Democrats are fundraising off of Republican efforts to unseat several legislative incumbents in four districts across Virginia.
The move comes after the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) PAC and the Virginia House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) launched a series of campaign attack ads.
In a Tuesday email to supporters, the group Elect State Dems, a project of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), pointed to a “six-figure attack ad” targeting the incumbents: Reps. Josh Thomas, Joshua Cole, Nadarius Clark and Michael Feggans. The email said it was the “second major investment” in the state to flip the Virginia House this November.
“But we know the truth: If Republicans gain power in Virginia, they will stop at nothing to attack abortion rights, limit voting access, and loosen gun laws — pushing Trump’s Project 2025 through the legislature. So we must fight back,” the email reads, asking supporters to “rush” $3 to support competitive races in “Virginia and beyond.”
DLCC Communications Director Lauren Chou told Southeast Politics in a statement that Republicans lack the courage to speak out against President Donald Trump and noted that Democrats will remain focused on protecting Americans.
“Prices are rising, economic opportunities are disappearing, and not a single Republican has the courage to stand up for their community and speak out against Donald Trump. Hundreds of Virginians just lost their jobs after Trump’s tariffs triggered massive layoffs at their local Volvo plant — and state Republicans are burying their heads in the sand,” Chou said in a statement.
“Meanwhile, Virginia Democrats are focused on protecting and delivering for the Americans who are at risk of losing access to health care, economic security, and quality public schools. State Democrats won’t give up on defending their communities and neither will the DLCC,” Chou said.
The RSLC did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday about the group’s Democratic counterpart’s fundraising email, but there have been at least two ads targeting incumbent Democrats in recent days and weeks.
On Tuesday, RSLC PAC dropped an advertisement called “Tax Laughs,” stylized after the game show “Family Feud,” that accuses Democrats in the Virginia Legislature of thinking the top priority for Virginia families is “no tax cuts.”
The ad shows graphics indicating Democrats did not select “bringing down the cost of living” or “getting rid of sanctuary cities” as top priorities. It then shows a brief video clip of Sen. Barbara Favola saying through laughter, “no tax cuts.” There is no additional context to her comment.
“The Democrats think tax relief is a joke,” the narrator adds. The ad then directs viewers to the RSLC website “to hold Democrats accountable.”
RSLC PAC President Edith Jorge-Tuñón said in a press release in April that Virginia Republicans used this year’s Session to focus on tax cuts, enhancing community safety and empowering Virginia parents to have a say in their child’s education — measures Jorge-Tuñón says Democrats refused to support.
“The Democrats controlling Richmond rejected these practical initiatives for political reasons, ignoring the clear support from Virginians,” he said. “If the Democrats in Richmond can dismiss straightforward ideas like tax cuts, how can we trust them to lead effectively?”
RSLC Communications Director Mason Di Palma said in a press release Tuesday that Virginia Democrats have made it “abundantly clear” they are not “committed to advancing affordability in the Commonwealth.”
“If they truly cared about progress, they would have supported tax cuts instead of voting against them,” Di Palma said. “Republicans in Richmond stand ready to collaborate with Democrats on these pressing issues, but instead of joining forces, Democrats prioritize political games, which only harm hardworking Virginians. Voters recognize who genuinely advocates for them, and it’s not the Democrats.”
Another RSLC ad claims Virginia Democrats want higher taxes and ignore the safety of women, girls and the community.
“Virginia Democrats, like Delegate Michael Feggans, are copying their friends in Washington,” the ad states. “Higher taxes, ignoring women’s and girl’s safety, protecting violent criminals. Virginians didn’t ask for this.”
The ad’s graphics make reference to a male sex offender that was reportedly found using a women’s locker room, a claim that was reported by ABC7.
The incident took place at a rec center in Fairfax County, where a woman and her child saw a man showering in the women’s locker room. Employees declined to have the man removed because he told them he identified as transgender.
Upon calling police, officers informed the woman who made the complaint that it was “policy” to have inclusive bathrooms. It was later discovered that the man — Richard Cox — is a registered sex offender. He was asked to leave the facility upon returning a few weeks later.
The ad does not directly accuse Feggans of supporting policies that allow transgender women to use women’s bathrooms or locker rooms, but Democrats in general have been more likely to oppose bans on transgender women in such facilities, with some arguing it is unsafe for transgender women to use men’s restrooms.
The ad also claims legislative Democrats are “protecting violent criminals,” with graphics referencing an MS-13 gang member that was arrested while he was hiding in Virginia, which was reported by Fox News.
Salvadoran national Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, 24, was arrested in Woodbridge, Virginia, and was charged with being an illegal alien in the possession of a firearm. Officials said Villatoro Santos is one of the top three leaders of the MS-13 gang in the U.S.
Again, the ad does not directly accuse any specific Democrat of supporting any specific legislation related to the undocumented immigrant issue, but Democrats have broadly rejected immigration crackdowns, arguing crime among undocumented immigrants is rare.
