The Span Virginia Bus Tour drew a capacity crowd at Eastwood Farm and Winery on Tuesday, June 24, to bolster support for a united Democratic ticket.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger was joined by Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones, the party’s nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively, along with other Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates from across the state.
The event marked the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, a fact noted by candidates and attendees alike.
Addressing the crowd, Hashmi said that expanding the Democratic majority and electing a governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general in lockstep with the state legislature is crucial to passing the proposed constitutional amendments to codify reproductive rights, reinstate voting rights for formerly incarcerated persons and overturn the 2006 amendment banning same-sex marriage in the state constitution.
Hashmi noted that these issues are not just political ones, but often deeply personal, recalling her own experiences with miscarriage and the importance of her doctor being able to provide the necessary life-saving care.
“I think it was extraordinary that [Hashmi] is here as the candidate for the lieutenant governor in Virginia, and that she shared something so deeply personal,” Spanberger said. “I’m grateful that she chose to share that story, because certainly it is, sadly, an all-too-common story.”
The personal nature of these issues resonated with attendees too. Albemarle resident Mason Baumann said he values the principles and policies these candidates stand for.
“The reason I came today is really because I feel like Virginia is our last line of defense for fighting against everything happening, specifically for our abortion rights,” Baumann said. “My wife is pregnant right now, and I care a lot about her health care and what she can receive.”
Beyond reproductive rights, Spanberger and her fellow ticket members said they plan to tackle a range of issues across the commonwealth, including the affordability crisis, health-care accessibility, and education funding and access, among others.
When it comes to confronting these issues and leading policy change, the Democratic ticket emphasized the legislative strength of its united front, something it claims to hold over the Republican ticket.
“We’ve been talking, we’ve been engaging on the issues, and we know that we are committed to fighting for a unified perspective on the values and the commitments that we have to voters in Virginia and so that is a dramatic difference between our ticket and the other ticket,” Hashmi said.
Jones shared similar sentiments in his speech, with a subtle and light-hearted jab at their Republican counterparts, saying, “The three of us actually talk. We like to be seen in public with each other.”
That unity and commitment to the issues appealed immensely to voters like Baumann, who are using their available free time to support the Democratic ticket through phone-banking and door-knocking.
“I think it’s kind of a stacked line between them of experience, conviction, and having the people in mind, so I really appreciated just being able to hear their personal stories and understand what’s really driving them in their campaigns,” Baumann said.
Virginia’s general and special elections are on Tuesday, November 4. Early voting begins September 19.
The Span Virginia Bus Tour drew a capacity crowd at Eastwood Farm and Winery on Tuesday, June 24, to bolster support for a united Democratic ticket. Photo: Eze Amos.
