In the News

We took the Politics Hour on the road this week, broadcasting live from Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia.

U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA 11) joined Kojo and Tom first on stage. Listen to the full recording here. 

With elections and the government shutdown in the rearview mirror, we turned to what the future holds for the commonwealth. Federal cuts continue to affect Northern Virginia’s economy, but perhaps not in the way some initially feared. As Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger prepares to take office in January, many Virginia Democrats believe the party’s big wins in statewide elections should translate to an aggressive legislative agenda. Statewide leaders are also moving forward with redistricting. Rep. Walkinshaw discussed what all of this means for Virginia’s future, including the 2026 midterms.

He also talked about the prospect of another government shutdown early next year. Earlier this month, Congress agreed on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded and fully open until January 30th. Some fear the temporary agreement could lead to another shutdown in just a few months, especially if Democrats and Republicans remain divided over extending tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. Rep. Walkinshaw said he’s hopeful it won’t come to that.

“I don’t want see another government shutdown, I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said. “And there was some reporting today that there may be an agreement coming together for a short term extension of the ACA tax credits with some reforms to it and I hope to see that.”

Walkinshaw also said he wants to see long-term protections for the more than fifty thousand federal workers who live in his district.

Then, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and member of Gov.-elect Spanberger’s transition team Republican David Ramadan took the mic to talk about the challenges Spanberger could face as governor, why a Democrat election sweep does not mean a mandate, and the legislative debates we can expect in 2026.

He also spoke about how center-left Virginia differs from New York City, which just elected Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.

“The Mamdani-style doesn’t work in Virginia. And if the Mamdanis of the Democrats, start applying that kind of philosophy in Virginia, they’ll lose the majority again,” he said. “But the Spanberger center-left Democrats are the ones in control today, I believe they will succeed.”

Sorting political fact from fiction, and having fun while we’re at it. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies, and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia live at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax!

Produced by Matt Blitz