Senate District 024

Virginia’s new 24th State Senate district encompasses parts of Newport News City, York County, Williamsburg City, Poquoson City, and parts of James City County. With over 147,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district that does not lean one way or another.

Democrat Annette Hyde is a yoga teacher who lives in Madison County, Virginia. Hyde was inspired to run after the 2016 election and the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. She strongly believes that our Commonwealth should be open and welcoming to all. She is passionate about bringing broadband to rural areas and raising the minimum wage. She also supports the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Her opponent is incumbent Republican Senator Emmett Hanger. While Senator Hanger long championed Medicaid expansion, he was also eager to support punitive work requirements that can limit access to healthcare for many individuals. Senator Hanger received an endorsement and an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association because of his record of supporting legislation that repealed Virginia's one-gun-a-month law. Hanger is anti-choice and has been stagnant on various progressive priorities impacting Virginia.

Annette Hyde is the more progressive choice because of her commitment to bringing internet to rural areas, increasing the minimum wage, and equality.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Betsy Carr was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009. She represents parts of the City of Richmond and the County of Chesterfield on both sides of the James River. Previously, she was a director of outreach for St. Paul’s Episocopal church in downtown Richmond. She is a grandmother of 6 and a mother of 3 sons.

Delegate Carr fights for progressive values, most recently by supporting the elimination of the suspension of driver’s licenses over unpaid court costs and fees and increasing funding for the 2020 Census.

Even though Delegate Carr is running uncontested, she is the more progressive choice for this race.

Democratic candidate Alex Askew was born and raised in Virginia Beach and attended Hampton University. After graduating, he worked for nearly seven election cycles on a variety of local, state-wide, and national campaigns and projects. His campaign priorities are education, healthcare, and the environment.

Askew believes that we must improve our public education system by providing teachers and parents with adequate resources to help our children succeed.He supports increasing the salary of teachers, providing affordable and quality healthcare, and protecting Medicaid expansion in Virginia. He also believes that we must pass legislation to guarantee that our coastlines are permanently protected from offshore drilling and large polluters.

Republican Rocky Holcomb was previously a member of the General Assembly but lost in 2017 to Delegate Cheryl Turpin, who is now running for the state Senate.During his time in the General Assembly, Holcomb opposed Medicaid expansion and voted against legislation to protect those with pre-existing conditions. Holcomb also voted to prohibit the establishment of sanctuary cities in Virginia.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Ibraheem Samirah was born in Chicago. He’s a second-generation Palestinian-American whose parents were refugees. On February 20, 2019, he became the second Muslim elected to the Virginia General Assembly.

Delegate Samirah’s priorities are healthcare, transportation, education, and the environment.He believes that healthcare should and must be a right for all Americans. He voted to expand programs in the Virginia Department of Health and fights to preserve Medicaid expansion. He is also a strong advocate of expanding access to public transportation and decreasing the cost of tolls in the busy I-66 corridor. He defends school funding and advocates for universal pre-k. One of his top priorities is preserving the environment and Virginia’s natural beauty. Delegate Samirah promises to fight climate change, expand renewable energy sources, and vows to never accept money from Dominion Energy.

Delegate Samirah is running unopposed and is the progressive choice in this race.