The Virginia Press Room

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Julie Carey of NBC 4, covering a million-dollar defamation lawsuit in Fairfax County. Tom Sherwood of WAMU, covering the General Assembly's data center deal, which combines a tax break with higher electricity fees. Jeff Schapiro of the UVA Center for Politics, covering how the budget negotiations appear to be a victory for Sena...

In this special episode of The Virginia Press Room celebrating America's 250th birthday,  Michael Pope is joined by: Dr. Jatia Wrighten of VCU, discussing the complex relationships that marginalized groups have to the symbolic power of July 4th. Dr. Cayce Myers of Virginia Tech, discussing the importance of broadsides as mass media during the age of the American Revolution.  Dr. Richard Bell of th...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: James Libresco of the Alexandria Times, covering controversy in Alexandria's teacher's union after a candidate for president was removed from the ballot. Mary Wadland of the Zebra Press, covering Alexandria's RiverRenew initiative to overhaul its plumbing infrastructure. Trever Baratko of Inside NoVA, covering a lawsuit against...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Elizabeth McGowan of WHRO, covering the potential merger between Dominion Energy and Florida's NextEra Energy. Hanna Pampaloni of LoudounNow, covering the suspension of Purcellville's Vice Mayor and Town Manager. Whitney Evans of VPM News, covering the latest on Virginia's voting rights restoration for people convicted of felon...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Victoria Ifatusin of the Richmonder, covering the Richmond Civilian Review Board's growing restlessness over a small caseload. Meghan Mangrum of Cardinal News, covering the Governor's firing of the head of Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors. Dean Mirshahi of VPM News, covering Governor Spanberger's veto of a retail marijuana mar...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Emily Leayman of the ALXNow, covering controversy over Arlington House materials on Robert E. Lee. Tad Dickens of Cardinal News, covering the dismissal of a case to remove Martinsville's mayor. Joe Dashiell of WDBJ7, covering some of the legislation vetoed by Governor Spanberger. Plus phishing scams, broadband deployment, and t...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Cat Pizzarello of the Collegiate Times, covering the hack of the learning management system, Canvas. Ford McCracken of ABC News, covering recent changes to Virginia's gun laws. Andrew Kerley of the Commonwealth Times, covering the shuffle of Democratic candidates in the wake of the redistricting amendment being overruled.  Plus...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Jahd Khalil of VPM News, covering the Virginia Supreme Court's nullification of the redistricting referendum. Mechelle Hankerson of WHRO, covering the FBI raid at the office and business of Senator Louise Lucas. Ethan Hunt of the Roanoke Times, covering the Montgomery County sheriff's race revolving around the issue of ICE coop...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Megan Pauly of VPM News, covering what's been holding Virginia back from offering universal preschool. Ryan Murphy of WHRO, covering a no-bid contracts scandal Norfolk's public housing authority. Markus Schmidt of the Virginia Mercury, covering the redistricting cases before the Virginia Supreme Court. Plus rideshare safety law...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Michael Martz of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, covering the special session's focus on redistricting. Kate Seltzer of the Virginian-Pilot, covering the ongoing negotiations for a budget deal in the General Assembly. Rich Meagher of RVA's Got Issues, covering the tactics used on both sides of the redistricting campaign. Plus data...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Sabrina Moreno of Axios Richmond, covering Abigail Spanberger's policy positioning as a moderate. Tom Lappas of the Henrico Citizen, covering tensions in the Henrico County budget debate. Dean Mirshahi of VPM News, covering the murder of Dr. Cerina Fairfax by her husband, former Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax. Plus CarMax Park, pl...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Sandy Hausman of Radio IQ, covering the 283rd birthday of Thomas Jefferson. Nathan Alderman of C-ville Weekly, covering controversy over Turning Point USA's influence in Albemarle County. David Velasquez of the Daily Progress, covering Albemarle County's debate over raising taxes for housing. Plus tablets in prisons, UVA's new...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Lori D'Angelo of the Daily News Record, covering Democrats' plans to run in the proposed 6th district. Dan Egitto of ARLnow, covering outcry over misleading anti-redistricting mailers. Patrick Larsen of VPM News, covering a controversial transmission line in central Virginia. Plus valedictory addresses, a new Chief Energy Offic...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by Katherine White of Network NoVA, John Reid of The Reid Revolution, and Rich Meagher of RVA's Got Issues, discussing a huge variety of hot topics in Virginia politics: the redistricting referendum, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Richmond's FOIA transparency concerns, the No Kings rallies, casino bills, and upcoming...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Karen Graham of the Loudoun Times-Mirror, covering the latest on the unfolding drama in Purcellville. Karri Peifer of Axios Richmond, covering some of the quirkiest bills that moved through the General Assembly this year. Michael O'Connor of Virginia Dogwood, covering several pro-worker bills in the General Assembly session. Pl...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by a whole host of voices from the Virginia press corps--including Michael Martz, Jahd Khalil, Andrew Kerley, Kate Seltzer, Joe Dodson, Charlie Paullin, Charlotte Rene Woods, Nathaniel Cline, and Shannon Heckt--to break down the headlines from 2026 General Assembly session: redistricting, data centers, affordable housing, solar ene...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Whittney Evans of VPM News, covering the differing state House and Senate bills to make childcare more affordable Cameron Thompson of WTVR, covering the start of early voting on the redistricting referendum. Tyler Englander of WRIC, covering how state Democrats aligned on a 10-1 congressional map on the eve of the redistricting...

Megan Pauly of VPM News, covering what the state House and Senate budget proposals mean for early childhood education funding. Charlie Paullin of Inside Climate News, covering debate over ending a tax exemption for data centers. Joe Dodson of Courthouse News, covering the litigation surrounding Virginia's proposed redistricting legislation. Plus public employee collective bargaining, pesticide con...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Lauren Hines-Acosta of the Chesapeake Bay Journal, covering recent funding for a study on menhaden fishing in the Bay. Greg Schneider of the Washington Post, covering the twists and turns in the ongoing redistricting saga. Billy Shields of VPM News, covering controversy over a 300-home housing development in Chesterfield that g...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Elizabeth Beyer of Cardinal News, covering a rewritten bill to reshape the governance of the Virginia Military Institute. Charlotte Rene Woods of the Virginia Mercury, covering the slew of housing bills making their way through the General Assembly. Shaban Athuman of VPM News, covering how the Washington Post's recent job cuts...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Anna Bryson of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, covering the state House's ban on assault weapons. Jahd Khalil of VPM News, covering Virginia's proposed 10-1 redistricting maps. Brandon Jarvis of Virginia Scope, covering how Democrats in the General Assembly arrived at the new district map. Plus personality clashes, taxes & inflati...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Shannon Heckt of the Virginia Mercury, covering a new bill looking to provide guidelines and prevent local-level bans on solar energy. Brad Kutner of Radio IQ, covering several ICE-related bills in the General Assembly. Dean Mirshahi of VPM News, covering the state of new legislation related to the cannabis marketplace. Plus bi...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Kate Seltzer of the Virginia Pilot, covering Virginia's return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Joe Dodson of Courthouse News, covering a federal judge's ruling that Virginia has been violating a Reconstruction-era law. Sean McGoey of VPM News, covering how the Spanberger administration has been flexing its powers in...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Jeff Schapiro of Virginia Public Radio, covering the official inauguration of Governor Abigail Spanberger. Olivia Diaz of the Associated Press, covering some of Governor Spanberger's first executive orders. Patrick Larsen of VPM News, covering data center reform bills in the General Assembly. Plus the right to repair, affordabi...

In this episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Lauren Burke of Black Virginia News, covering the issues that Democrats will be tackling during the first few days of the General Assembly. Chris Saxman of Virginia Free, covering tensions between Democrats at the state and local level. Rich Meagher of RVA's Got Issues, covering the proposed constitutional amendment on voting r...