Besides sweeping statewide elections, the Republican Party of Virginia has seized the majority in the House of Delegates.
Speaking to reporters, House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) outlined the GOP priorities in the next legislative session.
Richmond’s 8News reports:
When asked about what House Republicans’ top priority would be moving forward towards the next General Assembly session, Gilbert was clear that education was a top issue in the elections and would remain the main concern for the caucus.
“Absolutely, it’s education,” Gilbert said Thursday. “We have seen the education issue resonate so throughly and completely with Virginians this year because of what their children have been through. And it started with the pandemic and it progressed through our realization that there was really a movement afoot…to put excellence to the side in favor of so-called equity.”
Gilbert said Republicans would need “to right some wrongs,” citing a new law that removes the mandate that school principals report certain misdemeanors, including sexual battery, to the authorities. He added that the law was a focus for Republicans on the campaign trail, and that it provided the base for the closing narrative of Glenn Youngkin’s campaign.
The top Virginia House Republican also spoke about school choice, embracing a proposal from Youngkin to bring more charter schools to Virginia.
Other issues mentioned include reinstating the requirement for voters to show photo ID and amending Virginia’s marijuana law with Senate Democrats so that it doesn’t enhance the existing black market.