Michael is an award-winning journalist who started covering Virginia news in 2013 with reporting stints at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Business, and Richmond BizSense. A graduate of William & Mary and Northern Virginia Community College, he also covered financial news for S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Michael O’Connor
Latest from Michael O’Connor
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College and university workers urge Spanberger to include them in collective bargaining bill
With the clock ticking on Gov. Abigail Spanberger to act on the bills sent to her by the Virginia General Assembly, campus workers hope a petition can help push her to add them back into the public-sector collective bargaining legislation awaiting her signature.
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Virginia leaders pledge to fight Trump’s ‘illegal’ executive order restricting mail-in voting
Virginia Democrats are denouncing President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict mail-in voting and create a national voter list.
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Group tied to tech billionaire Peter Thiel backs anti-redistricting campaign
New details have emerged about funding for the political group that’s been sending out deceptive mailers in the fight over Virginia’s redistricting referendum.
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Opponents use misleading arguments to attack Virginia’s collective bargaining bill
The bill to expand public-sector bargaining rights in Virginia has been attacked as taking away local control. But supporters say that’s not the case.
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Anti-redistricting campaign twists Obama’s words in latest misleading attack ad
A shadowy group opposed to Virginia Democrats’ redistricting push is out with a misleading new mailer and text message ad featuring former President Barack Obama, who supports redistricting.
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New group of Alexandria City workers vote to unionize
A group of Alexandria city workers voted to unionize this month as Virginia as a bill to lift the ban on public-sector collective bargaining awaits the signature of Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
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11 pro-worker bills the Virginia General Assembly passed in 2026
Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide whether to enact, veto, or amend legislation passed by the General Assembly during its 2026 regular session.
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Virginia lawmakers pass bill to end collective bargaining ban for public workers
The legislation includes home care workers and service workers at public universities, but excludes college faculty and graduate teaching assistants.
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Republicans’ anti-redistricting campaign leans on misinformation, ‘offensive tactics’
Opponents of redistricting are tying it to Jim Crow and distorting Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s position to win over voters. And redistricting supporters are twisting President Donald Trump’s words to make their case.
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Virginia workers push for bargaining rights with session ending soon
In a massive display of solidarity, a large crowd of home care workers, campus workers, teachers, electricians, and grocery store workers rallied in downtown Richmond on Wednesday evening in support of expanding collective bargaining rights.
