Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said that Democrats are unlikely to make many concessions to Youngkin during an election year when the governorship and all 100 seats of the House of Delegates are on the ballot.

“The truth is, the Democrats have no interest in making Youngkin look good,” Farnsworth said. “From day one, there hasn’t been much outreach effort on Youngkin’s side by way of any olive branches to Democratic lawmakers. And they have responded in kind.”

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Senator Marco Rubio is also someone who would be seen as credible on the international stage, says Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. “I’d make the same argument about the treasury secretary designate [hedge fund manager Scott Bessent] who is somebody with a long career in Wall Street, somebody who has been very, very successful in business and economics, and somebody who would be seen as very credible in the financial community. So when you’re looking at Trump’s picks, they’re not all monochromatic, blind loyalists.”

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“If you think about the former president’s life after he left the Oval Office, you saw a commitment that was extraordinary,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “Most former presidents, they write books, they become consultants, and they figure out ways to give very profitable speaking tours. Jimmy Carter in contrast was focused on eradicating diseases, to building houses and to promoting human rights from start to finish of his political. It’s extraordinary record, one deserving of a great deal of respect.”

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“There was no indication that this judge would not proceed with the sentencing relating to the conviction,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “This conviction was a decision reached by a jury.”

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Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, said Spanberger’s outreach to the ideological middle has been integral to her success in the “purple” 7th District. “She worked very aggressively at focusing on concerns in more rural parts of the area where Republicans are more numerous and basically did better in rural parts of the district than most Democrats usually do,” Farnsworth said. “Issues of importance to farmers, issues of expanding broadband, these are some key things that she focused on to connect with more Republican-leaning parts of the district.”

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“What can be put off will be put off,” says political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington. “Expect a session where not much changes. Everybody’s looking ahead to the next election, so they’re not really interested in doing anything that’s going to make their path to another term more difficult.”

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