VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Election Day is nearing, and 10 On Your Side is giving you a closer look at a hot House of Delegates race in Virginia Beach.
In 2021, Republican Karen Greenhalgh took out a Democratic incumbent and hers became the deciding race to give Republicans control of the House of Delegates in 2021.
How important is this race?
Each candidate, Greenhalgh and Democratic challenger Michael Feggans have each raised more than $1.8 million.
We are tracking the truth in the 97th House District race.
Karen Greenhalgh Ad Claims
We looked at the campaign ad against Feggans, who noted that “when I look at the commercials she is running, there were no sources cited in there.”
WAVY’s TRUTH TRACKER finds that to be TRUE.
All of the Greenhalgh ads we have seen for this report have no sources at all.
We went to Greenhalgh, who had no idea her ads had no sources for her claims.
“So, you mean I do not have the number of the Bill in the ad? O.K.”
Then suddenly from a campaign manager the bill in question came across the desk.
“Here’s the bill,” the staffer said.
“I didn’t realize the bill number wasn’t there,” Greenhalgh said.
Her ad, in part, goes like this:
“Men playing women’s sports, boys in the girls’ lockers rooms, parents ignored, Michael Feggans supports this extreme agenda.”
Portion of political ad
We asked Feggans about each claim. Is it true? Does he support these points made?
He often evaded the answer.
Example: Should boys be in girls locker rooms?
“I believe that ad is trying to add misinformation,” Feggans said.
TRUTH TRACKER: “But what do you think?”
Feggans answer?
“I have never stated anything about that,” Feggans said. “It’s just trying to cause misinformation and confusion.”
Among other things, Greenhalgh’s bill, HR 1387, which passed the House, but was killed in the Democratically controlled Senate, states that “a licensed physician…nurse practitioner…has examined…and found…student is physically fit…and to the student’s biological sex.”
Michael Feggans Ad Claims
Here is part of Feggans ad against Greenhalgh:
“Think Karen Greenhalgh is on your side? Think again. Greenhalgh voted to penalize OB-GYNS.
Portion of political ad.
WAVY’s TRUTH TRACKER finds that claim is TRUE. Her HR 2270 that passed the House of Delegates failed in the Democratically-controlled Senate. There are civil penalties for failing to follow informed consent proceedings.
The commercial against Greenhalgh continues:
“And she vowed to pass a sweeping new abortion ban putting politicians between patients and their doctors. It’s no accident Greenhalgh ran a fake health care center requiring women to carry pregnancies.”
Portion of political ad.
TRUTH TRACKER asked Greenhalgh about that.
“They also said I ran the fake medical clinic,” Greenhalgh said. “I did not run it. I worked there.”
WAVY’s TRUTH TRACKER finds it TRUE that Greenhalgh was the office manager, but she did not work on the medical side and she worked at the clinic because “I was assaulted when I was 15…I don’t want any woman to go through that, so that is why I worked at a pregnancy resource center. I had clients who carried … adopted … and I had clients who decided to carry. We had pregnancy classes and gave diapers forever.”
She also told us:
“What bothers me the most in this race,” Greenhalgh said, “(is) people who attack me for working at that pregnancy resource center. That I lied to women. They say I cheated women, and they say I deceived them, and I never did. My goal was to make sure no one was alone Like I was.”
What is TRUE is: Greenhalgh supports termination through the 15th week, and in cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life Is in danger.
It is also true that Feggans supports the current law through the second trimester and is opposed to any other restrictions.
“A ban is a ban, and when you look at what they are doing is taking away rights, and it’s a ban,” Feggans said.
Last year, former Congresswoman Elaine Luria lost to Republican Jen Kiggans.
But in this district, Luria beat Kiggans 52.50% to 47.33%. That’s one reason Feggans has Luria in his campaign ads.
Monday, another TRUTH TRACKER on an ad that had to be pulled from air because it was false.