“I hope constituents will also use the site to learn more about my travels through the commonwealth and the legislation I’m working on in Washington to create jobs and strengthen our economy, support our service members and veterans, and make important investments in education, workforce training and transportation that will improve the lives of Virginians,” Kaine said.

The page also features a Spanish language function.

The blog chimed in on criticizm of Dance for voting with Republicans too many times and because of her position on the Senate GOP redistricting ploy, which never made it to the House floor for a vote.

“State House Republicans and the Republican governor eventually killed the plan, but not before two House Democrats expressed their willingness to support the plan. You read that right—two Democrats were ready to back a GOP scheme so egregious that it was killed by Republicans themselves,” the blog says. “One of those Democrats was Rosalyn Dance, and it wasn’t the first (or last) time she gave Republicans cover despite representing an overwhelmingly Democratic district,” it continues.

Dance previously said that she would have never voted for the redistricting plan, but she took heat from her fellow  Democrats because she never took a clear position against it.

Whether that’s true or not – Thompson is cashing in on the controversy. Less than an hour after Daily Kos encouraged readers to donate $3 each, the blog reported more than $1,500 in contributions.

UPDATE from May 19, 2013: Thompson has received $6,595 in condations to date.

The VEA backs Northam because of his record of supporting funding for early childhood education, proposing higher wages to recruit quality educators, according to a statement released by Northam’s campaign today.  The organization also praised the senator’s support of vocational schools, making community college more affordable, and giving Virginia residents a leg up when applying to in-state private universities.

“As a pediatrician and husband of an elementary teacher, Senator Ralph Northam is a champion for children who understands that excellence in the classroom, universal access to early childhood education, and competitive wages to recruit the best teachers will give every child the opportunity to become a future leader in the Commonwealth,” VEA President Meg Gruber said.

The VEA Fund also cited Herring’s “proven record of support for public education.”

“Senator Herring has consistently fought to provide Virginia’s children with the best possible education. Virginia’s teachers, parents and students can count on Senator Herring to fight for them as attorney general just as he has fought for them in the State Senate,” Gruber said.

The VEA is a statewide community of more than 60,000 teachers and school support professionals working for the betterment of public education in the Commonwealth.

Jeanine McDonnell, 32, married Adam Zubowsky, 28, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk. The reception was held at The Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, according to a McDonnell spokesman.

Jeanine McDonnell served in the Army as a leader of a satellite platoon in the Signal Corps in Iraq, which covers Army communication. She now works for a defense contractor.

Zubowsky, who was born and raised in Henrico County, worked as the field director in Fairfax County for McDonnell’s 2009 gubernatorial bid. After McDonnell’s victory, he moved to Richmond to be an aide.

He was technically the director of operations but was more commonly referred to as the “body man.” He was affectionately called the governor’s “chief of stuff.”

He left the administration last year to work for Smithfield Foods.

In his first television ad, which begins airing today, Chopra outlines his priorities for strengthening the middle class that include promises of equal pay for equal work for women, a higher minimum wage and an affordable college education.  

In the second TV spot released by his campaign, Cuccinelli says his plan would close tax loopholes and end “special interest giveaways,” but doesn’t offer specifics.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy but they are being overtaxed and over regulated,” Cuccinelli says in the spot, which opens with him standing in a store and speaking directly to the camera.

“I’ve a plan to make Virginia an engine for job growth. It starts with closing tax loopholes and putting an end to special interest giveaways. We’ll use the savings to cut taxes for those who’ve earned it: job creating small businesses and middle class families. The powerful and well connected already get their breaks. As governor, I’ll be on your side.”

Last week, Cuccinelli, the state’s attorney general, proposed cutting a series of taxes, including state income tax and business taxes, as part of his economic growth and jobs plan.

His plan includes dropping the income tax rate from 5.75 percent to 5 percent over four years starting in 2014, and cutting the corporate income tax rate from 6 percent to 4 percent.

Cuccinelli said when the plan was unveiled that roughly half of the $1.4 billion tax break would be financed by projected revenue growth, with additional savings through eliminating what he  said are outdated loopholes and exemptions that promote “crony capitalism.”

When pressed on the tax exemptions that he might seek to cut, Cuccinelli did not offer specifics, but said health care and education tax exemptions would not be slashed.

He would also  establish a commission to study the feasibility of eliminating or reducing the Business Professional Occupational License tax, the Machinery and Tools tax and the Merchants Capital Tax — proposals also supported by Cuccinelli’s gubernatorial rival, Democrat Terry McAuliffe.

The ad will air statewide starting today.

UPDATED: Democratic Party of Virginia spokesman Brian Coy said in response to the ad that Cuccinelli’s tax plan “is not serious and would cause a budget crisis in Virginia.”

However, Kaine continued, what would be a scandal is if ”Congress spends time focusing on that and not fixing the things that need to be fixed that were laid out in very clear detail by that accountability review board.”

On whether Benghazi hurt  Hillary Clinton’s presidential aspirations, Kaine responded that ”if people try to in a casual way use this against her and they see the degree that she really feels for her people and cares about that State Department, I think [people will] view it as a really shallow and cynical attack.”

Clinton was Secretary of State when the attack occured and has been critized by Republicans for her handling of the situation.

Kaine also discussed gun control, sexual assault in the military, the budget battle, and why he is cautiously optimistic Terry McAuliffe will be the next governor of Virginia.

The letter says that estimates from the Department of Medical Assistance Services show that Medicaid expansion of health care coverage for up to 400,000 Virginians will cost the commonwealth $137.5 million between 2014 and  2022.   ”However, savings from the reforms currently underway at the state level would completely offset these initial costs and expansion of the Medicaid program would guarantee quality health care for all in the commonwealth,” the letter says.

“The fact of the matter is that Virginians have already paid and will continue to pay for Medicaid expansion.  It is only right that they reap the benefits and not pay into the system only to subsidize expanded benefits in other states,” it says.

UPDATE: A McDonnell spokesman said that McDonnell maintains that no Medicaid expansion should even be considered in Virginia until major reforms occur in the program.

“Historical battlegrounds serve as living reminders of our nation’s past,” Kaine said.  ”In Virginia, we have more Civil War battlefields than any other state, and I am committed to working with both parties and members of our delegation to ensure this hallowed ground is preserved for local citizens and tourists who visit these sites,” he said.  

Cochran said that with 2013 marking the 150th anniversary of  many pivotal Civil War battles, it is an appropriate time to extend efforts to preserve key battlefield sites. “These sites remind us of the enormous sacrifices made by our forebears in the name of freedom, and should be protected in order to help teach future generations of Americans,” Cochran said.

Since the CWBPP was first initiated in 2002, more than 17,500 acres of high-priority Civil War battle sites have been preserved to boost tourism and conserve land while preserving the nation’s heritage. The Civil War Trust estimates there are still more than 50,000 acres of unprotected battlefield land in Virginia that meet the criteria of this program.

Gor grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from George Washington University in 2008 with a double-major in political science and international affairs. Prior to working for the congressman from Virginia, he was Rep. Michele Bachmann’s press secretary and worked as associate producer at Fox News.