Report card

Verging on a pivotal election battle for control of the Virginia Senate, Democrats received a failing grade on pro-family issues from a conservative lobbying organization.

The Family Foundation's political action group, Family Foundation Action, released its biannual report card Wednesday. The report card evaluated how legislators voted on 20 issues, including abortion, domestic partnerships, parental rights, religious liberty, sexual abstinence education and school choice. Republicans again topped the class.

That mirrors results in 10 previous report cards compiled by The Family Foundation's political action arm, Family Foundation Action. The organization's president, Victoria Cobb, described FFA's primary mission as "accountability."

Cobb said the chasm between Republicans and Democrats on issues important to the right was widening, particularly in the 40-member Senate. Since 2003, the average score has trended slightly upward in the House and downward in the Senate.

Four Senate Democrats, Mamie Locke of Hampton, Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, Yvonne Miller of Norfolk and Patsy Ticer of Alexandria, scored a zero. Nine senators, all Republicans, scored a perfect 100.

In the 100-member House, only one Democrat, Del. Joe Johnson of Washington County, was even in the top 50. Thirty-nine Republicans and one conservative independent, Watkins Abbitt Jr., posted scores of 100. Only three Democrats scored better than 50 points, yet no Democrat scored a zero.

Out of 39 Democrats in the House, 37 were at the bottom of the scoring list. Republicans hold 59 seats outright, and conservative independents allied with the GOP hold the other two.

Some lawmakers welcomed a low grade. Democratic Del. David Englin of Alexandria tweeted, "I apologize to my constituents for scoring so highly (10 percent) on the Family Foundation's legislative report card."

Others embraced their rank at the top of the class. Republican Del. Greg Habeeb tweeted Wednesday, "Unlike my friend, David Englin, I'm very proud of my 100 percent rating from the Family Foundation."

"Legislators have come to expect that they will be held accountable for their votes on matters important to Virginia families," Cobb said.

Among the votes that brought high scores were those to defund abortions under Medicaid and to defund Planned Parenthood or against a proposed ban on discrimination in hiring against homosexuals. The guide states that to be considered in the ranking, a bill "must relate to the principles of life, marriage, parental authority, constitutional government, or religious liberty."

The report cards are significant in legislative election years because the scores form the basis for voter guides that Family Foundation Action distributes chiefly to evangelical churches and religious conservatives in select districts. Cobb said the organization plans to mail around 60,000 info cards around the state.

"The more information a voter has, the more likely he or she will choose candidates that best fit their values," Cobb said.

With Democrats holding only a two-seat majority in the Senate, Republicans and their conservative allies are determined to reclaim control of the chamber for the first time since 2007. With the GOP holding the governor's office and the House of Delegates, a net gain of two or more Senate seats in November would put state government totally in Republican hands for the first time in 10 years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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