At the Richmond Legislative Report luncheon hosted by the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and Merrifield Business Association Tuesday, State Sen. Dick Saslaw and State Del. Marcus Simon stressed how pivotal the role of Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe was in this year’s session, vetoing 40 bills passed by the Republican-controlled Senate and House, and 111 in four years, all the vetoes of which were upheld by the legislature earlier this month. Now, they said, Democrats in Virginia are targeting 17 districts currently held by Republicans that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won last November, and eight where incumbents are retiring.

Simon stressed how little the Republicans currently in the state legislature touted, or even referenced, Donald Trump during the recently-completed session.