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Five Questions with Virginia Senator Mark Warner

Joyce Vance

Jun 28

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In an era where some senators don’t even make time to speak with their own constituents, it’s refreshing to find one who’s willing to join Americans across the country, as well as people in other countries, to answer some of the most pressing questions we all have right now. Virginia Senator Mark Warner was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2008. He’s now serving his third term, having been reelected for the second time in November 2020. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence and as a member of the Senate Finance, Banking, Budget, and Rules Committees.

From 2002 to 2006, Warner served as Governor of Virginia. When he left office in 2006, Virginia was ranked as the best state for business, the best-managed state, and the best state in which to receive a public education. That last is a glaring reminder of where we are today, as news that the University of Virginia’s president, Jim Ryan, stepped down after Donald Trump demanded it. Senator Warner, along with his colleague Senator Tim Kaine, issued the following statement this morning:

"Virginia’s economy and prosperity depend on the strength and integrity of our higher education system. It is outrageous that officials in the Trump Department of Justice demanded the Commonwealth’s globally recognized university remove President Ryan—a strong leader who has served UVA honorably and moved the university forward—over ridiculous ‘culture war’ traps. Decisions about UVA’s leadership belong solely to its Board of Visitors, in keeping with Virginia’s well-established and respected system of higher education governance. This is a mistake that hurts Virginia’s future."

Senator Warner was the first in his family to graduate from college. He has a business background, having 20 years as a successful technology and business leader in Virginia before entering public office. He was an early investor in the cellular telephone business, co-founded the company that became Nextel, and invested in hundreds of start-up technology companies that created tens of thousands of jobs. That’s the background he brings to his work in the Senate.

Given his work on the Intelligence Committee, I tried to focus our questions tonight there, including both the military deployments in California (along with the threat of more) and the situation with Iran. But you won’t want to miss the Senator’s views on the 2026 election and the power of the political protests so many of us have been participating in.

“Five Questions” is a periodic feature for paid subscribers, my way of thanking those who are able to support this work so that I can devote the necessary time and resources to it. But I am so happy to have all of you here, and I appreciate everyone who reads the newsletter and works to stay informed. Free subscriptions, with access to all of the other nightly posts, will always be available, so please sign up.