Virginia@: Chairman's Update: Feb. 18, 2015

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Robert,

Hope you made it through the snowstorm OK. I don't think there was a single part of our Commonwealth that wasn't impacted.

I want to start this week with some internal RPV news. As you've likely heard, our Executive Director Shaun Kenney will be leaving us at the end of February to pursue other opportunities.

I want to thank Shaun for his hard work over the past year, especially during this transition between Chairman Mullins and myself. He's a tireless worker, I know he's going to move on to even greater things. The search for our new Executive Director is already underway, and I hope to have an announcement regarding that position in the near future.

Meanwhile, the national press corps is just now catching up with something RPV has been talking about for more than a week — the double Democratic walkout in the House of Delegates over a resolution expressing support for our ally Israel. Since we've posted this video, more than 20,000 people have seen it.

What was so hard about expressing support for a staunch ally like Israel? Or, if they don't support Israel, why not just vote no? It probably has something to do with the far-left liberal base of the Democrat Party.

Remember, this comes at a time when President Obama refuses to refer to the barbarians of ISIS as being motivated by "radical Islam." Just today, President Obama went so far as to say that terrorism is motivated by "legitimate grievances."

I wonder, Mr. President, just what sort of "legitimate grievance" compels someone to round up 21 Christians and behead them? Or to lock others in cages and set them on fire?

No, Mr. President. The "root cause" you and your Democratic allies seek so dilligently to find isn't unemployment, or corruption, or frustration with the pace of change in the Middle East. The root cause is evil men undertaking evil acts.

And evil must be confronted and destroyed.

The fact that so many Democrats can't recognize this — and are willing to walk out rather than take a stand on a resolution supporting Israel — is just further proof that there is something very wrong in the Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, our GOP team in the General Assembly is doing exactly what they said they'd do from day one this year -- governing. Meanwhile, Democrats have focused on whipping their far-left liberal base into a frenzy in an effort to get them to show up in November, as well as bring in the big-money checks from people like Tom Steyer and Mike Bloomberg.

Just this week, Del. Rob Bell finally succeeded in winning a major victory for homeschoolers across Virginia. The "Tebow Bill", which would allow home school students to participate in athletics at the schools they would otherwise attend has finally passed out of the General Assembly and is on its way to the Governor's desk.

For years, this bill would pass in the House but be stopped in the Senate. Now, with a solid Republican majority, this common-sense bill has finally passed and is on its way to the Governor's desk. Thanks to Rob Bell for carrying the bill, and to our GOP team in the Senate for getting it passed!

Parents of home-schooled students have paid for the public system through their taxes just like everyone else. This bill is just the kind of innovation that we need to give our students and parents more choices when it comes to education.

Speaking of educational innovation, Republicans also successfully passed a Constitutional amendment that will, if approved by voters, open the door to more charter schools in Virginia. Del. Rob Bell and Sen. Mark Obenshain have been working on this critical piece of education policy for years.

Democrats had long found ways to block this important legislation. But if we return solid Republican majorities to the House and Senate this November, this amendment will be headed to the voters for their approval — and Democrats won't be able to stop it.

Charter schools were just one of the topics that Del. Bell covered in this week's Virginia GOP address.

Before I wrap up, I want to remind everyone again that the Commonwealth Dinner is TUESDAY! Tickets are almost all gone, so if you haven't purchased them yet, time is running out. Governor Perry has a fantastic record, and this is going to be a great event. Get your tickets today!

Sincerely,