A new ranking of the most conservative members of the Virginia legislature includes the Republican Party leaders in the House of Delegates and a southwestern Democrat.
The American Conservative Union rated Virginia lawmakers based on their votes on a number of bills they described as key issues for their cause — 13 for senators and 20 for delegates. It’s the first time the organization has released the report for statehouses (it normally ranks Congress) and specifically targeted Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.
Among the Republicans with a perfect score — dubbed “Defenders of Liberty” — are Speaker of the House William Howell, Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox and Majority Whip Bill Janis. Majority Caucus Chairman Timothy Hugo scored an 85 percent. A rating of 80 or above certifies the member as an ACU Conservative.
Republican Senate leadership was considerably more moderate. Minority Leader Tom Norment scored a 62 and Republican Leader Emeritus Walter Stosch a 77.
In all, six senators, all Republicans, and 34 delegates, Independent Del. Watkins Abbit and 33 Republicans, scored 100 percent.
Del. Joseph Johnson, a Democrat from Abingdon in southwestern Virginia, was the only Democrat to score above 80. Dels. Bill Barlow, Johnny Joannou, Lynwood Lewis, Clarence Phillips and Albert Pollard were the only other Democrats to score 50 or more and all hail from the southern part of the state.
The ACU included votes on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, an extension of unemployment benefits and new regulations on abortion clinics in the Senate. In the Houses, scored votes included a school choice tax credit, a constitutional amendment guaranteeting Virginia as a right to work state and the de-funding of public broadcasting.
The ACU also introduced a list of “True Liberals” — lawmakers with zero conservative votes on the handpicked issues — that includes nine senators and eight delegates, all Democrats.
