This past summer marked a pivotal moment for Virginia’s automotive industry as we gear up for an impactful campaign season and reflect on the lessons from our recent convention. With our eyes on the future, it’s crucial to highlight the vital role our dealers play in maintaining Virginia’s top business ranking and the importance of a united voice in Washington and Richmond.

Back in July, CNBC named Virginia as America’s Top State for Business in 2024. This marks the sixth time our state has claimed one of the top spots and the third win in five years, setting a record for any state. With strong infrastructure, accessibility and shovel-ready sites for businesses cited, this achievement can be celebrated by dealers across the commonwealth.

You play a critical role in this ranking. Virginia’s labor force is the largest ever and continues to grow — this proudly includes 61,000 retail automotive employees. Dealerships are the largest retail sales contributor statewide.

Support Needed to Maintain Momentum

We must work to keep Virginia No. 1. A healthy, pro‑business environment requires lawmakers who understand the importance of keeping business owners and their people thriving.

The Virginia Auto & Truck Dealers Political Action Committee (PAC) will begin our annual push for contributions in September. However, early contributions are essential to set the pace and demonstrate our commitment to driving our impact and our pro‑business, pro-dealer message home to legislators. The PAC provides us access to lawmakers to discuss the significant issues impacting the auto industry. We also use these funds to support Virginia candidates who understand the importance of our industry, regardless of political affiliation.

As I’ve always said, money doesn’t buy votes, but it does give us the platform to advocate for policies that support our industry. Your contributions, whether you’re an owner, GM, principal or manager, are vital. Forward this message to those in your organization and encourage them to contribute too. If every one of Virginia’s retail automotive employees gives, imagine the power of our collective voice.

We are fortunate to have generous members who have supported the PAC so far this year, including Governor’s Club-level contributions from Loyalty Automotive and Shelor Motor Mile. Visit our Contribution page on vadapac.com, which will be regularly updated to acknowledge your support.

Why Give Now? Look No Further Than VADA ‘24 and CARB

Our June convention highlighted the ongoing need for a unified voice and showcased the importance of the franchise system in our industry. Studies and stories continue to show the system benefits not only our industry but also the consumers and employees who are the backbone of our businesses.

Our lineup of speakers at this year’s convention certainly delivered lasting insights and headlines on Virginia’s legislative landscape. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares spoke on the heels of his and Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s announcement that Virginia will exit California’s zero-emissions mandate at the end of this year.

DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey shared his vision for the state agency, and he has done a phenomenal job making Virginia DMV a leader among its peers. We thank both leaders — and many others — for sharing their analysis on the industry.

Turning to electrification, my recent op-ed on reassessing Virginia’s path, published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, reiterates the critical need for balanced approaches that consider industry realities, consumer needs, and policies that help, not hinder, progress. This applies to CARB — and more — as our industry continues to evolve.

Don’t Put CDK Incident in the Rearview Mirror, Yet

The recent CDK Global cyberattack brought to light the importance of having robust backup systems. While our hands were just as tied as yours when it came to restoring service, we controlled what we could — in this case, working closely with DMV to ensure all customers could still conduct business with the agency, and developing an online resource center.

Whether a CDK customer or not, let this moment serve as a reminder that it’s essential for dealerships to have disaster plans and revisit their insurance coverages regularly. If you don’t have a disaster plan, now is the time to create one. Ensure that your insurance covers business interruptions and cybersecurity threats, as these events are becoming increasingly common.

So join us in our efforts for a collective road ahead. Start by supporting the PAC for 2024. It’s not just a contribution, but a commitment to the future of the retail automotive industry in Virginia.

Join others who have given to the PAC for 2024 at https://vadapac.com/.