NEW RURAL VIRGINIA PODCAST

NEW RURAL VIRGINIA PODCAST heads to Network NOVA’s 10th annual Women’s Summit for Political Engagement, this year branded BIG TEN, for conversations with candidates, organizers and grassroots leaders from Virginia and beyond. Network NOVA co-founder KATHERINE WHITE reflects on how the organization grew from a post-2016 grassroots effort into a broader political movement.
 
From the hallways, Democratic congressional nominees BETH MACY (VA-06) and JOY POWERS (VA-09), along with LYNLEE THORNE, MAKAYLA VENABLE, JEANNE RUSSELL, KATE POWELL and TIM CYWINSKI, weigh in on where rural Democrats fit within the party’s centrist-progressive divide and what rural voters need from politics now.
 
 
 
KATHERINE WHITE
Co-founder of Network NOVA, co-host of Friday Power Lunch, and a driving force behind the BIG TEN Women’s Summit for Political Engagement.
Friday Power Lunch:https://fridaypowerlunch.substack.com/
Network NOVA:https://networknova.org/
 
BETH MACY
Acclaimed journalist and author, and Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 6th District.
https://bethmacyforcongress.com/
 
JOY POWERS
Fourth-generation cattle farmer, small business owner, and Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 9th District.
https://www.joyforva.com/
 
MAKAYLA VENABLE
Shenandoah Valley native, 2025 Democratic nominee and 2027 candidate for Virginia House of Delegates District 36.
https://www.venable4va.com/
 
KATE POWELL | KATE FOR THE PEOPLE
Nonprofit fundraising professional and Virginia advocate focused on civic engagement and government accountability.
Kate for the People:https://substack.com/@kateforthepeople
@kateforthepeople
 
TIM CYWINSKI
Community organizer, environmental advocate and former 2026 Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 1st District.
https://www.votetimva.com/
 
JEANNE RUSSELL
Longtime Shenandoah County Democratic organizer and community activist working to build grassroots engagement across the Shenandoah Valley.
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jeanne.e.russell
 
LYNLEE THORNE
Political Director of Rural GroundGame and longtime rural Democratic organizer.
Rural GroundGame:https://www.ruralgroundgame.org/
 

House Delegate Lily Franklin and congressional candidate Tom Perriello join New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss how corporate restrictions on repairing tractors, vehicles, electronics, and other equipment hurt farmers and rural communities. They explain why Democrats are leading the fight for the right to repair, what can be done at the state and federal levels, and why the proposed NextEra-Dominion acquisition demands tough scrutiny.
 
Read more in The Rural Angle, our companion Substack: https://newruralvirginia.substack.com/
 

Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi joins New Rural Virginia Podcast with an important message for Virginians as Dominion Energy's proposed acquisition by NextEra Energy moves toward regulatory review.
She explains why she believes the review should slow down, what the proposed merger could mean for rural communities, and why Virginians should get answers before decisions are made that could shape the Commonwealth's energy future.
Read more in The Rural Angle, our companion Substack: The Rural Angle

Ashleigh N. Jackson, Andrea Jackson, Makayla Venable, and LeighAshley Hardin join New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss grassroots organizing, representation, and building Democratic power in rural Virginia.
Four Black women share how relationships, local leadership, and year-round organizing are helping reshape Democratic politics in Waynesboro and beyond.

State Senator Jennifer Boysko joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss Virginia’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law, why she spent eight years fighting for its passage, and what it could mean for working families, small businesses, and rural communities across the Commonwealth.
Learn more: www.JenniferBoysko.comEmail: SenatorBoysko@senate.virginia.gov

Congressman James Walkinshaw and House District 9 candidate Joy Powers join New Rural Virginia Podcast for a conversation on what rural and urban communities can accomplish when they work together. The discussion explores gerrymandering, food security, small business development, health care affordability, public libraries, and the shared economic challenges facing Virginians across geographic and political divides.
Learn more:www.JamesWalkinshaw.orgwww.JoyForVA.com

Released: Memorial Day, May 25, 2026 | Recorded: May 21, 2026
Shenandoah Democratic Committee Chair Brad Skipper joins New Rural Virginia Podcast for a conversation on grassroots organizing in one of Virginia’s most conservative rural regions. The discussion explores bridge demonstrations over Interstate 81, rural voter engagement, school board culture wars, and the growing visibility of Democrats and independents in Shenandoah County, while emphasizing the importance of relationships, community trust, and organizing rooted in rural identity and local issues.Learn more: www.ShenCoDems.org

Sarah Wells joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss the role of small businesses in driving rural prosperity and the challenges they face in today’s economy. The conversation focuses on limited visibility in policy and data, complex tax and compliance burdens, and uneven access to financing and resources that often hold rural entrepreneurs back. Wells also outlines practical, nonpartisan solutions to better support small businesses, emphasizing the need for tailored policies that reflect the realities of rural communities.
Learn more at: www.sarahwellsbags.com

As Virginia votes YES on the redistricting referendum, Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss her vision for the Commonwealth and the initiatives shaping her work in office.
The conversation highlights her Literature and Government lecture series and Virginia’s Voices initiative, focused on civic engagement and connecting directly with communities across Virginia. Hashmi discusses disparities in K–12 education funding, pathways in higher education and workforce training, healthcare access, and the importance of broadband and economic opportunity in rural areas. She also addresses support for small businesses, protections for public libraries, and the need to turn community input into practical policy solutions that reflect the everyday needs of Virginians.Learn more at: www.ltgov.virginia.gov

Former Air Force and Space Force Colonel Bree Fram joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss her campaign for Virginia’s 11th District and the upcoming redistricting referendum vote on April 21st.
The conversation spans her military service and path to running for Congress, the stakes of redistricting, and the challenge of representing a district that bridges rural and suburban communities. Fram discusses rural prosperity, including healthcare access, infrastructure challenges, and economic stability for farmers, as well as the importance of showing up, listening, and engaging communities across the district. She also addresses how national security decisions shape local economies and outlines her approach to public service and representation.
 
Learn more at: www.TeamBree.com
 
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND VOTE EARLY! 

The voices of rural Virginia are essential to the future of the Commonwealth.
New Rural Virginia Podcast brings conversations with candidates, elected officials, organizers, and community leaders across rural Virginia.Listen anywhere you get your audio and please follow, like, and subscribe to our substack newsletter, "The Rural Angle"Co-hosted by Larry Wohlers and Parson Brownwww.NewRuralVa.org

Lyndsay Deitrick and Laura Miller of the Alliance for Appalachia join for a conversation on two decades of work supporting communities across Southwest Virginia and the broader region.
The episode highlights ongoing efforts around environmental justice, grassroots organizing, and federal advocacy, while connecting those efforts to the future of rural prosperity, community resilience, and representation from the ground up.
After a short break, New Rural Virginia Podcast returns following Larry’s trip to Europe and Parson’s time at the Appalachian Studies Association Conference.Learn more at: www.TheAllianceforAppalachia.org 

Kris Nelson and Jessica Reynolds join New Rural Virginia Podcast discuss the movement to protect Samuels Public Library, the strength of grassroots organizing in rural communities, and how cross-party partnerships can deliver results. They analyze newly drawn district lines, consider implications for the Commonwealth’s civic future, highlight strategies that keep local advocates aligned and effective, and outline priorities ahead for the DPVA Rural Caucus.
Learn more:Warren County Democratic Committee: https://www.warrencovadems.org/
Rural Caucus of Virginia: https://www.ruralcaucusdpva.org
Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition: https://pecva.org/datacenters

Beth Macy joins New Rural Virginia Podcast for a discussion recorded amid Virginia’s newly released redistricting maps and a rapidly shifting primary landscape. A journalist from Roanoke and bestselling author, Macy reflects on her decision to run in Virginia’s Sixth District, drawing on decades of reporting on rural America. The episode explores rural prosperity, healthcare and education access, workforce challenges, and why lived experience and community voices matter in Congress.Learn more: www.BethMacyforCongress.com

Tom Perriello joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss his return to Virginia’s Fifth District and the need for strong federal leadership. He reflects on the Affordable Care Act, healthcare costs, wages and affordability, and rebuilding opportunity in rural communities. Drawing on his experience working in countries under authoritarian rule, Perriello discusses threats to democratic norms and Congress’s responsibility to act as a check on executive power.
 
Learn more at: www.TomPerriello.com
 
Featured song: “Perriello for the Common Good”
Written by Brendan Gilmore | Performed by The Perriello Pickers
YouTube: Perriello for the Common Good

As Virginia enters a new chapter with the inauguration of Governor Abigail Spanberger, Ken Mitchell joins New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss his campaign to represent Virginia’s Sixth District in Congress. The conversation explores challenges facing agriculture and small businesses, the importance of listening to rural communities, and how those perspectives inform his vision for Rural Prosperity across the district.
Learn more at www.KenMitchellForVirginia.com

Joy Powers returns to help kick off a new year of conversations around new leadership in the Commonwealth and the launch of her new campaign for Congress in Virginia’s 9th District. She shares insights from the campaign trail, reflects on what motivated her run, and joins us for a broader discussion on Rural Prosperity in Virginia.
 
Learn more at: www.JoyForVA.com

Yes, Virginia, Rural Democrats are Real
Closing out 2025, New Rural Virginia Podcast welcomes Pete Barlow, a candidate for U.S. Congress in Virginia’s 6th District, and inaugurates our new Rural Prosperity conversation series with a discussion on the future of the Commonwealth.
Learn more: www.pete-barlow.com

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!      🦃      🎙️      🦅
This week, Larry and Parson have a post-election conversation with Lynlee Thorne, Political Director of Rural GroundGame, on the importance of community voices, the impact of storytelling, and what’s being discussed on the frontlines of rural Virginia.
Learn more: www.ruralgroundgame.orgjYcu3MkACSJDWS5mYI7n

Roberta Thacker Oliver, Chair of the Virginia Democratic Rural Caucus, joins the New Rural Virginia Podcast to reflect on Election 2025, discuss the future of rural organizing, and share insights on building a stronger, more connected Commonwealth.

As the countdown to Election Day continues, co-hosts Parson Brown and Larry Wohlers follow up with HD 61 candidate Jac Bennington, a teacher, Army veteran, and National Guard pilot. The conversation explores what he is hearing from voters, the tone of this year’s races, and how voices from rural Virginia are shaping campaigns and leadership across the Commonwealth.
Learn more about Jac Bennington’s campaign at:   www.benningtonforvirginia.com

Donna Littlepage, candidate for Virginia House District 40, returns to New Rural Virginia podcast to share updates from the campaign trail and discuss the rising cost of living, access to quality healthcare, and the need for bipartisan cooperation in Richmond. As election day approaches, she offers her perspective on the recent government shutdown and the importance of finding common ground in the legislature.
Learn more: Littlepage4VA.com

A lifelong Virginian, former mayor, and educator with over 26 years in public education, Mary Person has led initiatives for free community college, first-time homebuyer programs, and safer neighborhoods. She’s focused on strong public schools, accessible health care, and economic growth for all Virginians.
Learn more: www.PersonForDelegate.com
 

Delegate Josh Thomas is a Marine Corps veteran, attorney, and public servant representing Virginia’s 21st House District. He focuses on equitable housing and accountable growth and shares insights on the impacts of federal funding reductions.
Learn more: www.JetforVA.comSupport Virginia filmmakers at Mirandum Pictures and the film, River Maid:https://seedandspark.com/fund/river-maid#story

Joy Powers, candidate for Virginia House of Delegates District 51, rejoins the New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss early voting and her H.O.M.E. plan — Healthcare, Opportunity, Market Affordability, and Education.
 
Learn more: www.JoyForVA.com

Forrest Miller is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran and former White House Communication Agency engineer. A political moderate, he’s running to support local governments, protect healthcare access, defend childhood vaccines, and bring practical leadership to issues like data center development.
 
Learn more: www.ForrestMiller4va.com
 
NewRuralVa.org

Senator Tim Kaine joins the New Rural Virginia Podcast to discuss the issues shaping rural communities, the role they play in the future of the Commonwealth, and what’s at stake in this year’s House of Delegates election.
Learn more: www.Kaine.senate.gov
Produced and co-hosted by Larry Wohlers and Parson Brownwww.NewRuralVirginia.org

Shane Boswell brings a record of service and problem-solving, from serving in the U.S. Navy to leading teams in critical infrastructure. He’s running to put that same dedication to work for families in House District 31.
Learn more: www.ShaneBoswell.com

Donna Littlepage brings decades of health care leadership, helping grow Carilion Clinic into the largest nonprofit medical system in rural Virginia. She plans to bring that proven leadership to House District 40.Learn more: www.Littlepage4VA.com

Sara Ratcliffe brings decades of effective advocacy to her campaign, focusing on improving healthcare access, expanding rural economic opportunities, strengthening education, and protecting reproductive freedom in House District 62. 
Learn more: www.SaraForVirginia.com

Angela Chainer brings over 30 years of leadership in law enforcement, crisis response, and international peacekeeping. She’s focused on rebuilding trust, protecting rural services, and solving issues from the ground up in House District 56.
Learn more: angelachainer.com
🎵 Music: No Kings in the USA by Gangstagrass feat. Allison Russell, Demeanor, R-SON, Dolio The Sleuth & Ole! No Kings

Joy Powers is a fourth-generation farmer from Bedford County with firsthand knowledge of rural life. She speaks on strengthening family farms, public schools, rural health care, and infrastructure in House District 51.
Learn more: joyforva.com