There are those moments in Virginia politics that, in real time, don’t look as important as they really are for individual politicians, political parties and the wider ambitions of both.
We got a couple of those moments in the past week, both coming from Virginia Republicans, both centered on what the GOP will do to limit abortion in the commonwealth and whether it was possible or permissible to compromise with Democrats to get something done.
The first moment came last Saturday, when 5th District Republican Rep. Bob Good led a pro-life rally on the state capital grounds. Good’s message [1] was clear as crystal, as reported by WTVR:
“Republicans should not be negotiating the timeline on when abortion should be permitted or when abortion is OK or when it’s OK to take life in the womb,” Good said. “Republicans ought to stand openly, boldly, and unashamedly for life from conception and to protect all life in the womb.”
It was a warning to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and the four state legislators he charged with drafting an abortion bill that bans abortion, with some exceptions, after 15 weeks — or 20 weeks, if that’s what it takes to get something through the Democratic-controlled Senate.