House District 096

Virginia’s new 22nd State Senate district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City. With almost 150,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic. 

Democrat Dakota Claytor was born and raised in the 22nd state Senate district and hopes to be the youngest legislator in Virginia’s history. Claytor is a 22-year-old freelance hair stylist and private music educator. He has also been actively involved in community theater where he can often be found on stage.

Clayor supports various progressive priorities. He wants to work with small companies to expand broadband access to rural areas in the district in order to foster a better-connected workforce. Healthcare reform is important to him because of his mother’s significant health issues and her struggle for nearly twenty years before being granted disability benefits. After witnessing first-hand the crippling effects of a broken healthcare system in Virginia, Clayor is determined to improve it.

Clayor is running against Republican incumbent Senator Mark Peake who won a special election in 2017. Peake is anti-choice and has voted against commonsense gun laws. He opposed Medicaid expansion and voted against raising the minimum wage in Virginia. The majority of his platform is geared towards decreasing regulations put in place to protect Virginians.

Dakota Claytor is the more progressive choice because of his commitment to Medicaid expansion and our rural communities.

Virginia’s new 96th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City. With over 59,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic.

Democratic candidate Dr. Mark Downey works as a pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of Williamsburg, a practice of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. He grew up in the Queens Lake neighborhood in upper York County and graduated from Bruton High School in 1984. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Chemical Engineering, but after working for four years as a chemical engineer, decided to pursue a different path. He went to medical school at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.

Downey’s campaign priorities include public education, women’s rights, health care access, common sense gun laws, fighting climate change, cyber safety, and helping our veterans.

Republican Amanda Batten and Libertatian James Jobe both lack sustainable plans on how they will make Viringia a safe and healthy place for all Virginians. Batten is anti-choice and doesn’t support sensible gun laws. Jobe supports the legalization of marijuana and believes there should be term limits on members of Congress.

Dr. Mark Downey is the more progressive choice in this race.