Elections are always important, but in this current volatile, erratic, and just plain dangerous political age, political engagement in state and local elections is especially critical. In swing states like Virginia, where November's governor's race is heavily weighted as a preview of the 2018 midterm elections, pressures are particularly high on both sides of the aisle.

During a recent debate between Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial candidates – State Senator, Jill Vogel (R) and Justin Fairfax (D), tensions were evident, as is par for the course in such a high stakes election. However, things went left during Thursday's debate when the moderator instructed Fairfax and Vogel to comment on Vogel’s controversial 2012 “transvaginal ultrasound” bill which would have required women seeking an abortion to first pay for and view an ultrasound before undergoing the procedure. The proposed bill, which gained national attention and was even mocked in a Saturday Night Live skit, was eventually withdrawn by Vogel. Nevertheless, when Fairfax obliged the moderator's request for comment, Vogel responded to her African-American opponents political critique by momentarily lapsing into a brief fit of projectile racism.

Vogel said, “He brings this [ultrasound bill] up every chance he gets because there are other issues that he could talk about, but I clearly think he is not informed enough on those issues to talk intelligently about them. I just have to put that out there.”

Wait…what just happened here? In 2.5 seconds we went from a reasonable political debate in response to a posed question, to an all-out attack on intelligence and character. Careful Senator Vogel, you're implicit racism is showing. Fairfax is on his way to becoming the second African-American lieutenant governor in Virginia history so we understand why you're threatened.

Jill Vogel

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week