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Monthly Digest: May 2023
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Welcome!
To the Inthrive: Advocacy Solutions newsletter.
Your source for policy and advocacy guidance.
by David Smith on June 01, 2023
Virginia’s biennial election cycle is kicking into high gear. Primaries are being held around the state to determine the make up of the next General Assembly. With incumbent blind redistricting we’re expecting anywhere from a quarter to a third of the seats to be filled by new members. That’s a lot of turnover! But there’s one person guaranteed to be back for the 2024 session: Governor Youngkin.
No matter what state you advocate in, we focus a lot on counting votes and building legislative coalitions but spend far less time trying to understand the Governor’s priorities and how that can help or hinder us. Keep reading to find out how this can impact how you advocate for your policy goals.
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THIS MONTH’S TOPIC
Determining & Using the Governor’s Priorities for Your Policy Goals
Why do I need to determine the Governor’s priorities?
That’s a great question! When we make our policy goals we are looking at how we implement a solution to the problem we’ve identified. We’ve done our research. We’ve talked to impacted people. We’ve seen what other states are or aren’t doing. We’ve crafted the perfect plan. Why should I care what one man (or woman) thinks?
Because that one person is the Governor and that person has a lot of power and ideas of their own. When you know what the Governor is focusing on you can frame your policy ask in a way that reflects those priorities.
How do I determine the Governor’s priorities?
Sometimes it’s as simple as going to the official or campaign website and seeing what it says. If your area of policy wasn’t in the limelight then you can see what the Secretary that oversees your area of interest is saying. By doing a news search with the Secretary’s name you can find recent reports about what they’re focusing on. List what you read and now you have the Governor’s priorities!
How do I use the Governor’s priorities to get my policy plan passed?
That’s a lot of “p”’s! And this idea is something you’ll have to give a lot of thought to. You have two options: adopt the Governor’s position or adapt your position.
Adopt: If you’re fortunate and a priority matches or is similar to yours then you can adopt the language. If you have more goals than you can pursue each year use the Governor’s priorities to strategically plan how you can advance your agenda. Choose your policy emphasis that align with the governor’s. This way you can use the energy they create to score some policy wins for you.
Adapt: If the Governor’s and your priorities don’t align are there ways you can adapt the Governor’s messaging to support your positions? I’m not advocating twisting or misrepresenting their priorities. But, if your goal is not specifically addressed is there a connection you can make with one of their stated priorities? For example, Virginia’s Gov. Youngkin’s Public Safety Department is focusing on job training for folks released from prison. Onerous probation requirements make it difficult to hold a job and contribute to recidivism. If your goal is to reduce the prison population you can advocate for a rollback on probation requirements that make holding a job difficult. This adapts the Gov. Youngkin’s message of people being job ready when they’re released from prison to your goal of lowering the prison population!
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Do you want to see what your Governor’s priorities are in your advocacy space? Do you want guidance on how to adapt or adopt the Administration’s priorities to get some policy wins? Inthrive: Advocacy Solutions can be your strategic planning partner!
Email David Smith at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to see how we can partner to strengthen your coalition and achieve your goals.
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Looking for more content? Follow Inthrive on LinkedIn and YouTube:
LinkedIn Virginia Policy Weekly Recaps
Gas Wars: Stations Vs. Distributors
Offshore Wind: A Day at the Beach or A Storm on the Horizon
Better Advocacy in 10 Minutes or Less on YouTube
5 Strategies to Build Relationships with Legislators
Turning Your Passion to Policy
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