SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Slips of paper with the names of Virginia House of Delegates candidates Shelly Simonds (D-VA) and David Yancy (R-VA) are drawn from a bowl during a meeting of the Virginia State Board of Elections January 4, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
'Democracy in Action': Republican Wins Virginia Election After His Name Was Drawn From Ceramic Bowl
The random result could have monumental consequences for Medicaid expansion in the state, as it gives Republicans a 51-49 advantage in Virginia's House of Delegates.
Jan 04, 2018
A bizarre and razor-close Virginia House of Delegates election came to a close on Thursday after incumbent Republican David Yancey's name was pulled from an old film canister that was drawn out of a ceramic bowl, giving the GOP a crucial extra seat in the legislature.
The random drawing came after weeks of vote counting and appeals that ultimately resulted in a 11,608-11,608 tie between Yancey and his Democratic opponent, Shelly Simonds.
Buzzfeed's Tasneem Nashrulla, who sardonically described Thursday's drawing as "democracy in action," runs through the timeline:
On Dec. 19, Simonds appeared to be the winner of the race after defeating Yancey by one vote.
On Dec. 20, after Yancey challenged a ballot he said went uncounted, a three-judge panel ruled that the single ballot was in fact a vote for him -- making the race a TIE.
On Dec. 21, James Alcorn, the chairman of the Virginia State Board of Elections, announced that they would draw names to determine the winner of the race on Dec. 27.
However, the drawing was postponed after Simonds challenged the recount vote.
After consideration, the random draw was rescheduled for Jan. 4.
On Thursday, two slips of paper printed with the candidates' names were inserted into film canisters, which were sealed and then shuffled in a ceramic bowl made by a local artist from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The random result could have monumental consequences for Medicaid expansion in the state, as it gives Republicans a 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates.
While newly elected Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam campaigned on the promise to expand Medicaid in Virginia, he appeared to qualify this promise in a December interview with the Washington Post, in which he suggested he would work with Republicans in "overhauling" Medicaid in an effort to "better defin[e] eligibility" and "control costs."
The comments were welcomed by Virginia Republicans, but quickly denounced by progressives, who interpreted Northam's nod toward bipartisanship as a needless compromise with the right.
Newly elected Virginia state delegate and democratic socialist Lee Carter was quick to respond to Northam's remarks, saying Medicaid expansion is "the bare minimum."
"A clean Medicaid expansion is the compromise. That's where I'm coming from, that's what I hope he'd be advocating for," Carter added. "I don't think his comments were indicative of that."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A bizarre and razor-close Virginia House of Delegates election came to a close on Thursday after incumbent Republican David Yancey's name was pulled from an old film canister that was drawn out of a ceramic bowl, giving the GOP a crucial extra seat in the legislature.
The random drawing came after weeks of vote counting and appeals that ultimately resulted in a 11,608-11,608 tie between Yancey and his Democratic opponent, Shelly Simonds.
Buzzfeed's Tasneem Nashrulla, who sardonically described Thursday's drawing as "democracy in action," runs through the timeline:
On Dec. 19, Simonds appeared to be the winner of the race after defeating Yancey by one vote.
On Dec. 20, after Yancey challenged a ballot he said went uncounted, a three-judge panel ruled that the single ballot was in fact a vote for him -- making the race a TIE.
On Dec. 21, James Alcorn, the chairman of the Virginia State Board of Elections, announced that they would draw names to determine the winner of the race on Dec. 27.
However, the drawing was postponed after Simonds challenged the recount vote.
After consideration, the random draw was rescheduled for Jan. 4.
On Thursday, two slips of paper printed with the candidates' names were inserted into film canisters, which were sealed and then shuffled in a ceramic bowl made by a local artist from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The random result could have monumental consequences for Medicaid expansion in the state, as it gives Republicans a 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates.
While newly elected Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam campaigned on the promise to expand Medicaid in Virginia, he appeared to qualify this promise in a December interview with the Washington Post, in which he suggested he would work with Republicans in "overhauling" Medicaid in an effort to "better defin[e] eligibility" and "control costs."
The comments were welcomed by Virginia Republicans, but quickly denounced by progressives, who interpreted Northam's nod toward bipartisanship as a needless compromise with the right.
Newly elected Virginia state delegate and democratic socialist Lee Carter was quick to respond to Northam's remarks, saying Medicaid expansion is "the bare minimum."
"A clean Medicaid expansion is the compromise. That's where I'm coming from, that's what I hope he'd be advocating for," Carter added. "I don't think his comments were indicative of that."
A bizarre and razor-close Virginia House of Delegates election came to a close on Thursday after incumbent Republican David Yancey's name was pulled from an old film canister that was drawn out of a ceramic bowl, giving the GOP a crucial extra seat in the legislature.
The random drawing came after weeks of vote counting and appeals that ultimately resulted in a 11,608-11,608 tie between Yancey and his Democratic opponent, Shelly Simonds.
Buzzfeed's Tasneem Nashrulla, who sardonically described Thursday's drawing as "democracy in action," runs through the timeline:
On Dec. 19, Simonds appeared to be the winner of the race after defeating Yancey by one vote.
On Dec. 20, after Yancey challenged a ballot he said went uncounted, a three-judge panel ruled that the single ballot was in fact a vote for him -- making the race a TIE.
On Dec. 21, James Alcorn, the chairman of the Virginia State Board of Elections, announced that they would draw names to determine the winner of the race on Dec. 27.
However, the drawing was postponed after Simonds challenged the recount vote.
After consideration, the random draw was rescheduled for Jan. 4.
On Thursday, two slips of paper printed with the candidates' names were inserted into film canisters, which were sealed and then shuffled in a ceramic bowl made by a local artist from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The random result could have monumental consequences for Medicaid expansion in the state, as it gives Republicans a 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates.
While newly elected Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam campaigned on the promise to expand Medicaid in Virginia, he appeared to qualify this promise in a December interview with the Washington Post, in which he suggested he would work with Republicans in "overhauling" Medicaid in an effort to "better defin[e] eligibility" and "control costs."
The comments were welcomed by Virginia Republicans, but quickly denounced by progressives, who interpreted Northam's nod toward bipartisanship as a needless compromise with the right.
Newly elected Virginia state delegate and democratic socialist Lee Carter was quick to respond to Northam's remarks, saying Medicaid expansion is "the bare minimum."
"A clean Medicaid expansion is the compromise. That's where I'm coming from, that's what I hope he'd be advocating for," Carter added. "I don't think his comments were indicative of that."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy