As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the Thomas Jefferson Institute focused first on driving home solutions that will accelerate bringing Virginia out of the recession so employees can go back to work, cash can start flowing, and people will regain confidence—no “bricks in the life raft” of a free economy that can rebuild the state.

The Institute quickly flooded the state’s major newspapers with policy recommendations to fight the pandemic, including freeing up healthcare regulations in The Richmond Times-Dispatch and accelerating recovery by vetoing job-killing legislation in The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star and The Roanoke Times. Many of the Institute’s op-eds were reprinted in the state’s smaller papers.

Working with a coalition of 24 trade associations representing thousands of Virginia small businesses, the Institute and the coalition presented specific recommendations to veto or delay enactment of a dozen bills that would negatively affect the job market.

The Virginia Governor amended eight bills to provide only a four-month enactment delay…but enough to debate again their wisdom in next year’s session and work for repeal.

The Institute also expanded its reach by publishing a short column outlining six ways ordinary Virginians can keep cash flowing for small locally-owned businesses during the pandemic. The column was reproduced dozens of times in small chamber of commerce newsletters. Finally, it instituted Your Sunday Summary: Ideas for Virginians, a publication that summarizes conservative ideas, seasoned with light-hearted videos, to help Virginians get through the week.