Governor Glenn Youngkin took office earlier this month, immediately signing executive orders to implement new policies to ban the teaching of “divisive concepts” and prevent school systems from implementing mask mandates.

Naturally, Youngkin’s use of his executive authority has met challenges from school systems, parents, and Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly. Many have begun asking whether Youngkin’s ban on mask mandates is even legal. These legal questions have led to lawsuits from parents and school systems and have forced the new governor to backtrack, telling parents to listen to school administrators masking policies.

Shortly after Youngkin was sworn in, Sen. Louise Lucas (D-18), the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, took to Twitter to say that the Democratic majority in the Senate would act as a “brick wall.”

But it’s time to ask an important question. Can Democrats in the General Assembly be the wall that blocks Youngkin from damaging the progress they have made in the past few years? Doubts are already rising, and the wall has already begun to crack.

Democrats hold a very slim majority in the Virginia Senate with 21 Democratic Senators compared to 19 Republicans. In the event of a tied vote, Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Sears breaks the tie. 

Among the Democratic majority in the Senate are two extremely polarizing figures, Sen. Joe Morrissey and Sen. Chap Petersen. Morrissey, a pro-life Democrat, is perhaps best known for serving time in jail for being convicted of delinquency of a minor while serving in the House of Delegates. Governor Ralph Northam pardoned Morrissey for this crime on his last day in office. Petersen, on the other hand, has also had his fair share of controversy. In 2020, Petersen sparked outrage from fellow Democrats and minority leaders after praising segregation and the Jim Crow Era.

Both Morrissey and Petersen pose a threat to the wall that Democrats are counting on in order to block more extreme parts of Youngkin’s agenda. 
Morrissey has expressed that he would support legislation to restrict access to legal abortions, though he has said that some laws, including the Texas abortion ban, have gone too far and he would not support such measures in Virginia.

Petersen, on the other hand, suggested in an email that he will side with Republicans in banning mask mandates in schools if the Fairfax County Public School system does not clearly define its masking metrics and set a deadline for the end of their mask mandate.

As the Youngkin Administration moves forward with attempts to reverse Virginia’s minimum wage increase, implement stricter abortion laws, and interfere with the normal operations of our public schools, it is unclear whether Morrissey and Petersen will side with their fellow Democrats or partner with Republicans to reverse the progress that has been made.

When it comes to certain issues such as reproductive rights and public health policy, Morrissey and Petersen cannot be reliably counted on to help Democrats keep the Youngkin Administration in check.

When even one senator in such a slim majority can falter, there is no brick wall. And when two members are likely to falter, there is no wall at all.