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| Though West Virginia formed because of political differences with Virginia, a 2016 electoral map shows that rural areas of both states are largely in sync now. (New York Times map) |
Liberty University is in Lynchburg, Va., in one of the counties encouraged to secede; Falwell, a staunch Trump supporter, has helped vault the college into a conservative political touchstone. Justice, who recently became a Republican and is running for re-election in a state dominated by the GOP, said during the press conference that West Virginia welcomes those who oppose abortion and gun control, Izaguirre and Suderman report.
The so-called "Vexit" movement is a response to last November's election, when Democrats assumed full control of the state legislature. With Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam at the helm, Virginia Democrats have "pledged to enact gun control measures, roll back abortion restrictions, and prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people, Izaguirre and Suderman report.
That sparked a huge backlash in rural Virginia: at least 60 of Virginia's 95 counties have since declared themselves "Second Amendment sanctuaries," a largely symbolic gesture that asserts local authorities' right to disregard state and federal gun-control laws. More recently, thousands of gun rights activists protested in Richmond, Va., many wearing tactical gear and carrying firearms, Izaguirre and Suderman report.
That sparked a huge backlash in rural Virginia: at least 60 of Virginia's 95 counties have since declared themselves "Second Amendment sanctuaries," a largely symbolic gesture that asserts local authorities' right to disregard state and federal gun-control laws. More recently, thousands of gun rights activists protested in Richmond, Va., many wearing tactical gear and carrying firearms, Izaguirre and Suderman report.
The press conference was met with derision on both sides of the aisle in the Virginia General Assembly; Sen. Emmett Hanger, a Republican, likened the press conference to a "comedy routine," Izaguirre and Suderman report. A spokesperson for Gov. Northam merely said, "Sounds like it’s an election year in West Virginia," Matt Shuham reports for Talking Points Memo.
However, some West Virginia state legislators are taking the notion seriously. A few weeks ago, lawmakers "introduced formal resolutions inviting parts of Virginia to join their state. One resolution targets Virginia’s Frederick County, but was met with a shrug from the county’s leader," Izaguirre and Suderman report. "The other casts a wider net to all Virginia’s counties, saying the 'government at Richmond now seeks to place intolerable restraints upon the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.'"
Justice noted during the press conference that West Virginia and Virginia share a unique history, alluding to the fact that West Virginia is the only state formed by seceding from a Confederate state. Justice reiterated at the press conference that all Virginia counties have a 158-year-old standing invitation to join the state, Elizabeth Tyree reports for WSET-TV in Lynchburg, Va.
It's unclear how secession would proceed, but Falwell said lawyers had advised him that Virginia counties would need to first conduct petition drives, then hold a referendum, and if that succeeded, the proposal would go before the General Assembly, Izaguirre and Suderman report. Rick Boyer, a conservative activist attorney in Virginia, said he's working hard to make Vexit a reality.
"This isn’t street theater; we fully intend to do everything we can to see it through," Boyer told Izaguirre and Suderman.
from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/36BVCh1 Jerry Falwell Jr. and Gov. Jim Justice invite conservative Virginia counties to secede and join West Virginia - Entrepreneur Generations
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