A top state legislator took aim this week at fellow Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal, a candidate running to unseat U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, giving ammunition to Republicans seeking to highlight divisions on the other side of the aisle in a bid to win the fiercely contested race.
“Military families are being left out in the cold and all Virginia Democrats can do is attack each other,” the Republican Party of Virginia wrote Tuesday on social media. “Shameful.”
The argument stemmed from a dustup over a state tuition waiver program for families of military veterans who were killed or seriously disabled. Ben Melusky, assistant professor of political science at Old Dominion University, said it’s not surprising that an issue involving veterans would spark arguments and heated rhetoric, even among members of the same party or at different levels of government.
“This is the reality of Virginia in terms of the veterans population and the connection we have to the military; (everyone) wants to look good in the eyes of the military,” he said.
This year’s state budget — approved by the Democratic-held General Assembly and Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin — imposed new restrictions on the tuition waiver program in an attempt to curb rising costs. State budget discussions are spearheaded by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee — chaired by Portsmouth Democrat Louise Lucas — and House Appropriations Committee.
After fierce backlash from veterans and military families, legislators announced Tuesday they had reached a deal to reverse the changes. Youngkin is expected to approve the plan after the legislature formally approves it during a special session July 18.
Smasal, running in the 2nd Congressional District, voiced strong support for the waiver program in a Monday news release shared on social media platform X.
“As a Navy veteran who married an Army veteran, I personally understand the sacrifice that service members and their families give to our country,” said Smasal, who served as a surface warfare officer during Operation Enduring Freedom. “It is our job to honor that sacrifice and provide for their earned benefits.”
Smasal’s post didn’t mention Lucas or the Senate, but touted legislation introduced in the House and name dropped two Hampton Roads delegates who sponsored it. The House and Senate had introduced separate pieces of legislation to address the issue, with the House backing a full repeal.
Lucas viewed Smasal’s comment as a slight and replied to the post on social media.
“Missy, like I told you, the first rule of HR politics is to stay the hell of my and (House Speaker Don Scott’s) business,” Lucas wrote. “How dare you attack me for trying to find a long term, sustainable solution to an issue that you KNOW that I care so deeply about.”
Lucas then took a swipe at Smasal’s absence from a June 28 news conference in Chesapeake — held to counter former President Donald Trump’s rally that same day — with military veterans and the Democratic Party of Virginia. Smasal was listed as an event speaker in a news release sent out June 27 by Democratic Party of Virginia. However, the news conference went ahead without her.
“Shame on you for walking out on (President) Joe Biden,” Lucas wrote.
The National Republican Congressional Committee pounced on the divide, highlighting Lucas’ comments in a news release that declared Smasal “isn’t ready for primetime.”
Biden’s June 27 debate performance fueled divisions within the Democratic Party about whether it’s time for the 81-year old to pass the torch to a younger candidate.
In response to questions about Lucas’ comment, Smasal provided a statement Tuesday that reiterated her support for veterans. She declined to speak with The Virginian-Pilot.
“I will always fight for military families and veterans so that they can get every benefit they’ve earned and all the support they deserve,” she said.
Campaign manager Brenna Crombie provided a brief statement about Smasal’s absence from the rally.
“Missy could not attend the Veterans Against Trump event on Friday because of a scheduling conflict,” Crombie wrote.
The Democratic Party of Virginia declined to comment.
Rich Anderson, chair of the Republican Party of Virginia, said the organization had no additional comment apart from the post on social media.
“Why interfere when two Democrats are clawing at each other?” he said.
On Wednesday, Lucas said she had mostly moved on from the dispute, but maintained that Smasal should have attended the event.
“I’m still upset about the way she walked out on Joe Biden,” said Lucas, who declined to comment further.
Melusky said the divide between state and national politics has weakened in recent years, opening the door to more interactions or arguments between federal and state level politicians.
“We have this kind of confluence going on between national level and state level politics,” he said. “Because of that, you have essentially this weird in-party fighting going on with what’s happening at the state level — I think it’s just the reality of the nationalization of our politics.”
Melusky, however, doubts any of it will influence the outcome of Smasal’s congressional campaign.
“I don’t think it’s going to have that much of an impact,” he said. “It’s not like she’s being attacked by Biden or Trump, she’s being attacked by a state level official.”
Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com
