Democrat Virginia House Speaker Describes Intra Party ‘Civil War’

In an explosive interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) accused fellow Democrat V.A. Sen. Louise Lucas, the President Pro Tempore of the Virginia Senate and Chair of the Finance and Appropriation Committees, of sparking “a civil war among Democrats.” This interview describing the Democrat infighting comes as the Commonwealth faces a government shutdown, unless the Democrat General Assembly and Governor Spanberger finish the budget process by the end of June.  

Ahead of the possible shutdown, Scott is placing blame on Lucas for “refusing to negotiate a compromise over the Senate's proposed repeal of a state sales and use tax exemption for the purchase of data center equipment.” Apparently, the impasse left negotiations unable to meet as a group for over three months as the shutdown deadline draws near.  

Instead of working out her disagreements with her fellow Democrats, Lucas has gone on the offensive. Lucas has embarked on a tour through Democrat-leaning areas touting her position on data center tax breaks and threatening primary challengers. She has also called Governor Spanberger a “diva” and Speaker Scott “Amazon Don.”  

Notably absent from this Democrat infighting is Elaine Luria, who has declined to show leadership in ending this intraparty struggle.  

Former Attorney General Jason Miyares observed, “Governor Spanberger promised to govern and be a bridge-builder in Richmond. Instead, she brought a wrecking ball, torched relationships across the Capitol (including with her own Senate Democrats), and still can’t get a budget done before the July 1 cliff. This is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Virginians deserve a functional government.”