs for residents.

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Virginia Senate Proposes $1.7 Billion Data Center Generator Fee

By Potomac Local News
Photo: Spanberger Facebook page

“Virginia Senate leaders unveiled a budget proposal Tuesday that would raise an estimated $1.7 billion over two years through a new fee on data center generators,” The Center Square reported. The tiered impact fee on new generators would start Jan. 1 as part of unresolved budget negotiations with the House and Gov. Abigail Spanberger due by June 30.

The plan offers an alternative to phasing out sales tax exemptions for data centers, a key issue for Northern Virginia localities like Prince William and Stafford facing rapid industry growth and related infrastructure demands.

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