Posts on Monday, August 3, 2026

Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., announced that she has restored voting rights to 66,085 Virginians who had prior felony convictions. Virginia’s constitution doesn't allow convicted felons to vote after serving their sentences unless a governor restores their voting rights. “I’m proud that — after contending with my predecessor’s efforts to deny Virginians their fundamental rights — we have restored the rights of more than 66,000 Virginians who have served their time,” Spanberger said in a statement. “These Virginians deserve the right to use their vote, make their voices heard, and be recognized as contributing citizens to our Commonwealth and country.”

As the midterms loom, the commentariat is confidently predicting that the Republican House majority is all but doomed. It is of course true that history does not portend a victorious outcome for the GOP. The president’s party almost always loses House seats in midterm elections. Yet history has been confounded more than once during the Trump era. There are factors at play this year that may save the GOP majority. The Republicans enjoy a 2-to-1 cash advantage over the Democrats (snip) and the same people who orchestrated President Trump’s historic 2024 victory are managing the party’s midterm strategy.