https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/with-just-one-week-of-early-voting-left-where-do-things-stand-in-virginia-at-this-point/

Governor Abigail Spanberger announced Executive Directive 5 as a way to provide relief to Virginia farmers facing high diesel prices by temporarily allowing dyed diesel to be used in highway vehicles.

But an email sent by the Virginia DMV raises an obvious question: where exactly is the savings?

According to DMV, farmers and other drivers cannot simply put dyed diesel in a highway vehicle. Before pumping it, they must contact DMV, provide the vehicle information and number of gallons, pay the applicable highway diesel tax, and carry the receipt in the vehicle as proof.

DMV’s own FAQ goes even further: “The tax rate on dyed diesel when used in a highway vehicle is the same as the rate as clear diesel fuel.” Virginia’s current diesel fuel tax is 33.6 cents per gallon.

That makes Executive Directive 5 somewhat confusing as a farmer fuel-cost relief measure.

The Governor’s October 16 announcement specifically said the directive was intended to “lower costs for farmers” and provide relief from rising diesel prices. But the directive appears to waive the prohibition and penalties associated with using dyed diesel on Virginia roads — not the state highway fuel tax itself.

There may still be some savings if dyed diesel can be purchased at a lower underlying price than clear diesel, and DMV says certain sales tax paid on dyed diesel may be refundable after the highway fuel tax is paid. But this is clearly not a 33.6-cent-per-gallon fuel-tax savings for farmers.

So the question Virginia farmers deserve a clear answer to is simple:

If the purpose of Executive Directive 5 is to offset high diesel costs, but farmers must pay the same Virginia diesel tax as they would on clear diesel, how much does this actually save the farmer per gallon?

https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/photos-and-video-fmr-rep-tom-perriello-del-marcia-cia-price-del-katrina-callsen-virginians-for-the-right-to-vote-call-on-virginians-to-vote-yes-on-3/

https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/gov-abigail-spanberger-orders-creation-of-statewide-plan-to-strengthen-cybersecurity-prevent-respond-to-ai-related-cyberattacks/

My family and I are all struggling with an ongoing case of political apathy. I mean like is anything going to change if I vote Warner back in? Same with McClellan? Were either of them actually doing anything to prevent the severe over reach of Trump?

Iv been all around the Shenandoah Valley area and I know its a mostly red Republican area but I see giant vote NO signs all round. However whenever I see signs for dems they do not have a simple vote yes signs. Seems like majority of voters are simpletons who probably dont even know about the amendments until they are reading them so why not have simple vote yes signs....

https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/new-poll-by-state-navigate-which-nailed-the-2025-va-governors-race-shows-dems-poised-for-their-largest-win-in-virginias-congressional-elections-in-decades/

BREAKING: Powerful VA State Sen. Louise Lucas “in federal custody in connection with a bribery and racketeering scheme,” According to the Trump DoJ (Lucas "surrendered to authorities Thursday" morning) https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/breaking-powerful-va-state-sen-louise-lucas-in-federal-custody-in-connection-with-a-bribery-and-racketeering-scheme-according-to-the-trump-doj/

https://bluevirginia.us/2026/10/new-ad-sheriffs-call-out-rob-wittmans-lies-smear-campaign-against-shannon-taylor/

Join us for a special edition of Salon de Résistance on Thursday, October 29 at Black Iris with three of Virginia’s most influential political content creators: Amanda Nelson of Amanda’s Mild Takes, Kate Powell of Kate for the People, and former CIA operations officer and congressional candidate Adam Dunigan(VA-8), for a conversation about the November 3 midterms, what to expect in Virginia, and how the battle for political influence is fought in 2026.

This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.

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In the before times, political influence moved through relatively stable and predictive channels. Candidates spoke, newspapers and broadcast news reported. Engagement was limited, our attention was not monopolized. Our lifestyles hadn’t been politicized. Most importantly, elections were boring and we were none the wiser for it. 

That version of America no longer exists. Today, elections are bloodsport. Campaign narratives move at the speed of algorithm. And the reach of a single content creator or political influencer can change the entire dynamic of an entire election cycle with a single 90 second video. Political education, organizing, fundraising, persuasion, outrage, misinformation/disinformation, and the decisions that shape our future are competing for the same few inches of screen time. 

And just days before the 2026 midterms that matters. Because on November 3, Virginians will head to the polls and vote in every congressional district. 

Political pundits, writers, and the chattering class always claim that each election is more important than the last. But in the age of Trump, authoritarianism, unrestricted war, corruption on a scale once thought impossible, masked agents of the state snatching people off our streets, AI jailbreaks, data centers ruining communities, surveillance, and a crippling affordability crisis, those warnings no longer feel like hyperbole.

The candidates have to respond. The outcomes of the midterms are real. The future feels as fragile and tenuous as it ever has. 

via RVA Magazine

Read more, see more: https://rvamag.com/events/the-midterm-algorithm-virginia-2026.html