Virginia

Democratic Representative Donald McEachin was first elected to Virginia’s Fourth District seat in 2016. Before running for Congress, he served in both the Virginia State House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate. McEachin is a Regional Whip, as well as Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus. He is a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, the NAACP, and the Virginia State Bar. He is married to Collette McEachin, who serves as Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Richmond.

McEachin sits on several environmental committees, including the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the House Committee on Natural Resources, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, the Black Caucus’ Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force, and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. He also co-founded the United for Climate and Environmental Justice Congressional Task Force. He criticized the Supreme Court’s opinion that rolled back EPA authority, and was honored by the Choose Clean Water Coaltion.

A longtime supporter of the Affordable Care Act, McEachin pushes for expanding affordable healthcare, which he considers a human right. He supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act and spoke out against attempts at repealing the Affordable Care Act. He voted in support of both the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan. Along with members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, he introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus to help address the Black maternal health crisis.

In 2020, NARAL Pro-Choice America gave McEachin a score of 100% for his voting record on reproductive freedom and abortion access. He voted in favor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, as well as the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. McEachin spoke out against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V. Wade and denounced Senate Republicans who blocked the Women’s Health Protection Act. He is a cosponsor of the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.

McEachin introduced the Firearm Owners Responsibility and Safety Act, calling the gun violence epidemic a public health crisis. To combat gun violence in Richmond, he secured almost $1 million for Virginia Commonwealth University’s RVA Gun Violence Prevention Framework. He believes in limiting access to firearms and implementing red-flag laws.He voted in favor of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, and the Protecting Our Kids Act.

McEachin’s opponent is Leon Benjamin (R), a retired Navy veteran and pastor. He is a proud supporter of former President Trump, and engages in anti-LGBTQ and racist rhetoric. He opposes abortion and promotes disinformation. In 2010, Benjamin urged the U.S. Congress not to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. He also questions the results of the 2020 presidential election. Benjamin ran against McEachin in the 2020 race, losing with less than 40% of the vote.

Due to his extensive service to constituents in his district and commitment to progressive values, Congressman Donald McEachin is the most progressive candidate for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District.

Josh Throneburg (D), is an ordained minister and small business owner based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Together with his wife, they own Nooks & Crannies, an eco-friendly cleaning buisness. Prior to moving to Charlottesville, he was a minister in Massachusetts. He mentions his role as a father as a driving force behind his desire to serve. Throneburg comes from a farming family and grew up in a small town in Illinois. Dismantling systemic racism, investing in rural areas, and climate change are among his top priorities.

If elected, Throneburg hopes to join the House Committee on Natural Resources. To address climate change, he believes individuals and corporations can be incentivized to switch to renewable energy sources. He also sees this as a way to create jobs and uplift rural communities. He includes salary matches, housing assistance, affordable healthcare, pension support, and priority job placement as part of a just transition for fossil fuel workers. Throneburg is in favor of placing taxes or fines on the country’s largest carbon emitters as a response to the economic costs associated with climate change.

Throneburg supports abortion access and believes protections should be enshrined in federal law to prevent states from interfering with safe and accessible abortion care. He also supports policy that expands resources for families, like paid family and medical leave and Medicaid expansion to cover pregnant people through pregnancy and the first year postpartum, as well as federal adoption subsidies. He supports sustainable funding streams for community-based organizations, noting their positive affects on the maternal mortality rate for people of color. He believes private insurance companies should cover the full range of contraceptive methods at no cost to patients.

As the father of one Black daughter and one biracial daughter, Throneburg emphasizes his commitment to racial justice and equity. One way he aims to address this is through housing justice. He favors zero- or low-interest loans for homebuyers of color to counter effects of redlining. Additionally, he calls for investing in HBCUs through direct granting programs, extending Pell Grants to HBCU students, and free community college for everyone. He also sees racial justice as a need for criminal justice reform. He wants to studythe federal decriminalization of marijuana and would push for accountability and transparency in law enforcement.

Throneburg advocates for LGBTQ+ protections and supports the passage of the Equality Act, which would guarantee equal protection in employment, housing, credit, and education among other areas. It would also prohibit discrimination in public spaces. He also supports passing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which deals with bullying and harassment. He wants to prohibit child welfare agencies that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. He opposes use of the “gay/trans panic” as a defense in trial. He pushes collecting data to research economic well-being of LGBTQ+ Americans.

Throneburg is facing incumbent Bob Good (R), a former fundraiser for Liberty University and Campbell County Supervisor. Good opposes transgender bathroom policies and sanctuary cities. He was criticized for racist comments made regarding Afghan refugees. He considers himself, “unashamedly 100% pro-life,” and introduced legislation to recognize National Pregnancy Center Week. He also believes that classrooms should have cameras.

Due to his commitment to racial and environmental justice, support for abortion access, and his stance on LGBTQ+ rights, Josh Throneburg is the more progressive candidate in this race.

Incumbent Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D), is a former CIA case officer. She was previously a federal law enforcement officer, dealing with narcotics and money laundering cases with the US Postal Inspection Service. She prides herself on her bipartisanship and has served in Congress since 2019. Currently, she sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Agriculture Committee. She grew up in Henrico County, attended the University of Virginia, and received an MBA from the GISMA and Purdue University.

Spanberger considers climate change a direct threat to our future. She chairs the Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee on the US House Agriculture Committee. In 2019, she helped introduce the Climate Action Now Act, which would require the U.S. to remain in the Paris Climate Agreement. She introduced the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for Farmers Act, and the Healthy Soil, Resilient Farmers Act. Spanberger also pushed legislation requiring the recognition of climate change as a national threat and cosponsored legislation to require the EPA to test for lead contamination in school’s water supplies.

As a former federal law enforcement officer, Spanberger understands first hand how injustices within the criminal justice system can endanger families. Spanberger supports criminal justice reform and advocates for policies that address addiction in jails and prisons. She is committed to pushing policies that ban no-knock warrants and chokeholds, and would like to see improved anti-bias training, increasing accountability, and limiting militarization of the police. Spanberger co-sponsored the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. She prioritizes legislation that reduces mass incarceration and ends the school-to-prison pipeline.

Additionally, Spanberger believes in the necessity of commonsense gun violence prevention. She refers to gun violence as an epidemic and a public safety issue. She cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would require universal background checks on all firearm purchases. She also voted in favor of the Enhanced Background Checks Act, the Protecting Our Kids Act, and the US Senate’s bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation. Spanberger is a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and cosponsored the Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety Act.

Spanberger is supports bodily autonomy and considers reproductive healthcare as a social and economic necessity. She believes the overturning of Roe v. Wade will have massive consequences across the country. She supports federal funding for Planned Parenthood and other providers of essential healthcare screenings and preventative services for all. Spanberger is a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and worked with other members of the caucus to introduce the “Momnibus Bill” to address the nation’s crisis in Black maternal mortality. She voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Yesli Vega (R), is a military wife and law enforcement officer. She has spoken out against abortion access and has stated she will support a law to “protect innocent life from conception.” She also stands against gay marriage. Additionally, she supports stricter imigration policies and stronger gun rights.

Due to her commitments to reproductive freedom and rights, racial justice, and gun violence prevention, Incumbent Abigail Spanberger is the more progressive candidate in this race.

Incumbent Congressman Don Beyer (D), was born to a military family in the Free Territory of Trieste. He is the grandson of Clara Mortenson Beyer, who helped implement the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Don Beyer chairs Congress’s Joint Economic Committee, as well as the Space Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. He is also a member of the New Democrat Coaltion’s Climate Change Task Force and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, Megan.

Beyer considers the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a serious threat to reproductive freedom and a denial of fundamental human rights. He believes that bodily autonomy is integral to gender equality. The congressman believes that abortion is health care and access to abortion is key to economic freedom. He also points to systemic racial inequities that have led to disparities, specifically with the Black maternal mortality rate. He has consistently voted in favor of abortion access legislation and co-sponsored the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022.

Beyer recognizes the impact of generations of injustices towards Black and Brown communities. He voted twice for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which included his legislation with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, requiring federal officers to use body and dashboard cameras. He considers himself a “strong proponent of criminal justice reform” and believes racial justice must be addressed in all legislation, including environmental justice, health care, criminal justice reform, and education. He opposes the death penalty and supports legalizing cannabis. Last year, he pushed to end Arlington House’s designation as a memorial to Robert E. Lee.

Gun violence prevention is a major priority for Beyer, who believes that weapons of war do not belong in American communities. He co-sponsored the Protecting Our Kids Act, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, and the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2021. He also voted for both the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022 and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021. Beyer also voted for legislation to close the Charleston loophole and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which closed the “boyfriend loophole.”

Beyer supports comprehensive immigration reform with a humane approach that treats people with dignity. He views Trump’s treatment of immigrants and refugees as racist and a national embarrassment. He voted for the American Dream Act of 2021, which allowed DREAMERs to get lawful permanent resident status for 10 years. Additionally, he helped pass the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act and the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act.

Beyer’s opponent is Karina Lipsman (R), who spent over a decade in defense and intelligence. She considers calls to defund the police as hurtful to communities. In response to restoring trust in the government, she stated, “Fauci should be jailed.” She blames illegal immigration for the rate of drug overdoses.

Due to his record of supporting abortion access, criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and comprehensive immigration reform, Don Beyer is the more progressive candidate for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.

Taysha DeVaughan (D), is a resident of Wise County and a 2018 graduate of University of Virginia-Wise. She started her career as an organizer and is an active member of her community. DeVaughan is a former president of Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards and chairs the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice as a governor’s appointee. She is a coordinator for Appalachian Community Fund. She has signed the American Promise Pledge to advance the For Our Freedom Amendment, which seeks to take big money out of elections.

As chair of the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, DeVaughan believes that environmental development must coincide with economic development. She views protecting the environment while strengthening the economy as a way to create sustainable jobs. She sees new businesses and retraining of the workforce as key elements to a just transition. DeVaughan supports the Environmental Justice 4 All Act. She also recognizes the challenges of Native American communities and how environmental issues impact their well-being. DeVaughan has also worked to bring attention to flooding issues, even assisting in mutual aid efforts.

DeVaughan believes everyone should have access to quality affordable healthcare. She maintains that access to quality affordable healthcare creates healthy and sustainable communities. Issues she recognizes include provider shortages, infrastructure limitations, and long distances to access care. To combat those issues, she supports services such as telehealth, healthcare workforce programs, and clinics that expand overall access. She believes more can be done in federal investments to support long-term sustainability of hospitals, recovery, and mental health facilities.

DeVaughan understands the need for economic justice and supports workers rights, as well as programs that make everyday life more affordable. She has voiced her support for unions, celebrated the first unionized Starbucks in Appalachia, and praised young workers for organizing and winning their vote to unionize. She supports the Inflation Reduction Act, which puts a cap on insulin for Medicare recipients and places a 15% minimum tax on the largest US corporations. She also looks at funding allowing the IRS to hire 87,000 employees by 2031, as a way for taxpayers to receive their return more quickly.

DeVaughan opposed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and believes that everyone should be able to make healthcare decisions for themselves. She notes the impact the overturning will have on marginalized communities who already have issues accessing quality healthcare. She participated in events that supported abortion access. DeVaughan has also assisted in fundraising for abortion funds. She believes abortion is healthcare and praises abortion funds and organizations that help increase access by assisting with resources for travel, housing, and procedure expenses.

DeVaughan is facing incumbent Congressman Morgan Griffith (R). Griffith voted against the Inflation Reduction Act. He believes there is a crisis at the border and wants to crack down on illegal immigration. He wants to revitalize coal communities by increasing coal production. He believes the Environmental Protection Agency is an overreaching agency.

Due to her commitment to environmental justice, her support for abortion access and affordable quality healthcare, and workers rights, Taysha DeVaughan is the more progressive candidate in the race for Virginia’s 9th Congressional District.

Incumbent Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D) has served in the House of Representatives since 2019. Previously, she served in the Virginia State Senate, representing the 33rd District. As a lawyer, she served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Loudoun County. She has spent years advocating for abused and neglected children, both through her work in the courtroom and in the legislature. During her first term in Congress, she introduced 17 pieces of legislation and passed four bipartisan bills in the House.

Wexton recognizes the failings of the criminal justice system. She passed legislation at the state level to promote alternatives to suspension to combat Virginia’s school-to-prison pipeline. She also recognizes the injustices toward Black Americans and co-sponsored the Justice of Policing Act of 2020, which put forth sweeping reforms to address discriminatory and excessive policing practices. Wexton supports reforming mandatory minimums, ending use of for-profit private prisons, reentry programs, voting rights restoration, and decriminalizing possession of marijuana.

Wexton advocates for gun violence prevention. As a state legislator, she pushed for universal background checks, banning bump stocks, extreme risk protection order laws, and other methods of reform. In Congress, Wexton sustained her support for gun reform through legislation to expand mandatory background checks, bans on sales of military-style assault weapons, and studies on gun violence as a public health issue. She co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 and introduced the Gun Violence Prevention Through Financial Intelligence Act. She voted to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019.

Wexton advocates for fairness and equal opportunity for all. She introduced the Ensuring Equal Access to Shelter Act of 2019, a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing. She cosponsored legislation to prohibit discrimination in public employment. Wexton supported bills aimed at removing the same-sex marriage ban in the Virginia Constitution, expanding Virginia’s hate crimes statute to include the LGBTQ community, and end conversion therapy. She is a member of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus and the Transgender Equality Task Force. She supported H.R. 124, which rejected the Trump-Pence administration’s transgender military ban.

Wexton recognizes the importance of immigration reform and rights. She consistently spoke out against Republican attacks on immigrant communities. She supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship. Additionally, she supports legislation that protects DREAMers and shuts down private detention centers. She voted for the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act of 2019. Wexton opposed building a border wall, instead urging the funds be used to defend national security.

Wexton is facing Republican Hung Cao, a retired Navy Captain who served in Special Operations. He claims that masks and lockdowns have done little to halt the spread of COVID-19 and pushes the use of off-label alternatives for treatment. He condemns the Mar-a-Lago raid. Cao opposes gun reform and abortion access.

Due to her commitment to criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and immigration and equality advocacy, Jennifer Wexton is the more progressive candidate in the race for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.

Incumbent Congressman Gerry Connolly has served in Congress since 2008. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and chairs the Subcommittee on Government Operations. He also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is president of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly. His political career began in 1995, when he was elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Congressman Connolly lives in Fairfax with his wife, Smitty.

Connolly believes in a holistic approach to racial justice that addresses the history of racism in the country and its impact on life today. He was an original co-sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the Green New Deal. He supported the Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, and the movement to enshrine Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday. He also supports statehood for Washington, DC, noting it is a historically Black city.

Connolly is a strong supporter of common-sense gun violence prevention measures and believes in a holistic approach to ending gun violence. He recognizes that the most vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. He supports reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban, mandating safe gun storage, universal background checks before purchasing a gun, and closing the gun show loophole. Additionally, he recognizes the link between gun violence and white supremacist radicalization. He regularly joins demonstrations, vigils, and protests against the NRA.

Connolly supports bodily autonomy and criticized the Supreme Court and the Texas abortion ban. His greatest priority is codifying protections for abortion access, and he led the fight to overturn the Hyde Amendment. He understands that intersections that are impacted by abortion bans. He believes in equal and equitable access to Medicare and funding for family planning, including abortion coverage. Additionally, he co-sponsored the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and supported the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021.

Connolly advocates for compassionate immigration reform. He supports DREAMers and the DACA program, joining bipartisan efforts to enshrine DACA. He believes Congress should ensure all refugees and immigrants have a pathway to citizenship. Connolly opposes separating families and deporting people who arrived in the country as children. Additionally, he opposes limits set on refugees and introduced the Lady Liberty Act of 2021, which would institute a minimum of at least 125,000 refugees to be admitted to the country annually.

Connolly is facing Republican Jim Myles, a US Air Force veteran and federal judge. Myles has criticized lockdowns, restrictions, and vaccine mandate efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. He has called for a caneling of cancel culture. He wants to give even more money to out of control police departments and wants to finish the border wall.

Due to his compassionate immigration policies, his record of fighting for abortion access and reproductive rights, and his commitment to racial justice and ending the gun violence endemic, Gerry Connolly is the more progressive candidate in the race for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.