While driving through my rural district in Southwest Virginia, I am met with sign after sign indicating support for President Donald Trump. Even as I make my way to Richmond, suburban neighborhoods are flooded with Trump signs.
You might have heard the old adage that signs do not win elections — and they don’t. But they do serve as an indicator of where Americans stand.
In the past two weeks, Virginians have watched as college campuses across the Commonwealth are held hostage by violent demonstrators and radical activists. Protestors continue to throw rocks at police officers and storm into university buildings, forcing a swift response from law enforcement and then complaining about being held accountable for their actions.
Today, many parents and students fear their graduations may be canceled like Columbia’s because protestors are threatening to disrupt the ceremonies. These protesters are not only damaging these institutions, they are also damaging Biden’s reelection chances.
Despite voters affiliating these protestors with liberal Democrats, many of the protestors themselves refuse to vote for Biden because of his refusal to take a firm position on the conflict in Gaza.
Many pundits laughed at the idea that Trump could win a “blue state” like Virginia, but in reality Virginia is a purple state and should never be written off.
Up until last year, Republicans maintained control of the Virginia House of Delegates. Despite losing control in 2023, we took seats that Democrats should have won in a landslide – like Republican Delegate Kim Taylor, who held onto her Biden+11 district by 53 votes.
On the Senate side, Republicans actually picked up a seat, dealing Democrats a near-fatal blow and knocking them down to a one-seat majority.
With the right messaging, Virginia is competitive and could give Donald Trump an additional 13 electoral votes in November.
Keep in mind that today’s national landscape is not the same as it was during our statewide elections in 2023 or even in 2020.
Illegal immigration, riots on college campuses, and worsening economic conditions are putting states like Virginia and Minnesota in play for Republicans.
In March, I spoke at Donald Trump’s rally in our capital city, Richmond. In a blue city surrounded by blue suburbs, thousands of Virginians showed up to listen and support President Trump.
These numbers and rallies are reminiscent of 2016, when Americans were engaged and ready to fight back against the establishment — the same year Trump came within five points of winning Virginia.
In 2021, Virginia rejected President Biden’s agenda by electing Republicans across the Commonwealth, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Key issues like parental rights and economic freedom drove Virginia voters to the polls, with many of them casting votes for GOP candidates.
These issues are still on their minds. Today, with violent protests devouring college campuses, chaos continuing to wreak havoc on our southern border, and inflation strangling hardworking Virginia families, Trump’s chances of flipping our Commonwealth red continue to grow.
Wren Williams serves in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the state’s 47th district. He previously served as Trump’s legal counsel in the 2020 Wisconsin recount, and is currently a Permanent Organization Committee Member for the Republican National Convention.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.
