Senate District 017

Virginia’s new 17th State Senate district encompasses Suffolk City, Isle of Wight County, parts of Portsmouth City, Southampton County, Brunswick County, Greensville County, Franklin City, parts of Dinwiddie County, Emporia City, and parts of Chesapeake City. With over 164,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district that doesn’t lean in one direction or another.

Democrat Amy Laufer is a former middle school teacher. She taught in Jamaica as a Peace Corps volunteer before teaching at Louisa Middle School and Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville. Laufer has served on the Charlottesville City School Board and is the founder of Virginia’s List, an organization that supports Democratic women running for office.

Laufer’s platform prioritizes education, including raising teacher pay and investing in pre-k classes. She also supports criminal justice reform and tackling the problem of mass incarceration. Laufer supports Medicaid expansion, would vote to repeal the punitive work requirements, and will continue to fight to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health care. She also supports the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030.

Incumbent Republican Senator Bryce Reeves voted against Medicaid expansion and against raising the minimum wage in Virginia. He is anti-choice and opposes commonsense gun violence prevention measures. Senator Reeves also voted against legislation that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing and public employment.

Laufer is the progressive choice in this race.

Virginia’s new 82nd House of Delegates district encompasses Petersburg City, parts of Dinwiddie County, parts of Prince George County, and Surry County. With almost 64,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district that doesn’t lean in one direction or another.

In 2013, Democratic candidate Gayle Johnson built the first net zero energy home in Virginia Beach to inspire others to invest in energy efficient building. After graduating from Oberlin, she founded and led Capriole, a baroque music ensemble, which became an internationally acclaimed Ensemble in Residence at William and Mary and Old Dominion University.

Johnson’s campaign platform is focused on building a sustainable future built on common sense policy, high quality jobs, and a fair and just political system. She vows to address the flooding and sea level rise occurring in Hampton Roads.

Incumbent Republican Delegate Jason Miyares was elected a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 2015. Miyares supports legislation that hinders the reproductive rights of Virginians. He he voted prohibit the usage of state funds on abortion and against expanding Medicaid in Virginia. He also supported a bill that would prohibit sanctuary cities in Virginia.

Gayle Johnson is the more progressive choice in this race.

Democratic candidate Nancy Guy graduated from the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in Government and earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Guy successfully battled breast cancer in 2012 and 2013, and since then, she has dedicated herself to her community. She served two terms on the School Board, the Board of WHRO public radio station, and the Board of the Southeastern Cooperative Educational Program. She also served for 12 years on the Virginia Education Foundation Board and two terms as President of the PTSA at Virginia Beach’s largest high school.

Guy’s platform includes fighting for more education funding by raising teacher pay and funding the Literacy Fund. She also wants to pass common sense gun violence prevention.Guy is pro-choice and believes that a person’s medical decisions should be between them and their doctor.

Incumbent Republican Delegate Christopher Stolle was elected into office in 2009. Stolle refuses to support sensible gun laws and has voted against bills that provide funding for Virginians to access abortion.

Nancy Guy is the more progressive choice in this race.

Democratic candidate Karen Mallard has served the Virginia Beach community as a public school teacher, union leader, political organizer, PTA board member, and little league board member. Mallard was outraged when House Republicans voted to adjourn a special session on gun violence without considering a single bill. She vows to support Medicaid expansion and has organized for environmental preservation in Virginia since childhood.

Her opponent, incumbent Republican Delegate Glenn Davis, has opposed efforts to make Virginia safer by implementing common sense gun laws. Delegate Davis also supported legislation that sought to notify ICE whenever undocumented residents were imprisoned, giving local law enforcement agents unecessary additonal work.

Mallard is the more progressive choice in this race.

Democratic candidate Jessica Foster is a mom, small business owner, and attorney. She represents undocumented immigrant children in need of special immigrant status who have been abandoned or are victims of child abuse and neglect. Her platform includes increased education funding, protecting the healthcare rights of the poor, criminal and juvenile justice reform, gun violence prevention, and protecting the environment.

Incumbent Republican Delegate Mark Cole has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2002. He sponsored House Bill 663, a bathroom bill restricting public restroom use according to a person's "anatomical sex", defined as "the physical condition of being male or female, which is determined by a person's anatomy," with violators liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $50. Delegate Cole also supports anti-immigrant bills. As chair of the House Privileges and Elections Committee, Cole has led the charge for restrictive voting bills that make it more difficult for Virginians to access the ballot.

Jessica Foster is the more progressive choice in this race.

Virginia’s new 89th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Chesapeake City and parts of Suffolk City. With over 64,000 registered voters, this district is a competitive district that doesn’t lean in one direction or another.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Jerrauld “Jay” Jones is a lifelong resident of the 89th House District. Delegate Jones is also the youngest Black delegate in Virginia. Jones’s father represented the 89th District 20 years ago and his grandfather, Hilary H. Jones, Jr. was a pioneer in the civil rights movement. Delegate Jones completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary, where he was a double major in Government and History, and obtained his law degree from the University of Virginia.

Delegate Jones’s campaign priorities are increased education, transportation improvements, the environment, job creation, and criminal justice reform. He sponsored legislation creating driver privilege cards for undocumented Virginians, removed restrictions on abortion access, and fought for tighter legislation around body cameras for law enforcement.

Even though he is running unopposed, Delegate Jones is the more progressive choice in this race.