“This is a flood like no other we’ve ever seen.” Those words are from a 38-year veteran Richmond lobbyist as he surveyed the damaging legislation introduced in the General Assembly by legislators in Virginia’s new progressive majority. As part of its new strategic framework, the Thomas Jefferson Institute will focus on fending off much of that legislation, while still advancing its own ideas. The Institute’s primary objectives in the legislative session ending March 14,m 2020 include fending off the multi-state Transportation and Climate Initiative and efforts to gut Virginia’s right-to-work law. Furthermore, the Institute is urging the Legislature to issue rebates for more than 200,000 Virginia taxpayers who should have received them last year as a result of tax reform, promoting a doubling of the standard deduction for taxpayers.

The Institute also kicked off a VATeacherChoice offensive, urging Virginia teachers to leave the Virginia Education Association, join alternative professional educator groups, and take their $700 in dues with them. A more detailed report will be included in the next issue of SPN News, but early indications show the social media, digital, and postal mail campaign is having an impact.

Following the passing of the Institute’s Founder and Chairman Mike Thompson, the Board elected Randal C. Teague as chairman and John Hager as Treasurer. Teague is a long-time conservative activist and former executive director of Young Americans for Freedom, now serving as chairman of The Fund for American Studies. Hager is a former Virginia Lt. Governor, who also brings business and strategic experience to the position as a former business executive.