*By Christian Smith*
Chris Hurst was a news anchor in Roanoke, Va., in 2015 when his girlfriend, fellow journalist Alison Parker, was shot and killed live on-air. That defining tragedy launched Hurst's career in politics, taking him to the Virginia General Assembly.
"I knew that I needed to leave the television station, but I didn't want to leave southwest Virginia," The Democratic Virginia State Delegate said Friday in an interview on Cheddar. "I had spent 10 years here as a journalist and felt like it was a natural progression to ー instead of just reporting on the problems we see out there every day ー to actually try to come up with some of the solutions as a public servant."
The issue closest to his heart is gun control. But Hurst said he needs to have an "objective, almost journalistic approach" to the issue if he wants to get policy changed.
"It needs to be evidence-based and data driven if you're going to try and get a policy implemented," he said.
Hurst said that philosophy convinced voters to choose him over incumbent Republican Delegate Joseph Yost in Virginia's conservative-leaning 12th District in 2017.
Hurst's path to politics is the focus of NowThis's new documentary "Virginia 12th," which he hopes serves as a thank you to the volunteers who propelled his campaign to victory.
"For me it's really a tribute to all of the people who came out in support of my campaign by knocking on doors and making phone calls, and in particular college students," he said.
"Virginia 12th" is currently available on the NowThis YouTube channel.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/new-documentary-virginia-12th-tells-story-of-chris-hursts-path-to-politics-after-tragedy-struck).
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has presented her conservative approach to the law at the start of a fast-tracked confirmation hearing.
President Donald Trump is looking to get his campaign back on track, a week after he was sidelined with the coronavirus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.
U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) joined Cheddar to discuss how Congress and the judiciary should approach big tech monopolies. Buck was clear that the Democrats and Republicans, however, disagree on just how to go about shrinking the tech giants.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
The White House is boosting its offer in up-and-down COVID-19 aid talks Friday in hopes of an agreement before Election Day.
Former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina discussed her support of Joe Biden's bid for the presidency. Also, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, she attributed her support for Biden due to a lack of leadership from President Trump and his failed foreign policies.
Democratic lawmakers are speaking out against a proposed Labor Department rule that they argue would make it harder for retirement funds to consider important environmental factors when making investment decisions.
A new Cheddar poll, conducted by SurveyUSA, on Supreme Court nomination, abortion law, and the Affordable Care Act.
It’s suddenly up in air when the next presidential debate, or maybe debates, may take place.
Six have been charged in federal court with plotting to kidnap Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and separately, seven more have been charged with trying to target police and the Michigan Capitol.
