We are less than two days from the start of 2026, and there is good news, but also some that’s not so great. The best news? President Trump is in the White House! Bad news? Democrats have a trifecta in Richmond. They control the State Senate 21-19; the House of Delegates 64-36; and Abigail Spanberger is the Governor. The new session of the General Assembly will be gaveled in on January 14 at noon, and count on the Democrats to undo most, if not all, of Governor Youngkin’s Executive Orders and vetos in record time. In addition, they will bring to the floor and pass countless bad bills. Over 600,000 Virginia Republicans who voted in November 2024 did not come to the polls in November 2025. We will all pay a steep price for that inaction, at least for the next two years.
As Republicans, we must now take on the mantle of the underdog and be focused, proactive, outspoken, and courageous. Show up and speak up at meetings of the Board of Supervisors and School Board, as well as at Town Halls and other community occasions. Write letters to the editor, send emails, and make phone calls to your local, state, and federal elected officials. We cannot sit silently on the sidelines, but rather, we must use our voices boldly to hold elected officials accountable.
Remind everyone when Democrats’ so-called “affordability” agenda crashes against spiraling energy costs created by radical Democratic environmental policies. When Democrats talk about how they make things more affordable, let everyone know that Fairfax Democrats’ meals tax made prepared food more expensive to feed the giant sucking maw of Fairfax County’s bloated government. When Democrats demand that schools need more funding, ask them why FCPS is spending millions of dollars on pricey attorneys to defend FCPS’s indefensible school policies on gender. You can be sure that the Democratic trifecta in Richmond and the one-party Democratic state in Fairfax County will make everyone’s lives more expensive. Book it.
Virginia Republicans must be the squeaky wheel for the next two years. In 2027, we will have the opportunity to flip the House of Delegates and State Senate; elect Conservatives to the Democrat-dominated (9-1) Board of Supervisors and the all Democrat (12-0) School Board; replace a Commonwealth’s Attorney who refuses to prosecute criminals; and a Sheriff, who releases illegal immigrants back into our community, without notifying ICE. Just two weeks ago, Sheriff Kincaid released an illegal with a long rap sheet of prior arrests, and the next day, he killed a man in Reston. Her decision to ignore an ICE detainer was deadly. We must vote these people out!
In 2026, the 11th Congressional District seat is up again, which Democrat James Walkinshaw won last September in a Special Election to replace Gerry Connolly. It’s important that Republicans maintain a majority in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate in 2026, so President Trump can continue to enact his agenda. Fairfax County deserves conservative voices at the local, state, and federal level, but that won’t happen unless brave men and women step forward.
If you are thinking about running for office or if you’ve never considered it but would like more information, please contact me at Chair@11cdgop.org and let’s talk about it.
As we head into a new year, the 11th Congressional Committee and I wish you and your family a happy and prosperous 2026!
Rosie Oakley
11th District Chairman