Author: Steve Vaughan

Steve Vaughan covers state and city politics and government, tourism and business for the Virginia Gazette. He has 20 years of experience and is an award-winning reporter and columnist. He lives in Richmond with his wife, son, dog and two cats. His daughter attends college in North Carolina. Vaughan is an Orthodox Skeptic and licensed wiseacre.

Now that Bin Laden’s gone, what next?

By Steve Vaughan Nearly every American hailed the news late Sunday evening that American Special Forces had killed Osama Bin Laden in a raid on his safe house in Pakistan. Democrats, Republicans, Tea Parties, Greens, independents, we were all brought together in a way that we really haven't been since 9/11 itself. That excludes a … Continue reading Now that Bin Laden’s gone, what next? →

Senate ‘slobberknocker’ looms

By Steve Vaughan With former Gov. Tim Kaine announcing last week that he plans to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Jim Webb in 2012, a potential slobberknocker of a U.S. Senate race is shaping up. One that could decide partisan control of the Senate. Kaine isn't a lock for the Democratic … Continue reading Senate ‘slobberknocker’ looms →

Please split up my ‘community of interest’

By Steve Vaughan It's  redistricting time. The General Assembly meets next month to draw the new lines for the state's 11 Congressional districts, 100 House of Delegates district and 40 State Senate districts. This year we've had an appetizer, since the governor's commission on redistricting (which only has advisory status), college students participating in a … Continue reading Please split up my ‘community of interest’ →

Not a bad year, all things considered

By Steve Vaughan The 2011 regular session of the Virginia General Assembly is in the books. Compared to recent years, I'd say the legislature did pretty well. Sure, they took an extra day to get the budget worked out, but that happens more often than not these days. And it's not really partisan gridlock that … Continue reading Not a bad year, all things considered →

Still crazy after all these years?

By Steve Vaughan It's said that the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  I don't want to call the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives crazy, but if the shoe fits...  There's a fairly good chance that we're headed for another government … Continue reading Still crazy after all these years? →

Wittman for Senate trial balloon spotted?

Breaking news By Steve Vaughan What may be the first signs of a move by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-1st) to enter the 2012 U.S. Senate race came to light Friday. The story should go up some time tonight at  The Virginia Gazette.

Goodbye, Jimmy. We hardly knew ye.

By Steve Vaughan Senator Jim Webb announced Wednesday that he won't seek a second term in 2012. The announcement wasn't much of a surprise. He only raised $12,000 in campaign contributions in the fourth quarter of 2010 and he'd seemed for months to be vacillating on the decision to run or not run. I'm going … Continue reading Goodbye, Jimmy. We hardly knew ye. →

Where McDonnell’s ABC plan went wrong

By Steve Vaughan Governor Bob McDonnell' s much-discussed, often-changed, plan to privatize the state's ABC stores and get the Commonwealth out of the liquor business is likely dead for the year.  Del. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), chairman of the House General Laws Committee has said he'll use his chairman's discretion not to bring the bill up … Continue reading Where McDonnell’s ABC plan went wrong →

What a sweet guy!

By Steve Vaughan I got a press release from Del. John O'Bannon (R-Henrico) Friday. He was pretty proud of himself. He'd asked for and gotten an opinion from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that two of Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed amendments to the budget were unconstitutional. That's pretty unusual, because everybody involved -- O'Bannon, Cuccinelli and McDonnell … Continue reading What a sweet guy! →

Thank God for cable

By Steve Vaughan I don't find myself in agreement with George Will often, unless the bow-tied curmudgeon is writing about baseball. Will has an ongoing, and I'd guess premature since  he's had it for 20 years or more, case of grumpy oldmanism. Most Will columns can be summed up succinctly as "Hey, you kids get off my … Continue reading Thank God for cable →