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“At every turn in her life, Abigail Spanberger has dedicated herself to one mission: protect and serve the United States of America. Her love of country and commitment to the Virginia families she represents is at the center of everything she does. As a federal law enforcement officer, CIA counterterrorism officer, and now member of Congress, she swore an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution — no party boss or special interest can get in her way when she’s fighting for her constituents. The same can’t be said for MAGA Republican Yesli Vega, who has already proven she’ll be a rubber stamp for her party bosses and special interests. Virginians will send Abigail Spanberger back to Congress this November because there’s no one better to have in your corner than her.” – DCCC Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney
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To: Interested Parties
From: Monica Robinson, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 21, 2022
Subject: The Case Against Yesli Vega
Abigail Spanberger has followed her love of country throughout her career — first as a law enforcement officer tackling narcotics and money laundering cases, then as a CIA counterterrorism officer collecting intelligence abroad. Now, she’s answering the call to continue serving as a member of Congress fighting every day on behalf of Virginia families.
Abigail is a mother of three young daughters and a lifelong Virginian. Growing up, her father taught her that there’s no greater calling than service to country. She brings those values with her every day to Congress, where she’s willing to take on any political party or special interest for the good of Virginians. While some politicians cower and hide from their voters, Abigail Spanberger shows up: She refuses to take a dime of corporate PAC money, is ranked one of the most bipartisan members of Congress for her ability to work with both sides of the aisle, and holds regular town halls to hear from the constituents she serves because she believes in being accountable to the people who elected her.
During her time in Congress, Abigail has rolled up her sleeves and gotten to work, from delivering pandemic relief to small businesses and families to passing a major infrastructure investment for Virginia. She works every day for Virginians’ priorities like lowering the cost of prescription drugs and ensuring Virginia’s law enforcement have the resources they need, and she quickly leapt into action to help parents when they faced a terrifying baby formula shortage across the country.
Throughout her career, Abigail has repeatedly taken the oath to defend the Constitution and serve our country. Virginians can count on her to work for them — not party bosses and special interests. But the same can’t be said of Yesli Vega, who would be a rubber stamp for the most extreme, radical wing of her party in Congress.
Tonight, Virginia Republicans nominated Yesli Vega, a far-right extremist who proudly described herself as “the most conservative candidate” in the VA-07 primary. Her record proves it: Vega promoted conspiracy theories that the election was stolen and questioned whether Virginians’ legally cast ballots were legitimate, wants to see abortion banned and Roe v. Wade overturned, and aligned herself with some of the most radical, far-right personalities in Washington. Vega has come out on the wrong side of every issue — and the more Virginians get to know her record, the less they’ll find to like.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“Whoever wins the 7th District Republican primary on June 21 will find a formidable opponent in Spanberger, the two-term Democrat and former CIA officer. Spanberger, who has a nearly $4 million war chest, flipped the district blue in 2018.” [Washington Post, 04/18/22]
HEADLINE: Spanberger ranked 5th most bipartisan member of House, Good 5th least [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 05/5/22]
HEADLINE: Rep. Spanberger trying to limit congressmembers from buying, selling, trading stocks [NBC 29, 01/26/22]
“Still, Roday said he doesn’t think ‘anybody is the front-runner’ in the primary. Of the top Republican contenders to challenge Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D), no one candidate is clearly running away with the grass-roots fundraising lead.” [Washington Post, 04/18/22]
“While it is still a top Republican target, the 7th also shifted north to the Fredericksburg area after redistricting and became a few points bluer.” [Washington Post, 04/12/22]
HEADLINE: Spanberger to host town hall focused on veteran issues [CBS 19, 03/22/22]
HEADLINE: Spanberger tours police department, hears struggles, successes [Culpeper Times, 04/15/22]
“The Democratic Party of Virginia released footage Thursday morning from a VA-07 Republican candidate forum that took place in April where the candidates were asked to talk about January 6, 2021 – the day that Donald Trump supporters overthrew Capitol Police and stormed the Capitol building […] Yesli Vega: ‘It was actually a group of Americans exercising their 1st amendment rights and as a result of doing that they’ve been persecuted, shamed, forced out of their jobs, forced to retire, and listen, the double standard is sickening.’” [Virginia Scope, 05/19/22]
“Veteran Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth said ideally Republicans will want to elect someone who is a bit more moderate to compete with Spanberger in a year where hot-button issues like abortion and gun policy are likely to dominate. None of the candidates, however, have presented themselves as moderates, Holsworth noted, which is not uncommon in a primary. The candidates have all stressed their opposition to abortion and, in the days after the Uvalde, Tex., mass shooting, strong support for gun rights.” [Washington Post, 6/10/22]
HEADLINE: Spanberger works to solve baby formula shortage [NBC 29, 05/19/22]
HEADLINE: Spanberger presses White House on infrastructure bill [Culpeper Star-Exponent, 10/5/21]
“Thomas’s decision to endorse Vega now is notable both because her involvement in pushing to delegitimize Joe Biden’s 2020 win recently emerged during the House committee investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, and, politically, because Virginia’s 7th is a competitive swing district that Trump lost.” [Washington Post, 04/12/22]
HEADLINE: Culpeper Republicans to host six primary candidates; Democrats say Virginia GOP ‘in disarray’ [Culpeper Star-Exponent, 05/1/22]
YESLI VEGA: RADICAL, EXTREME, OUT OF STEP WITH VIRGINIANS
YESLI VEGA WOULD TOSS OUT YOUR VOTE
To Yesli Vega, democracy, law, and order are merely suggestions to be thrown away if they get in between her and her political ambitions. Vega spread false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election results in Virginia, saying — without evidence — that “there’s evidence that continues to come out that indicates that the election of 2020 was interfered with.” She claimed the January 6th attack on the Capitol wasn’t an insurrection, but “actually a group of Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.” But while she downplayed the events of Jan. 6th and the attempt to overthrow the election, she advocated for additional bureaucratic red tape and harmful voter ID laws that would put up an extra barrier to Virginians trying to cast their ballot and opposed measures like H.R. 1 that would protect voting rights. Vega also embraced the endorsement of Ginni Thomas, wife to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who is facing serious questions about her role urging the Trump White House to pursue “unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 election.”
Virginians, beware: Yesli Vega said the quiet part out loud. If she has the chance to toss out your vote the next time she doesn’t agree with the outcome of an election, she will.
YESLI VEGA WANTS TO SEE ABORTION BANNED NATIONWIDE
In the wake of alarming reports that the Supreme Court of the United States is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, Yesli Vega would spell disaster for Virginia women. Vega has made opposing reproductive rights a core issue of her candidacy: She called the leaked SCOTUS decision “an amazing victory” and praised the news as a “historic moment in the making.” Vega even fundraised for her campaign off of the news, accusing Abigail Spanberger of “murdering the unborn.” Vega would take away Virginia women’s fundamental right to make their own decisions about their own health care, and her support for overturning Roe means she supports a slew of abortion bans across the country that will result in the imprisonment of women and doctors. Support for safe, legal abortion has never been higher and Yesli Vega is dangerously out of step.
YESLI VEGA IS A RADICAL EXTREMIST OUT OF STEP WITH VIRGINIANS
At a time when Virginians need leaders in Washington willing to work across the aisle and find solutions to tough problems, Yesli Vega has proven she’ll be a rubber stamp for the most extreme, radical wing of her party. Vega proudly described herself as “the most conservative candidate” in the VA-07 primary — and her record proves it. After the devastating elementary school shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 students and 2 teachers, Vega still couldn’t muster the backbone to stand with the broad majority of Americans who want to see commonsense gun violence prevention measures, and refused to answer reporter questions about where she stands. Inexplicably, Vega spent her time as a local elected official fighting against measures to allow LGBTQ+ Virginians to live free from discrimination. She even voted against recognizing June as Pride Month — a measure that had previously been passed unanimously by the school board. Yesli Vega is way out of step with Virginia families and far too dangerous to sit in Congress.
PATH TO VICTORY
The new VA-07 is a diverse, suburban/rural district that includes Fredericksburg in its approximate center, as well as Woodbridge within Prince William County in the north, and it spans from Greene County in the west to King George County in the east.
The stakes of this race could not be any higher. Despite Gov. Glenn Youngkin winning this newly redrawn district in the 2021 off-year election, President Joe Biden and Sen. Mark Warner both won this district in 2020, and Sen. Tim Kaine won as well in 2018.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger is no stranger to tough races and can keep this district blue. In 2018, she was elected the first Democrat in VA-07 since 1968, and held the district in 2020. This year will be no different. Voters in VA-07 know they can trust Abigail because she is a problem solver, and a voice of strength in the Democratic Party. Virginians will proudly re-elect her in November.
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