Tuesday, Oct. 28 — Virginia’s U.S. Senator Mark Warner came before the Virginia press corps again today to rail against the on-going shutdown of the federal government and the disastrous “cliff” that is approaching this weekend when, absent Congressional action, health care premiums will suddenly and overnight rise dramatically and funding for the federal SNAP food assistance program will end.

      Warner decried Trump’s ongoing “galivanting” around Asia in the face of these developments, noting that without Trump in the room, congressional Republicans will take no action.

      He said that Virginians “began getting the notices of their notices of health care premium increases. He acknowledged a short term plan to by the state to pay for SNAP benefits, but said he wants $6 billion identified by the White House for the plan to actually be released.

      He said the Democratic majority in the Virginia State Legislature, meeting in a special session this week, will have complicated path to achieve a redistricting by the time of the midterms next year in reaction to what Republicans are doing in a number of states, including most recently in North Carolina, but he said Democrats “can’t just sit around and watch the Republicans doing this.”

      He added that while he is “increasingly worried” about the fairness of the midterm elections next year, given what Trump is doing to undermine them, he said a “record turnout for (Democratic gubernatorial candidate)  Spanberger in Virginia’s election next week will send a signal that Republicans will have to pay attention to.” —