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Virginia’s new 31st State Senate district encompasses parts of Loudoun County and parts of Fauquier County. With over 164,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district that does not lean one way or another.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Favola is running unopposed. Prior to her election as a state Senator, she served on the Arlington County Board of Supervisors for fourteen years (1997-2011) and chaired that body three times. During her service with the county, Senator Favola was the Board's leading advocate for children, youth and families, and her contributions to the community include establishing mental health services in public schools.
Senator Favola’s priorities are women’s reproductive rights, health care access, K-12 education funding, workforce training, safety net programs, helping foster children, preventing domestic violence and sensible environmental policies. Favola sponsored numerous progressive bills including one requiring universities to create memorandums of understanding with local sexual assault crisis centers and to provide survivors with access to other community resources. She has also sponsored a Bar Bystander Bill encouraging bartenders and others who serve or sell spirits in an ABC licensed or permitted establishments to undergo training to help prevent risky situations from becoming sexual assaults. Lastly, she has been a leader on making higher education more accessible and affordable.
Senator Favola is the progressive choice.
Janet Howell
Incumbent Democratic Senator Janet Howell earned her BA at Oberlin College and her MA at the University of Pennsylvania . She was named National Child Advocate of the Year by the American Academy of Pediatrics for her work on behalf of children.