Carolyn Fiddler is Dogwood’s chief political correspondent. She is also the nation’s foremost expert in state politics with almost two decades of experience in statehouse machinations, and her comic book collection is probably bigger than yours.
Carolyn Fiddler
Latest from Carolyn Fiddler
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Democrats’ hard-won tax rebates begin to hit Virginians’ wallets
Good news, Virginia: You might be getting some extra cash soon! According to state officials, over $900 million in state tax rebates will go out to Virginia taxpayers in the coming weeks. Individuals who filed their state taxes in 2022 will receive a $200 rebate, while couples filing jointly will receive $400. Virginians are receiving…
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Saturday early voting kicks off this weekend. Here’s what you need to know
Early voting in Virginia has been underway for over a month now, but until now, early voters could only cast ballots on weekdays. Starting this weekend, however, Virginians will be able to vote on Saturday, too. On Saturday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 4, voters statewide who want to vote early, but can’t make it…
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Democratic Senate candidate Schuyler VanValkenburg on the stakes of his race
In Richmond-area Senate District 16, Democratic Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant. Dunnavant is a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist who has repeatedly pushed for abortion bans during her term in the Senate. During this year’s election-year legislative session, she attempted to mitigate her opposition to reproductive rights somewhat, but in an ad she…
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Republicans rake in Big Pharma cash while Democrats advocate for lower drug prices
November’s General Assembly elections will likely have a meaningful impact on how much Virginians spend for prescription medication. Via both words and actions, Republicans and Democrats are demonstrating which side of prescription drug affordability they’re on. In this year’s legislative session, Democrats in the state Senate proposed a measure establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board…
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Virginia Senate candidate Monty Mason’s closing pitch
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Monty Mason faces former sheriff Danny Diggs in Hampton Roads-area SD-24. Mason has served in Virginia’s legislature since 2013. He’s regarded as a pro-business Democrat who’s a leader in the General Assembly on transportation infrastructure, foster care, and aging issues. Mason is also a staunch supporter of reproductive rights and gun safety.…
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New poll finds GOP policy positions unpopular with Virginia voters
A new poll of likely voters in Virginia’s 2023 legislative elections reveals that reproductive freedom, K-12 education, and the economy are the biggest issues folks will be considering at the ballot box in November. With just weeks to go before Virginians cast their votes for all 140 members of the General Assembly, a significant majority…
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Heads up, Virginia: This weekend is a sales tax holiday
Thanks in part to budget amendments championed by Democrats in the General Assembly, Virginians can shop for certain items sale tax-free this weekend (Oct. 20-22). Virginians are used to seeing this sales tax holiday in August of each year, but a forgetful legislature and six extra months of negotiations over the state budget resulted in…
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Democratic House candidate Jessica Anderson on what motivates her to run
House District 71 sits a little northwest of Hampton Roads and features a competitive contest between Democrat Jessica Anderson, a progressive activist and public school employee who has a sizable following on TikTok, and Republican incumbent Del. Amanda Batten. Batten is an outspoken advocate for education funding plans that funnel money away from public schools…
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Former House of Delegates Speaker to run for northern Virginia congressional seat
Eileen Filler-Corn, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates who served as the chamber’s first woman Speaker, has announced she’ll run for a northern Virginia congressional seat next year. Filler-Corn, who was also the first Jewish Virginian to serve as House Speaker, said this week that she’d seek the Democratic nomination to run in…
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Virginia Senate candidate Russet Perry’s closing pitch
Former CIA officer and Democratic prosecutor Russet Perry faces Republican Juan Pablo Segura in Senate District 31, a seat in northern Virginia’s exurbs. Perry is running on a public safety platform that includes protecting vulnerable Virginians from domestic and gun violence. She’s also a vocal supporter of reproductive rights and improving the state’s public education…
