Virginia Insider

Uriah Kiser
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Politics

I’m Uriah Kiser, and I've been a local news publisher and reporter in Virignia for nearly 20 years. Welcome to Virginia Insider — straight news + honest commentary from across the Commonwealth. From NoVA growth to Richmond politics, Tidewater to the Shenandoah Valley & Southwest VA, I cover what matters to you. No spin. Just facts, context & real talk. Subscribe & stay informed together. Thanks for listening!

  1. 19h ago

    Musk Calls Spanberger Racist Over "Most Diverse" Cabinet Photo

    Join the Virginia Insider membership: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider/join Billionaire Elon Musk accused Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger of being "racist and sexist" after she posted a group photo of her cabinet on X, calling it the "most talented, hardworking cabinet in Virginia's history" and "the most diverse Virginia has ever seen." Spanberger wrote that every cabinet secretary was selected because they are the best in their respective fields. Musk replied directly to the post: "You are utterly racist and sexist regarding white men. Shame on you." Conservative commentators quickly joined in, pointing to the apparent absence of white men in the photo. Katie Miller, wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, noted that about 30% of Virginia residents are white men while none appear in the photo. Commentator Matt Walsh and others on X also criticized Spanberger's definition of diversity, and Newsweek reported on the backlash. Spanberger has emphasized that her cabinet members were chosen for their qualifications and their ability to serve Virginians. Uriah Kiser walks through the WJLA / 7News report, the original post and photo, and the reaction online. He also discusses the governor's closed-press cabinet meeting held the same day, his own past attempts to question Spanberger as a member of Congress about the Chinese spy balloon and border security, and WJLA's questions to her about the killing of Stephanie Minter at a Fairfax County bus stop. The discussion turns to how the Spanberger administration is reshaping state boards, including the Virginia Parole Board, where grants have increased compared with the Youngkin administration, and to the role of cabinet chief of staff Candy Mundon King in replacing appointees on the parole board and university boards at VMI, UVA, and George Mason University. What does "diversity" mean in state government, and should it be part of how a governor presents her team? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and tell us whether the cabinet photo changed how you view the new administration's priorities on affordability, public safety, and schools. Watch the full breakdown on Virginia Insider. Like, share, and subscribe for more Virginia news and analysis. Sign up for the free email newsletter at virginiainsider.com. Follow Virginia Insider: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider X: https://x.com/virginiainsider Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaInsider Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-7897060 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiainsidernews Website: https://virginiainsider.com

    Musk Calls Spanberger Racist Over "Most Diverse" Cabinet Photo

  2. 19h ago

    Polls and Predictions Aim to Keep Virginia Conservatives Home on Election Day

    Join Virginia Insider for exclusive member content: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider/join With one day left before Election Day, the Daily Signal’s Joe Thomas examines Sabato’s Crystal Ball moving Virginia’s 5th District to toss-up despite an R+12 lean, the child-marriage ad claim against incumbent John McGuire, Cambridge and Marquette research on attack ads and turnout, and the Wedgewood Polls admission that most of its Michigan primary numbers were not supported by genuine survey data. Thomas argues these numbers and predictions function as turnout suppression aimed at conservatives who voted for Glenn Youngkin in 2021 and Donald Trump in 2024. Polls open Tuesday, November 3 at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. In the 5th District, Republican John McGuire faces Tom Perriello. It is the only Virginia House race where the Democratic candidate has more money, and that money is funding a media blitz that includes the false claim McGuire supports child marriage. McGuire told the Daily Signal the vote raised the marriage age to 18 with no problem, but he sought a military exception so that a 17-year-old service member who dies in combat can still leave benefits to a spouse. Cambridge University Press research on 2014 Senate races found that unsubstantiated and shrill attack ads tend to keep voters home. Marquette University work in Wisconsin shows higher turnout favors Republicans and lower turnout favors Democrats. Wedgewood Polls later acknowledged that the vast majority of the polling it released on the Michigan Democratic Senate primary was not backed by real survey data; candidate Mallory McMorrow said the fabricated numbers killed her campaign. Split Ticket analysis puts Sabato’s Crystal Ball accuracy at 60-65% in the leans and likely categories. Applying those rates to the current House lean/likely Democratic seats produces a total short of a majority. Thomas’s conclusion is that polling and predictions are a game designed to keep conservatives home, and that the only counter is to vote in person with ID on Election Day. If you like what you hear, share and subscribe. Go to virginiainsider.com and sign up for the free email newsletter. Facebook: Virginia Insider X: @virginiainsider Website: virginiainsider.com

    Polls and Predictions Aim to Keep Virginia Conservatives Home on Election Day

  3. 19h ago

    Virginia Mercury Survey: Fear, Reset in Washington, and the Affordability Question

    Join Virginia Insider for membership and support independent Virginia news: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider/join Uriah Kiser reacts to a Virginia Mercury commentary and the news organization’s first unscientific online survey of more than 350 readers ahead of the November 3, 2026 midterms. Readers told the Mercury they are distressed about their wallets and “our democracy.” Top concerns offered in the survey included shrinking healthcare access, government waste and fraud, higher food prices, rising energy costs, lack of affordable housing, data centers, and climate change. Many respondents voiced fear that President Donald Trump and his administration would try to overturn accurate election results, including in the U.S. Senate race in Alaska and over 20,000 ballots in California. As of Thursday, 1.41 million Virginians had already cast early ballots — already surpassing the 976,558 total for the entire 2022 early-voting period. Virginia had nearly 6.5 million registered voters on October 1. The host notes the repeated “hands off our democracy” framing (the United States is a constitutional republic) and asks whether Governor Abigail Spanberger has delivered on affordability. He points to continued data-center tax breaks through 2035, rising electricity costs tied to grid infrastructure for large tech companies, and state-level salary increases and tax actions in Richmond. He also references the 1st District race between Republican incumbent Rob Wittman and Democrat Shannon Taylor, a South Hampton Roads restaurateur’s experience with rising health-insurance costs for employees, and analysis from Eric Claville of Norfolk State University. Source article: https://virginiamercury.com/2026/11/02/survey-finds-fear-desire-for-reset-in-washington-will-trump-accept-the-results/ Related: https://virginiamercury.com/2026/10/26/virginia-mercury-readers-head-toward-midterms-with-rising-bills-and-doubts-about-washington/ --- Follow Virginia Insider Website: https://virginiainsider.com X: https://x.com/virginiainsider Facebook: Virginia Insider YouTube: @VirginiaInsider / @virginiainsider Sign up for the free email newsletter at virginiainsider.com so the algorithm doesn’t decide what Virginia news you get.

    Virginia Mercury Survey: Fear, Reset in Washington, and the Affordability Question

  4. 2d ago

    Biscuit the Dog Gets Voting Rights Restored Under Spanberger

    Join the Virginia Insider membership: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider/join Governor Abigail Spanberger’s administration issued an official voting rights restoration certificate to Biscuit Rigsby, a beagle-hound mix from Goochland County that died about five years ago. Delegate Tom Garrett (R-Buckingham) received the document from the dog’s owner and is calling for an investigation into how the executive review process approved rights for a deceased animal that was never a convicted felon. The certificate, bearing the governor’s signature and the seal of the Commonwealth, states that the executive reviewed the particulars of Biscuit’s criminal case. The owner confirmed the letter’s authenticity and noted Biscuit was “a good dog and is greatly missed.” This follows the earlier “Betty No Last Name” controversy in Chesapeake, where a purported convict without a surname also received a restoration document. Spanberger has restored rights to roughly 66,000 people since taking office. Her administration has said it is “looking into” reports that rights were restored to people who had already died. The timing lands days before the November 3 election, when Virginians will vote on a constitutional amendment that would make felon rights restoration automatic. The video also notes the increased rate of parole grants under the parole board remade by the current administration, compared with the prior administration. Discretionary parole was largely abolished in 1995; the current board has approved early release in a substantially higher share of the cases it has heard. Official names: Abigail Spanberger, Candi Mundon King (Secretary of the Commonwealth), Tom Garrett, Biscuit Rigsby. Sources: - Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biscuit-dog-latest-dead-felon-get-voting-rights-back-spanberger-confused-owner-says - Cardinal News (66,000 restorations): https://cardinalnews.org/2026/08/04/spanberger-restores-civil-rights-to-more-than-66000-virginians-but-that-doesnt-mean-were-getting-66000-new-voters-heres-some-math/ - WSET (Betty No Last Name): https://wset.com/news/local/spanberger-addresses-betty-no-last-name-voting-rights-restoration-october-2026 Like, share, and subscribe for more Virginia news and analysis. Join us for live election coverage starting about 7:30 p.m. on November 3. Follow Virginia Insider: Website: https://virginiainsider.com X: https://x.com/virginiainsider Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaInsider YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider

    Biscuit the Dog Gets Voting Rights Restored Under Spanberger

  5. 2d ago

    Why Is Spanberger Remaking Virginia’s Emergency System Right Before Election Day?

    Join the Virginia Insider membership: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider/join Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 19 on August 18, 2026, establishing the Commonwealth of Virginia Unified Readiness Framework. The order modernizes emergency preparedness, homeland security, and resilience by integrating planning across state agencies, local governments, first responders, private-sector partners, and critical infrastructure. The framework followed seven Regional Readiness Summits that convened more than 750 stakeholders earlier in the year. On October 7, Spanberger hosted a statewide Unified Readiness Summit in Richmond with nearly 1,000 law enforcement, EMS, and community leaders focused on cyberattacks, natural disasters, and mass violence. Spanberger has emphasized preparation “from cyber attacks to natural disasters.” At the same time, Attorney General Jay Jones and the Department of Elections issued a 10-page October 15 bulletin telling local registrars they may deny ordinary Department of Justice election monitors access to polling places, document badge numbers and movements, ask agents to leave, and consult attorneys on federal subpoenas. Virginia Beach’s electoral board voted unanimously to bar neutral observers, including DOJ monitors. Prince William County’s registrar also declined to admit them inside polling places. The host notes the timing—days before the November 3 midterms—and asks why the governor chose an executive order rather than the legislative process, and whether the administration will deny federal help in the same way it has directed officials regarding election monitors and ICE agents in state buildings. Facts drawn from the governor’s office, Virginia Mercury, WFXR, and local reporting on the election bulletin and local board decisions. Host commentary questions the coincidence of emergency preparedness infrastructure with efforts to limit federal election observation. We’ll be live Tuesday night at 7:30 as results come in. Sources: - Governor’s office EO 19 release (August 18, 2026) - Virginia Mercury (August 18, 2026) - WFXR / governor’s summit reporting - Tim Anderson X post on the October 15 bulletin - Local coverage of Virginia Beach and Prince William County decisions Follow Virginia Insider: Website: https://virginiainsider.com X: https://x.com/virginiainsider Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaInsider YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider

    Why Is Spanberger Remaking Virginia’s Emergency System Right Before Election Day?

  6. 6d ago

    Former DACA Recipient Charged Federally for Damaging Quantico Iwo Jima Statue

    Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford faces federal charges after Circuit Court Chief Judge Petula Metzler granted him $2,500 bond with GPS monitoring in the Quantico Iwo Jima monument attack case. Arrested Oct. 21 near the prototype Felix de Weldon limestone statue at Quantico / Triangle while striking it with a sledgehammer — one Marine head removed, rifle barrels damaged, hundreds of thousands in estimated damage. State felonies include destruction, injury to a monument, and trespass. A lower court had earlier granted cashless bail; prosecutors opposed release. ICE has detainers. He remains in local custody pending federal transfer. Federal charges in Alexandria: willful injury/depredation of U.S. property (18 U.S.C. § 1361) and destruction of a veterans’ memorial (18 U.S.C. § 1369) — up to 10 years. At the bond hearing, a detective testified to mental-health concerns and Maldonado Soriano’s claim that rapper DaBaby ordered the attack. Prosecutors noted he targeted the monument after being denied Marine enlistment due to immigration status. Mexican national who entered illegally in 1999 as an infant; DACA granted Oct. 2014, later expired with renewal denied. Help restore the monument: https://www.marineheritage.org/restore-iwo-jima Watch: https://youtu.be/fzsLDQGQrOs Article: https://www.virginiainsider.com/p/former-daca-recipient-charged-federally-for-damaging-quantico-iwo-jima-statue Sign up for Virginia Insider’s free email newsletter: https://www.virginiainsider.com

    Former DACA Recipient Charged Federally for Damaging Quantico Iwo Jima Statue

  7. Oct 27

    Politico Poll: Half of Americans Oppose Nearby Data Centers Before Midterms

    A new Politico poll finds half of Americans now oppose data centers being built within three miles of their home — the highest opposition since Politico began tracking, and nearly double January. With midterms near, the backlash is rising for candidates who support the facilities. Virginia already has more data centers than anywhere else on the planet. Support Virginia Insider Become a member: https://virginiainsider.com/membership Advertise with us: https://virginiainsider.com/advertise Follow Virginia Insider YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VirginiaInsider Website / newsletter: https://virginiainsider.com X: https://x.com/VAInsiderNews Sources Politico — Poll: Data center backlash builds as midterms near

    Politico Poll: Half of Americans Oppose Nearby Data Centers Before Midterms

  8. Oct 25

    Former Defense Attorney Judge Grants Cashless Bail to Iwo Jima Monument Attacker

    Support Virginia Insider — Become a Member → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFRsz0wQzFOpQG6_HUwLMRA/join A Prince William General District Court judge who previously practiced criminal defense granted cashless bail to the man accused of attacking the Iwo Jima monument near Quantico with a sledgehammer. The order was stayed after the Commonwealth objected, and a circuit court judge has continued the bond appeal to Monday morning. Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, faces felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. Prince William County police say officers found him late Wednesday night, October 21, around 10:15 p.m., striking the limestone statue just outside the main gate at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Police say he removed the head of one of the six Marines depicted in the sculpture. Damage is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Federal sources told Fox News that Maldonado Soriano is a Mexican national who entered the United States illegally in December 1999. He was granted DACA status in 2014, renewed most recently in 2024, and lost that status in August 2026 when it was not renewed. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said his "dream is over," that he defaced a monument honoring service members, and that the administration is deporting criminal noncitizens. A magistrate initially ordered him held without bond. General District Court Judge Fernando Villarroel, appointed in July 2025, then granted cashless bail. Before the bench, Villarroel practiced criminal defense in Manassas. After the Commonwealth's attorney objected, the judge stayed his own release order. On Friday, retired Prince William Circuit Court Judge Craig D. Johnston continued the bond appeal to Monday at 9:30 a.m. and ordered him held until that hearing. This is not the first cashless or unsecured bond issue in the same courthouse system. On September 4, 2026, a 16-year-old girl was killed in the crossfire during a shootout in Old Town Manassas; one suspect had previously been released on an unsecured bond after a firearm-related arrest. The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is fundraising to restore the limestone Felix de Weldon replica. Donations: https://www.marineheritage.org/restore-iwo-jima What do you think about cashless bail after a magistrate ordered him held without bond? Tell us in the comments. Like, comment, and subscribe for more Virginia coverage. Sources: Potomac Local News: https://www.potomaclocal.com/2026/10/22/fox-sources-iwo-jima-statue-suspect-former-daca/ Bill Melugin (X): https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2113434505692275117 Taylor Rogers (X): https://x.com/TaylorRogers37/status/2113621151368741015 Marine Corps Heritage Foundation: https://www.marineheritage.org/restore-iwo-jima The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/10/22/virginia-man-arrested-damaging-iwo-jima-statue-near-quantico/

    Former Defense Attorney Judge Grants Cashless Bail to Iwo Jima Monument Attacker
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

I’m Uriah Kiser, and I've been a local news publisher and reporter in Virignia for nearly 20 years. Welcome to Virginia Insider — straight news + honest commentary from across the Commonwealth. From NoVA growth to Richmond politics, Tidewater to the Shenandoah Valley & Southwest VA, I cover what matters to you. No spin. Just facts, context & real talk. Subscribe & stay informed together. Thanks for listening!

Information

  • Creator
    Uriah Kiser
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    78
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Northern Virginia Local, LLC 2026
  • Show Website
    Virginia Insider

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