Elections, Education, and the State Policies Shaping America: Jonathan Williams on The Hugh Hewitt Show
The American people are pretty strongly in favor of something as common sense as this.
Hugh Hewitt spoke last week with ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams about the SAVE Act and voter ID, the 2030 census and predictions that California could lose multiple House seats, Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s moderate governance and the potential impact of progressive policies in Virginia, and West Virginia’s population growth and its HOPE Scholarship program. The conversation began with the SAVE Act and the latest voter integrity being discussed across the nation. Williams emphasized the broad public support for the SAVE Act, highlighting the importance of voter ID and the common sense behind it.
“This has to be right up there with the 90% issue to say that Americans say that citizens only should be the ones that are voting, and we need to have valid voter ID,” he noted. “The American people are pretty strongly in favor of something as common sense as this.”
Hewitt mentioned ALEC’s Only Citizens Vote model policy and inquired about its adoption by states. Williams pointed out that many states are adopting the policy, with Kansas being a leader, and predicts more states will follow suit.
“We just adopted [Only Citizens Vote] this last year as a model policy. So, we’re in the infancy of it, but we’re seeing tons of states introduce it,” Williams said.
The discussion then shifted to the new census data and its implications for the 2030 reapportionment. Williams pointed to the potential loss of US House districts for California due to its high taxes and big government policies. “It’s once again reiterating the point that we make every single year here in Rich States, Poor States, which is Americans continue to vote with their feet away from states like California with the high taxes and big government policies.”
Hewitt later turned to his concern about Virginia’s political direction, mentioning Gov. Spanberger’s campaign as a moderate. Williams noted the Virginia legislature’s progressive policies and the potential impact on job creation and right-to-work status.
“Governors a lot of times let laws become law without their signature,” he remarked. “So, there’s a way to weasel out of that, I suppose, but it’s a good point that she did campaign as a moderate against Winsome Sears and based on what’s happening with her party there in the Virginia General Assembly, she’s going to be put to that test awfully soon.”
The last topic in the conversation focused on the latest legislative efforts from West Virginia that strengthen its migration appeal among residents and its pioneering education freedom programs, such as the HOPE Scholarship. Williams discussed the state’s growing appeal, including its lower taxes, limited government regulations, and access to the Dulles airport.
“You have that combination of school choice, which benefits, obviously, families and kids, and you have to lower taxes, limited government regulations, and it becomes a really unescapable value creation to live on the West Virginia side of the line versus the Virginia side of the line,” Williams emphasized.
Speaking further on education freedom, Williams gave a shout-out to Sen. Patricia Rucker and Gov. Patrick Morrissey for championing programs such as the HOPE Scholarship and providing education opportunities for students and families.
“There’s some efforts from some big government folks in West Virginia that would like to impede its progress and try to weaken it during this legislative session. But thankfully, people like Senator Rucker and Governor Morrissey are standing strong.”