Last Updated on June 23, 2022
Virginia’s State Senate Democrats and one of their Republican allies voted to block Governor Glenn Youngkin’s plans to suspend the state’s gas tax for the summer of 2022. The effort would have delivered immediate relief to the wallets of Virginians besieged by Biden’s inflation and record-setting fuel prices.
The three-month gas tax suspension planned by Governor Glenn Youngkin and widely supported by Virginia’s motorists passed the Republican-controlled House of Delegates, only to fall in the Democrat-controlled State Senate, with 21 votes against the measure, and 18 in favor of it.
Every single Democrat in the body voted against suspending the tax, despite Virginia’s budget surplus. Were the suspension enacted, it would have reportedly saved Virginians around 26 cents per gallon of gas purchased, in a state where the average price per gallon is quickly approaching the $5 mark.
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The vote against suspending the gas tax marked the third time such a measure has been blocked by Democrats in recent months, something Governor Youngkin made note of in a Tweet of his own, saying that “Virginians should know that higher gas prices are brought to you by @VASenateDems.”
Democrats failed to put politics aside for the good of Virginians — for a third time.
At a time when inflation and gas prices are at a high in the Commonwealth, Virginians should know that higher gas prices are brought to you by @VASenateDems.
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) June 17, 2022
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Democrats were joined in their vote by longtime GOP establishment Senator Emmett Hanger, something high-ranking Democrat Louise Lucas touted in a Tweet directed at Governor Youngkin, offering up Hanger’s treachery as proof that Youngkin needs to “learn how to govern.”
Senator Lucas, who was charged with felonies related to a monument attack before Democrat Governor Northam intervened, has previously vowed to block any and all meaningful legislation offered up by Republicans and Governor Youngkin as it comes through the State Senate. After blocking medical freedom legislation and ordering Virginia Capitol Police to throw citizens out, Lucas even filmed a Twitter video copying Nancy Pelosi’s State of the Union stunt as she balled up GOP legislation and threw it in the trash.
As President of the Virginia Senate I have a plan of what to do with any bills that would roll back our progress.
As a thank you for getting us to *27,000* engaged followers I want to share with you my plan- If you agree with the plan I need you to RT so we can save Virginia. pic.twitter.com/w7gRzk1PCa
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) January 20, 2022
Though Virginia Democrats have gone out of their way to avoid giving Governor Youngkin anything that would be seen as a win, even if it comes at the expense of their own constituents, several other states have managed to suspend gas taxes of their own, including deep blue Connecticut and New York.
