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Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe attended The Catholic University of America and Georgetown University Law Center. A lifelong businessman and entrepreneur, McAuliffe has lived in Fairfax County for more than 20 years with his wife, Dorothy. The couple has raised five children together.
McAuliffe is centering his campaign on building a strong Virginia economy that works for everyone. He plans to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, two years ahead of the current schedule. He wants to require employers to provide paid sick days along with paid family and medical leave to all workers. Because Virginia is the 10th most expensive state for childcare in the country, McAuliffe wants to assist families burdened with childcare costs by providing subsidies, funneling federal money to families, and making it easier for people to qualify for assistance.
McAuliffe plans to invest $2 billion in Virginia’s education system every year so that teachers are paid above the national average, children have access to universal pre-K, and every student can get online. To make college more affordable to students, McAuliffe will offer more financial aid and expand on current Governor Ralph Northam’s program that makes community college free to low- and middle-income students studying in certain fields. McAuliffe also wants to boost enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing free tuition to students who promise to teach for five years in the state’s high-need areas.
While serving as Governor of Virginia, McAuliffe took action to reduce carbon emissions in the state and received a $120.5 million federal grant to combat the rising sea level on Virginia’s coast. He wants Virginia to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 and make access to clean energy and transportation infrastructure more affordable by providing subsidies for solar usage and public transit construction. McAuliffe also plans to address the racial impacts of climate change by providing funding to communities hit by extreme heat and rising sea levels.
McAuliffe pushed for Medicaid expansion during his first term and wants to increase access to affordable healthcare by supporting Virginia’s plan to create a state-run health insurance marketplace. He backs lowering prescription drug costs, reducing health insurance premiums, and creating a Medicaid buy-in option for people who make too much to qualify for the program but still can’t afford out-of-pocket costs on the marketplace. When he was governor, McAuliffe vetoed Republican legislation that would have limited abortion access. If reelected, McAuliffe plans to incorporate Roe v. Wade into Virginia’s constitution to guarantee that abortion access is protected.
McAuliffe is running against multimillionaire Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former president of Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Youngkin wants to channel the state’s money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund private schools. Youngkin has admitted that he opposes abortion access and will work to dismantle protections for reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth. Youngkin is also against making health coverage more affordable in Virginia.
McAuliffe is also facing a challenge from activist and educator Princess Blanding, an Independent candidate. Blanding is the sister of Marcus David-Peters, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2018. Blanding wants to hold police accountable by ending qualified immunity and shifting funding away from police departments to invest in community services. She also wants to make health coverage more affordable by creating a public healthcare system.
Due to his record in providing leadership for the Commonwealth and his support of Virginia working families, the environment, affordable health coverage, and reproductive rights, Terry McAuliffe is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05Terry McAuliffe
Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms.
Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe attended The Catholic University of America and Georgetown University Law Center. A lifelong businessman and entrepreneur, McAuliffe has lived in Fairfax County for more than 20 years with his wife, Dorothy. The couple has raised five children together.
McAuliffe is centering his campaign on building a strong Virginia economy that works for everyone. He plans to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, two years ahead of the current schedule. He wants to require employers to provide paid sick days along with paid family and medical leave to all workers. Because Virginia is the 10th most expensive state for childcare in the country, McAuliffe wants to assist families burdened with childcare costs by providing subsidies, funneling federal money to families, and making it easier for people to qualify for assistance.
McAuliffe plans to invest $2 billion in Virginia’s education system every year so that teachers are paid above the national average, children have access to universal pre-K, and every student can get online. To make college more affordable to students, McAuliffe will offer more financial aid and expand on current Governor Ralph Northam’s program that makes community college free to low- and middle-income students studying in certain fields. McAuliffe also wants to boost enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing free tuition to students who promise to teach for five years in the state’s high-need areas.
While serving as Governor of Virginia, McAuliffe took action to reduce carbon emissions in the state and received a $120.5 million federal grant to combat the rising sea level on Virginia’s coast. He wants Virginia to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 and make access to clean energy and transportation infrastructure more affordable by providing subsidies for solar usage and public transit construction. McAuliffe also plans to address the racial impacts of climate change by providing funding to communities hit by extreme heat and rising sea levels.
McAuliffe pushed for Medicaid expansion during his first term and wants to increase access to affordable healthcare by supporting Virginia’s plan to create a state-run health insurance marketplace. He backs lowering prescription drug costs, reducing health insurance premiums, and creating a Medicaid buy-in option for people who make too much to qualify for the program but still can’t afford out-of-pocket costs on the marketplace. When he was governor, McAuliffe vetoed Republican legislation that would have limited abortion access. If reelected, McAuliffe plans to incorporate Roe v. Wade into Virginia’s constitution to guarantee that abortion access is protected.
McAuliffe is running against multimillionaire Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former president of Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Youngkin wants to channel the state’s money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund private schools. Youngkin has admitted that he opposes abortion access and will work to dismantle protections for reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth. Youngkin is also against making health coverage more affordable in Virginia.
McAuliffe is also facing a challenge from activist and educator Princess Blanding, an Independent candidate. Blanding is the sister of Marcus David-Peters, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2018. Blanding wants to hold police accountable by ending qualified immunity and shifting funding away from police departments to invest in community services. She also wants to make health coverage more affordable by creating a public healthcare system.
Due to his record in providing leadership for the Commonwealth and his support of Virginia working families, the environment, affordable health coverage, and reproductive rights, Terry McAuliffe is the most progressive choice in this race.Terry McAuliffe
Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms.
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Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe attended The Catholic University of America and Georgetown University Law Center. A lifelong businessman and entrepreneur, McAuliffe has lived in Fairfax County for more than 20 years with his wife, Dorothy. The couple has raised five children together.
McAuliffe is centering his campaign on building a strong Virginia economy that works for everyone. He plans to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, two years ahead of the current schedule. He wants to require employers to provide paid sick days along with paid family and medical leave to all workers. Because Virginia is the 10th most expensive state for childcare in the country, McAuliffe wants to assist families burdened with childcare costs by providing subsidies, funneling federal money to families, and making it easier for people to qualify for assistance.
McAuliffe plans to invest $2 billion in Virginia’s education system every year so that teachers are paid above the national average, children have access to universal pre-K, and every student can get online. To make college more affordable to students, McAuliffe will offer more financial aid and expand on current Governor Ralph Northam’s program that makes community college free to low- and middle-income students studying in certain fields. McAuliffe also wants to boost enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing free tuition to students who promise to teach for five years in the state’s high-need areas.
While serving as Governor of Virginia, McAuliffe took action to reduce carbon emissions in the state and received a $120.5 million federal grant to combat the rising sea level on Virginia’s coast. He wants Virginia to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 and make access to clean energy and transportation infrastructure more affordable by providing subsidies for solar usage and public transit construction. McAuliffe also plans to address the racial impacts of climate change by providing funding to communities hit by extreme heat and rising sea levels.
McAuliffe pushed for Medicaid expansion during his first term and wants to increase access to affordable healthcare by supporting Virginia’s plan to create a state-run health insurance marketplace. He backs lowering prescription drug costs, reducing health insurance premiums, and creating a Medicaid buy-in option for people who make too much to qualify for the program but still can’t afford out-of-pocket costs on the marketplace. When he was governor, McAuliffe vetoed Republican legislation that would have limited abortion access. If reelected, McAuliffe plans to incorporate Roe v. Wade into Virginia’s constitution to guarantee that abortion access is protected.
McAuliffe is running against multimillionaire Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former president of Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Youngkin wants to channel the state’s money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund private schools. Youngkin has admitted that he opposes abortion access and will work to dismantle protections for reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth. Youngkin is also against making health coverage more affordable in Virginia.
McAuliffe is also facing a challenge from activist and educator Princess Blanding, an Independent candidate. Blanding is the sister of Marcus David-Peters, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2018. Blanding wants to hold police accountable by ending qualified immunity and shifting funding away from police departments to invest in community services. She also wants to make health coverage more affordable by creating a public healthcare system.
Due to his record in providing leadership for the Commonwealth and his support of Virginia working families, the environment, affordable health coverage, and reproductive rights, Terry McAuliffe is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
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The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017. She worked for over 20 years as a cybersecurity specialist and is the single mother of two grown children. If chosen by voters to be the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Ayala will be the first woman and Afro-Latina to do so.
Affordable access to healthcare is a central focus for Ayala. As a first-time mother, Ayala depended on Medicaid to give her son life-saving care. In 2018, Ayala voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians. In 2020, she co-patroned legislation to cap the cost of insulin in the state. In 2021, she voted to make the cost of prescription drugs transparent and to boost Virginia’s capacity to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. She also wants to reduce Black maternal mortality and create a universal paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.
As a graduate of Prince William County schools, Ayala believes that a well-funded education system is critical to a thriving Commonwealth. In 2021, she voted to increase teachers’ salaries by 5%. She also supported the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program, which provides free community college to low- and middle-income students who are studying in certain fields. As lieutenant governor, Ayala will prioritize expanding access to pre-K, reducing overcrowding in classrooms, and dedicate more funding to improve school infrastructure.
Recognizing the climate crisis as a national security threat, Ayala believes the state needs to play a bigger role in addressing the impacts of climate change. She co-patroned the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which will eliminate carbon emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050. She also wants to dedicate more funding to communities dealing firsthand with the effects of climate change, believing that solutions to the crisis must be created with racial equity in mind.
Ayala personally understands how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Her family struggled financially when she was a child, and she worked and raised children while obtaining her degree. In 2020, Ayala voted to raise the state’s minimum wage. She supports making paid family and medical leave available to all Virginia working families. In 2021, she voted to strengthen the rights of tenants and protect them from eviction during the pandemic. She also sponsored legislation to protect workers during the pandemic by requiring employers to provide them with personal protective equipment and hazard pay.
Ayala is running against former delegate Winsome Sears, a Republican who represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2003. Sears owns a plumbing and appliance repair store in Winchester. Sears opposes legislation that would make our communities safer from gun violence. She also supports using public money to fund private schools and wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access that make it more difficult for people to participate in our democracy.
Due to her support of affordable health coverage, the environment, public education, and Virginia working families, Delegate Hala Ayala is the most progressive choice for lieutenant governor in Virginia.Last updated: 2023-04-05Hala Ayala
The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017.The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017. She worked for over 20 years as a cybersecurity specialist and is the single mother of two grown children. If chosen by voters to be the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Ayala will be the first woman and Afro-Latina to do so.
Affordable access to healthcare is a central focus for Ayala. As a first-time mother, Ayala depended on Medicaid to give her son life-saving care. In 2018, Ayala voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians. In 2020, she co-patroned legislation to cap the cost of insulin in the state. In 2021, she voted to make the cost of prescription drugs transparent and to boost Virginia’s capacity to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. She also wants to reduce Black maternal mortality and create a universal paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.
As a graduate of Prince William County schools, Ayala believes that a well-funded education system is critical to a thriving Commonwealth. In 2021, she voted to increase teachers’ salaries by 5%. She also supported the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program, which provides free community college to low- and middle-income students who are studying in certain fields. As lieutenant governor, Ayala will prioritize expanding access to pre-K, reducing overcrowding in classrooms, and dedicate more funding to improve school infrastructure.
Recognizing the climate crisis as a national security threat, Ayala believes the state needs to play a bigger role in addressing the impacts of climate change. She co-patroned the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which will eliminate carbon emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050. She also wants to dedicate more funding to communities dealing firsthand with the effects of climate change, believing that solutions to the crisis must be created with racial equity in mind.
Ayala personally understands how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Her family struggled financially when she was a child, and she worked and raised children while obtaining her degree. In 2020, Ayala voted to raise the state’s minimum wage. She supports making paid family and medical leave available to all Virginia working families. In 2021, she voted to strengthen the rights of tenants and protect them from eviction during the pandemic. She also sponsored legislation to protect workers during the pandemic by requiring employers to provide them with personal protective equipment and hazard pay.
Ayala is running against former delegate Winsome Sears, a Republican who represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2003. Sears owns a plumbing and appliance repair store in Winchester. Sears opposes legislation that would make our communities safer from gun violence. She also supports using public money to fund private schools and wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access that make it more difficult for people to participate in our democracy.
Due to her support of affordable health coverage, the environment, public education, and Virginia working families, Delegate Hala Ayala is the most progressive choice for lieutenant governor in Virginia.Hala Ayala
The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017.
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The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017. She worked for over 20 years as a cybersecurity specialist and is the single mother of two grown children. If chosen by voters to be the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Ayala will be the first woman and Afro-Latina to do so.
Affordable access to healthcare is a central focus for Ayala. As a first-time mother, Ayala depended on Medicaid to give her son life-saving care. In 2018, Ayala voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians. In 2020, she co-patroned legislation to cap the cost of insulin in the state. In 2021, she voted to make the cost of prescription drugs transparent and to boost Virginia’s capacity to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. She also wants to reduce Black maternal mortality and create a universal paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.
As a graduate of Prince William County schools, Ayala believes that a well-funded education system is critical to a thriving Commonwealth. In 2021, she voted to increase teachers’ salaries by 5%. She also supported the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program, which provides free community college to low- and middle-income students who are studying in certain fields. As lieutenant governor, Ayala will prioritize expanding access to pre-K, reducing overcrowding in classrooms, and dedicate more funding to improve school infrastructure.
Recognizing the climate crisis as a national security threat, Ayala believes the state needs to play a bigger role in addressing the impacts of climate change. She co-patroned the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which will eliminate carbon emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050. She also wants to dedicate more funding to communities dealing firsthand with the effects of climate change, believing that solutions to the crisis must be created with racial equity in mind.
Ayala personally understands how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Her family struggled financially when she was a child, and she worked and raised children while obtaining her degree. In 2020, Ayala voted to raise the state’s minimum wage. She supports making paid family and medical leave available to all Virginia working families. In 2021, she voted to strengthen the rights of tenants and protect them from eviction during the pandemic. She also sponsored legislation to protect workers during the pandemic by requiring employers to provide them with personal protective equipment and hazard pay.
Ayala is running against former delegate Winsome Sears, a Republican who represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2003. Sears owns a plumbing and appliance repair store in Winchester. Sears opposes legislation that would make our communities safer from gun violence. She also supports using public money to fund private schools and wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access that make it more difficult for people to participate in our democracy.
Due to her support of affordable health coverage, the environment, public education, and Virginia working families, Delegate Hala Ayala is the most progressive choice for lieutenant governor in Virginia.Last updated: 2023-04-05
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Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013. Raised by a single mother in Loudoun County, Herring obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia before earning his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He and his wife of 30 years, Laura, raised two children together.
Herring has stood up for access to affordable healthcare by fighting off efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2021, Herring defended the ACA by joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general to argue in front of the U.S. Supreme Court against a lawsuit from the Trump administration that would have dismantled the ACA, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and Medicaid expansion.
Herring is a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access, and has used his office to support a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent. He has signed onto several lawsuits that challenge different states’ restrictive abortion laws. He issued an opinion in 2015 to strike down medically unnecessary Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that shuttered women’s health centers in the Commonwealth. In 2019, he successfully filed an injunction against the Trump administration’s efforts to halt contraceptive coverage in health insurance.
Herring has worked to keep our communities safe from gun violence by standing up to the gun lobby. In 2020, he defended two common-sense laws passed by the General Assembly aimed at preventing gun violence, the one-handgun-a-month law, and extended background checks. The same year, he also successfully defended a challenge to Virginia’s extreme risk protection law, which keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk to themselves or others.
During his time in office, Herring has fought to keep the promise of democracy real by protecting access to the ballot box. This year, he applauded the passage of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and joined other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass safeguards that guarantee people’s rights to participate in our democracy by voting. In 2020, he ensured that voters did not face intimidation while casting their ballots in our fair and free elections. In 2016, he defended a decision from former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of returning citizens in the Commonwealth.
Herring is facing a challenge from Delegate Jason Miyares, a conservative Republican who wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access, undermine workers’ rights by keeping Virginia a right-to-work state, and oppose efforts to shift funding away from police budgets to community services. As a delegate, Miyares voted against raising the state’s minimum wage, expanding access to affordable healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. He also opposes abortion access.
Due to his support of access to affordable healthcare, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voting rights, Attorney General Mark Herring is the most progressive choice for this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05Mark Herring
Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013.Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013. Raised by a single mother in Loudoun County, Herring obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia before earning his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He and his wife of 30 years, Laura, raised two children together.
Herring has stood up for access to affordable healthcare by fighting off efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2021, Herring defended the ACA by joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general to argue in front of the U.S. Supreme Court against a lawsuit from the Trump administration that would have dismantled the ACA, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and Medicaid expansion.
Herring is a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access, and has used his office to support a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent. He has signed onto several lawsuits that challenge different states’ restrictive abortion laws. He issued an opinion in 2015 to strike down medically unnecessary Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that shuttered women’s health centers in the Commonwealth. In 2019, he successfully filed an injunction against the Trump administration’s efforts to halt contraceptive coverage in health insurance.
Herring has worked to keep our communities safe from gun violence by standing up to the gun lobby. In 2020, he defended two common-sense laws passed by the General Assembly aimed at preventing gun violence, the one-handgun-a-month law, and extended background checks. The same year, he also successfully defended a challenge to Virginia’s extreme risk protection law, which keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk to themselves or others.
During his time in office, Herring has fought to keep the promise of democracy real by protecting access to the ballot box. This year, he applauded the passage of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and joined other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass safeguards that guarantee people’s rights to participate in our democracy by voting. In 2020, he ensured that voters did not face intimidation while casting their ballots in our fair and free elections. In 2016, he defended a decision from former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of returning citizens in the Commonwealth.
Herring is facing a challenge from Delegate Jason Miyares, a conservative Republican who wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access, undermine workers’ rights by keeping Virginia a right-to-work state, and oppose efforts to shift funding away from police budgets to community services. As a delegate, Miyares voted against raising the state’s minimum wage, expanding access to affordable healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. He also opposes abortion access.
Due to his support of access to affordable healthcare, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voting rights, Attorney General Mark Herring is the most progressive choice for this race.Mark Herring
Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013.
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Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013. Raised by a single mother in Loudoun County, Herring obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia before earning his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He and his wife of 30 years, Laura, raised two children together.
Herring has stood up for access to affordable healthcare by fighting off efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2021, Herring defended the ACA by joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general to argue in front of the U.S. Supreme Court against a lawsuit from the Trump administration that would have dismantled the ACA, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and Medicaid expansion.
Herring is a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access, and has used his office to support a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent. He has signed onto several lawsuits that challenge different states’ restrictive abortion laws. He issued an opinion in 2015 to strike down medically unnecessary Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that shuttered women’s health centers in the Commonwealth. In 2019, he successfully filed an injunction against the Trump administration’s efforts to halt contraceptive coverage in health insurance.
Herring has worked to keep our communities safe from gun violence by standing up to the gun lobby. In 2020, he defended two common-sense laws passed by the General Assembly aimed at preventing gun violence, the one-handgun-a-month law, and extended background checks. The same year, he also successfully defended a challenge to Virginia’s extreme risk protection law, which keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk to themselves or others.
During his time in office, Herring has fought to keep the promise of democracy real by protecting access to the ballot box. This year, he applauded the passage of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and joined other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass safeguards that guarantee people’s rights to participate in our democracy by voting. In 2020, he ensured that voters did not face intimidation while casting their ballots in our fair and free elections. In 2016, he defended a decision from former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of returning citizens in the Commonwealth.
Herring is facing a challenge from Delegate Jason Miyares, a conservative Republican who wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access, undermine workers’ rights by keeping Virginia a right-to-work state, and oppose efforts to shift funding away from police budgets to community services. As a delegate, Miyares voted against raising the state’s minimum wage, expanding access to affordable healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. He also opposes abortion access.
Due to his support of access to affordable healthcare, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voting rights, Attorney General Mark Herring is the most progressive choice for this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
House of Delegates
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below House of Delegate races on your ballot.
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Incumbent Delegate Lashresce Aird (D) has represented the 63rd District since 2016. Her election made her the youngest woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Aird earned her undergraduate and doctorate degrees from Virginia State University. She is a graduate of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program at the University of Virginia and the Minority Political Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a trusted community leader in Petersburg where she and her husband are raising two sons.
Aird is committed to criminal justice reform. She successfully carried legislation that bans the use and purchase of facial recognition technology by all local law enforcement agencies and campus police without explicit authorization from the state. Aird sponsored “Breonna’s Law,” which bans police from using no-knock warrants to enter and search a home without notifying the resident. She voted to abolish the death penalty and legalize marijuana in 2021 as well.
Aird also successfully sponsored historic legislation that recognizes racism as a public health crisis in Virginia. This bill will implement a series of policies geared towards addressing systemic racism in Virginia. She advocates for access to affordable, quality healthcare by working to lower drug costs and voting to cap the price of insulin in 2020. She voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians in 2018 and supported establishing a state-run health insurance marketplace, which helps uninsured or underinsured residents who aren’t covered by an employer-provided health plan to get affordable coverage.
Aird understands the urgency of the climate crisis and is focused on passing legislation to protect the environment. She advocates for equitable energy by successfully sponsoring legislation to make access to clean, affordable water a human right in 2021. She voted for the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which commits the Commonwealth to 100% clean energy by 2050. The Virginia League of Conservation Voters awarded her a score of 100% for the 2020 session.
Aird supports Virginia’s public education system, voting for a 5% raise for teachers and additional funding to help schools reopen safely during the pandemic. She worked to pass legislation that would make higher education more equitable for applicants by banning public universities from asking criminal history questions on admissions applications. The delegate also co-sponsored the School Equity and Staffing Act, which would address spending discrepancies between schools in low-income communities versus other communities.
Aird is facing a challenge from Republican candidate Kim Taylor, a Dinwiddie County resident who owns a small business with her husband. Taylor supports using taxpayer money to fund private education and opposes government efforts to keep students safe when schools reopen with masking requirements and vaccination protocols at public colleges and universities.
Due to her support of criminal justice reform, public education, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Aird is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05Lashrecse Aird
Incumbent Delegate Lashresce Aird (D) has represented the 63rd District since 2016. Her election made her the youngest woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Aird earned her undergraduate and doctorate degrees from Virginia State University.Incumbent Delegate Lashresce Aird (D) has represented the 63rd District since 2016. Her election made her the youngest woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Aird earned her undergraduate and doctorate degrees from Virginia State University. She is a graduate of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program at the University of Virginia and the Minority Political Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a trusted community leader in Petersburg where she and her husband are raising two sons.
Aird is committed to criminal justice reform. She successfully carried legislation that bans the use and purchase of facial recognition technology by all local law enforcement agencies and campus police without explicit authorization from the state. Aird sponsored “Breonna’s Law,” which bans police from using no-knock warrants to enter and search a home without notifying the resident. She voted to abolish the death penalty and legalize marijuana in 2021 as well.
Aird also successfully sponsored historic legislation that recognizes racism as a public health crisis in Virginia. This bill will implement a series of policies geared towards addressing systemic racism in Virginia. She advocates for access to affordable, quality healthcare by working to lower drug costs and voting to cap the price of insulin in 2020. She voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians in 2018 and supported establishing a state-run health insurance marketplace, which helps uninsured or underinsured residents who aren’t covered by an employer-provided health plan to get affordable coverage.
Aird understands the urgency of the climate crisis and is focused on passing legislation to protect the environment. She advocates for equitable energy by successfully sponsoring legislation to make access to clean, affordable water a human right in 2021. She voted for the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which commits the Commonwealth to 100% clean energy by 2050. The Virginia League of Conservation Voters awarded her a score of 100% for the 2020 session.
Aird supports Virginia’s public education system, voting for a 5% raise for teachers and additional funding to help schools reopen safely during the pandemic. She worked to pass legislation that would make higher education more equitable for applicants by banning public universities from asking criminal history questions on admissions applications. The delegate also co-sponsored the School Equity and Staffing Act, which would address spending discrepancies between schools in low-income communities versus other communities.
Aird is facing a challenge from Republican candidate Kim Taylor, a Dinwiddie County resident who owns a small business with her husband. Taylor supports using taxpayer money to fund private education and opposes government efforts to keep students safe when schools reopen with masking requirements and vaccination protocols at public colleges and universities.
Due to her support of criminal justice reform, public education, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Aird is the most progressive choice in this race.Lashrecse Aird
Incumbent Delegate Lashresce Aird (D) has represented the 63rd District since 2016. Her election made her the youngest woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Aird earned her undergraduate and doctorate degrees from Virginia State University.
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Incumbent Delegate Lashresce Aird (D) has represented the 63rd District since 2016. Her election made her the youngest woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Aird earned her undergraduate and doctorate degrees from Virginia State University. She is a graduate of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program at the University of Virginia and the Minority Political Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a trusted community leader in Petersburg where she and her husband are raising two sons.
Aird is committed to criminal justice reform. She successfully carried legislation that bans the use and purchase of facial recognition technology by all local law enforcement agencies and campus police without explicit authorization from the state. Aird sponsored “Breonna’s Law,” which bans police from using no-knock warrants to enter and search a home without notifying the resident. She voted to abolish the death penalty and legalize marijuana in 2021 as well.
Aird also successfully sponsored historic legislation that recognizes racism as a public health crisis in Virginia. This bill will implement a series of policies geared towards addressing systemic racism in Virginia. She advocates for access to affordable, quality healthcare by working to lower drug costs and voting to cap the price of insulin in 2020. She voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians in 2018 and supported establishing a state-run health insurance marketplace, which helps uninsured or underinsured residents who aren’t covered by an employer-provided health plan to get affordable coverage.
Aird understands the urgency of the climate crisis and is focused on passing legislation to protect the environment. She advocates for equitable energy by successfully sponsoring legislation to make access to clean, affordable water a human right in 2021. She voted for the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which commits the Commonwealth to 100% clean energy by 2050. The Virginia League of Conservation Voters awarded her a score of 100% for the 2020 session.
Aird supports Virginia’s public education system, voting for a 5% raise for teachers and additional funding to help schools reopen safely during the pandemic. She worked to pass legislation that would make higher education more equitable for applicants by banning public universities from asking criminal history questions on admissions applications. The delegate also co-sponsored the School Equity and Staffing Act, which would address spending discrepancies between schools in low-income communities versus other communities.
Aird is facing a challenge from Republican candidate Kim Taylor, a Dinwiddie County resident who owns a small business with her husband. Taylor supports using taxpayer money to fund private education and opposes government efforts to keep students safe when schools reopen with masking requirements and vaccination protocols at public colleges and universities.
Due to her support of criminal justice reform, public education, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Aird is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
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Virginia’s new 65th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Stafford County, Fredericksburg City, and parts of Spotsylvania County. With over 62,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district.
Activist and organizer, Caitlin Coakley is running to represent the 65th District in the House of Delegates. A former reporter for the Roanoke Star-Sentinel, a weekly newspaper, Coakley understands the intricacies of local and state governance. She worked with other activists in Chesterfield County in 2020 to demand a better response from the local government with the COVID-19 pandemic, public safety, and education. She currently resides in Chesterfield with her husband and their two children.
Coakley understands that the educational and economic success of the district hinges on access to reliable Internet. She plans on securing federal money and creating public-private partnerships to guarantee that every household in the district has broadband access. She wants to boost working families in Virginia by providing universal pre-K and tuition-free community college. Coakley also supports a $15 an hour minimum wage with future increases tied to the cost of living.
Coakley advocates for reforming Virginia’s criminal justice system and reducing its harmful impact on communities of color. She wants to end cash bail, which keeps poor people incarcerated simply because they can’t afford bail, and qualified immunity, a practice that shields police from accountability for violating people’s civil rights. She believes in building safer, equitable communities by investing more in programs for mental health support, affordable housing, and economic development.
Coakley understands the urgency of the climate crisis and endorses legislative actions to tackle the issue. She wants to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions and investing in clean energy. She believes that farmers whose crops are affected by climate change must be protected as well. She supports the Green New Deal Virginia and will oppose the construction of mega-landfills in the Commonwealth. Coakley pledged not to take campaign contributions from polluting utility monopolies like Dominion Energy.
Coakley wants to make quality, affordable healthcare available to all Virginians. She advocates for legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and workforce training programs to address the healthcare worker shortage. She supports keeping communities safe by passing common-sense measures aimed at preventing gun violence. She also wants to keep people in the workforce by guaranteeing paid family and medical leave so people don’t have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of themselves or a loved one in the event of an illness.
Coakley is challenging incumbent Delegate Lee Ware (R), a retired teacher who has represented the 65th District since 1998. Ware opposed expanding affordable health coverage to 400,000 Virginians in 2018. He also voted against raising the minimum wage, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. Additionally, Ware opposes abortion access and prohibiting voter discrimination in the Commonwealth.
Due to her support of working families, criminal justice reform, the environment, affordable healthcare, and gun violence prevention, Coakley is the most progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By:
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
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Activist and organizer, Caitlin Coakley is running to represent the 65th District in the House of Delegates. A former reporter for the Roanoke Star-Sentinel, a weekly newspaper, Coakley understands the intricacies of local and state governance. She worked with other activists in Chesterfield County in 2020 to demand a better response from the local government with the COVID-19 pandemic, public safety, and education. She currently resides in Chesterfield with her husband and their two children.
Coakley understands that the educational and economic success of the district hinges on access to reliable Internet. She plans on securing federal money and creating public-private partnerships to guarantee that every household in the district has broadband access. She wants to boost working families in Virginia by providing universal pre-K and tuition-free community college. Coakley also supports a $15 an hour minimum wage with future increases tied to the cost of living.
Coakley advocates for reforming Virginia’s criminal justice system and reducing its harmful impact on communities of color. She wants to end cash bail, which keeps poor people incarcerated simply because they can’t afford bail, and qualified immunity, a practice that shields police from accountability for violating people’s civil rights. She believes in building safer, equitable communities by investing more in programs for mental health support, affordable housing, and economic development.
Coakley understands the urgency of the climate crisis and endorses legislative actions to tackle the issue. She wants to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions and investing in clean energy. She believes that farmers whose crops are affected by climate change must be protected as well. She supports the Green New Deal Virginia and will oppose the construction of mega-landfills in the Commonwealth. Coakley pledged not to take campaign contributions from polluting utility monopolies like Dominion Energy.
Coakley wants to make quality, affordable healthcare available to all Virginians. She advocates for legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and workforce training programs to address the healthcare worker shortage. She supports keeping communities safe by passing common-sense measures aimed at preventing gun violence. She also wants to keep people in the workforce by guaranteeing paid family and medical leave so people don’t have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of themselves or a loved one in the event of an illness.
Coakley is challenging incumbent Delegate Lee Ware (R), a retired teacher who has represented the 65th District since 1998. Ware opposed expanding affordable health coverage to 400,000 Virginians in 2018. He also voted against raising the minimum wage, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. Additionally, Ware opposes abortion access and prohibiting voter discrimination in the Commonwealth.
Due to her support of working families, criminal justice reform, the environment, affordable healthcare, and gun violence prevention, Coakley is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
Endorsed By:
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
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Virginia’s new 66th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Spotsylvania County and parts of Caroline County. With almost 64,000 registered voters, this district leans Republican.
Katie Sponsler is running to represent the 66th District in the House of Delegates. Sponsler is originally from Ohio and joined the U.S. Air Force where she was stationed in Germany. After her honorable discharge from the military, she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Youngstown State University. She later moved to Virginia to work as a park ranger at the Petersburg National Battlefield. Sponsler and her husband have two children together.
Sponsler believes that strong, equitable schools are the backbone to thriving communities and supports fully funding our education system. She wants to raise teacher pay and increase the number of school nurses and social workers at every school. She wants to change the way public schools are funded so that funding doesn’t depend on the income level of the community surrounding a school. Sponsler also opposes measures to privatize public education such as school voucher programs.
Sponsler wants all Virginians to have access to quality, affordable healthcare and wants to remedy the racial disparities made apparent by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also wants to increase support to medical staff so that they can do their jobs well and protect their own health during the pandemic. She believes that Medicaid should be expanded to include mental health care and substance abuse recovery. She will fight to protect access to abortion and people’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent.
Sponsler advocates for reforming Virginia’s criminal justice system, believing it has a disproportionate impact on communities of color. She believes that police have an outsized role in our communities and take on too many responsibilities. She supports shifting resources away from police budgets so that mental health professionals, social workers, and counselors can respond when people are in crisis and save lives. Additionally, she wants to abolish the death penalty in Virginia.
Sponsler believes in science and understands the urgency of the climate crisis. She wants to guarantee access to clean water and air. She advocates for ending the importing of waste into her district and Virginia and will oppose the construction of mega landfills. She wants to hold polluting utilities monopolies accountable for dirtying our air and water. She supports measures to reduce waste in the Commonwealth, such as phasing out the use of single-use plastics by 2025.
Katie Sponsler is running against Republican candidate Mike Cherry, a veteran, pastor, and member of the Colonial Heights City Council. Cherry opposes measures to hold police accountable for violating people’s rights and reduce environmental waste in the Commonwealth. He supports using taxpayer money to fund private education. He is also against government efforts to keep communities safe during the pandemic.
Due to her support of the environment, public education, access to affordable healthcare, and criminal justice reform, Sponsler is the most progressive candidate in this race.
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Katie Sponsler is running to represent the 66th District in the House of Delegates. Sponsler is originally from Ohio and joined the U.S. Air Force where she was stationed in Germany. After her honorable discharge from the military, she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Youngstown State University. She later moved to Virginia to work as a park ranger at the Petersburg National Battlefield. Sponsler and her husband have two children together.
Sponsler believes that strong, equitable schools are the backbone to thriving communities and supports fully funding our education system. She wants to raise teacher pay and increase the number of school nurses and social workers at every school. She wants to change the way public schools are funded so that funding doesn’t depend on the income level of the community surrounding a school. Sponsler also opposes measures to privatize public education such as school voucher programs.
Sponsler wants all Virginians to have access to quality, affordable healthcare and wants to remedy the racial disparities made apparent by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also wants to increase support to medical staff so that they can do their jobs well and protect their own health during the pandemic. She believes that Medicaid should be expanded to include mental health care and substance abuse recovery. She will fight to protect access to abortion and people’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent.
Sponsler advocates for reforming Virginia’s criminal justice system, believing it has a disproportionate impact on communities of color. She believes that police have an outsized role in our communities and take on too many responsibilities. She supports shifting resources away from police budgets so that mental health professionals, social workers, and counselors can respond when people are in crisis and save lives. Additionally, she wants to abolish the death penalty in Virginia.
Sponsler believes in science and understands the urgency of the climate crisis. She wants to guarantee access to clean water and air. She advocates for ending the importing of waste into her district and Virginia and will oppose the construction of mega landfills. She wants to hold polluting utilities monopolies accountable for dirtying our air and water. She supports measures to reduce waste in the Commonwealth, such as phasing out the use of single-use plastics by 2025.
Katie Sponsler is running against Republican candidate Mike Cherry, a veteran, pastor, and member of the Colonial Heights City Council. Cherry opposes measures to hold police accountable for violating people’s rights and reduce environmental waste in the Commonwealth. He supports using taxpayer money to fund private education. He is also against government efforts to keep communities safe during the pandemic.
Due to her support of the environment, public education, access to affordable healthcare, and criminal justice reform, Sponsler is the most progressive candidate in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
District Offices
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below county races on your ballot.
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Born in Charleston, SC, Baron Braswell moved to Virginia Beach where he graduated from Kellam High School. He went on to study political science at Virginia State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude before joining the Army. He was elected to the Spotsylvania School Board in 2014, and is currently serving his fourth term. Braswell sits on advisory boards at the University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College. He and his wife have two children.
Braswell has served on the school board for the past seven and a half years. Each year he advocated for better pay for teachers, bus drivers, support staff, and coaches. He was also a major budget driver on restructuring health insurance in the school division. This led to millions of dollars in savings. During his time on the school board, he advocated for more accessible sports participation by lowering fees for student athletes.
Braswell advocates for updating the county’s infrastructure. While on the school board, he pushed for the major renovation of Courtland High School, as well as the installation of artificial turf at five high schools. The school’s renovation came in at half the average cost of a new high school and led to a gold award for design from the Virginia School Boards Association. In the midst of the pandemic, he recognized the area’s growing need for broadband services.
Promoting economic development and increasing access to opportunity are high on Braswell’s list of priorities. He praised efforts of the Spotsylvania County Schools to contract two years of state field hockey tournaments with the Virginia High School League. He encourages similar partnerships with businesses across the county. As a school board member, he was a leader in growing support for students’ extracurricular activities and started a region wide chess tournament for students. He advocated for expanding the Career and College pathways programs to include a variety of tracks including veterinary science, visual and performing arts, and cybersecurity.
Along with his family, he hosts a run in honor of his late son, dedicated to reducing teen violence. Braswell sat on a panel along with area leaders to discuss race relations around Fredericksburg. He also championed the name change of R.E. Lee Elementary School to Spotsylvania Elementary School. He has stated that access to an equitable education must be a priority to end systemic injustice, pushing for local governments to better fund education.
Baron Braswell is challenging conservative incumbent Supervisor Chris Yakabouski (R). Yakabouski has lived in Spotsylvania for 30 years. He has two children enrolled in Spotsylvania Public schools, and he strongly supports SROs in every school and has pledged to back law enforcement. He has labeled himself the “conservative voice” on the board of supervisors.
Braswell is also challenging previous House of Delegates candidate Nick Ignacio. Nick Ignacio’s 2017 campaign focused on enforcing immigration laws, strengthening Second Amendment rights, and limiting abortion access. He is regional tea party chairman and was responsible for organizing an anti-mask rally. While making comments at a school board meeting, he refused to wear a mask and removed protective barriers at the podium. During another incident, he had to be removed from a school board meeting. He has been known to make use anti-gay slurs.
Due to his history of increasing accessibility to opportunities for students, updating infrastructure, and his commitment to reducing teen violence, Baron Braswell is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05Baron Braswell
Born in Charleston, SC, Baron Braswell moved to Virginia Beach where he graduated from Kellam High School. He went on to study political science at Virginia State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude before joining the Army.Born in Charleston, SC, Baron Braswell moved to Virginia Beach where he graduated from Kellam High School. He went on to study political science at Virginia State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude before joining the Army. He was elected to the Spotsylvania School Board in 2014, and is currently serving his fourth term. Braswell sits on advisory boards at the University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College. He and his wife have two children.
Braswell has served on the school board for the past seven and a half years. Each year he advocated for better pay for teachers, bus drivers, support staff, and coaches. He was also a major budget driver on restructuring health insurance in the school division. This led to millions of dollars in savings. During his time on the school board, he advocated for more accessible sports participation by lowering fees for student athletes.
Braswell advocates for updating the county’s infrastructure. While on the school board, he pushed for the major renovation of Courtland High School, as well as the installation of artificial turf at five high schools. The school’s renovation came in at half the average cost of a new high school and led to a gold award for design from the Virginia School Boards Association. In the midst of the pandemic, he recognized the area’s growing need for broadband services.
Promoting economic development and increasing access to opportunity are high on Braswell’s list of priorities. He praised efforts of the Spotsylvania County Schools to contract two years of state field hockey tournaments with the Virginia High School League. He encourages similar partnerships with businesses across the county. As a school board member, he was a leader in growing support for students’ extracurricular activities and started a region wide chess tournament for students. He advocated for expanding the Career and College pathways programs to include a variety of tracks including veterinary science, visual and performing arts, and cybersecurity.
Along with his family, he hosts a run in honor of his late son, dedicated to reducing teen violence. Braswell sat on a panel along with area leaders to discuss race relations around Fredericksburg. He also championed the name change of R.E. Lee Elementary School to Spotsylvania Elementary School. He has stated that access to an equitable education must be a priority to end systemic injustice, pushing for local governments to better fund education.
Baron Braswell is challenging conservative incumbent Supervisor Chris Yakabouski (R). Yakabouski has lived in Spotsylvania for 30 years. He has two children enrolled in Spotsylvania Public schools, and he strongly supports SROs in every school and has pledged to back law enforcement. He has labeled himself the “conservative voice” on the board of supervisors.
Braswell is also challenging previous House of Delegates candidate Nick Ignacio. Nick Ignacio’s 2017 campaign focused on enforcing immigration laws, strengthening Second Amendment rights, and limiting abortion access. He is regional tea party chairman and was responsible for organizing an anti-mask rally. While making comments at a school board meeting, he refused to wear a mask and removed protective barriers at the podium. During another incident, he had to be removed from a school board meeting. He has been known to make use anti-gay slurs.
Due to his history of increasing accessibility to opportunities for students, updating infrastructure, and his commitment to reducing teen violence, Baron Braswell is the most progressive choice in this race.Baron Braswell
Born in Charleston, SC, Baron Braswell moved to Virginia Beach where he graduated from Kellam High School. He went on to study political science at Virginia State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude before joining the Army.
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Born in Charleston, SC, Baron Braswell moved to Virginia Beach where he graduated from Kellam High School. He went on to study political science at Virginia State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude before joining the Army. He was elected to the Spotsylvania School Board in 2014, and is currently serving his fourth term. Braswell sits on advisory boards at the University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College. He and his wife have two children.
Braswell has served on the school board for the past seven and a half years. Each year he advocated for better pay for teachers, bus drivers, support staff, and coaches. He was also a major budget driver on restructuring health insurance in the school division. This led to millions of dollars in savings. During his time on the school board, he advocated for more accessible sports participation by lowering fees for student athletes.
Braswell advocates for updating the county’s infrastructure. While on the school board, he pushed for the major renovation of Courtland High School, as well as the installation of artificial turf at five high schools. The school’s renovation came in at half the average cost of a new high school and led to a gold award for design from the Virginia School Boards Association. In the midst of the pandemic, he recognized the area’s growing need for broadband services.
Promoting economic development and increasing access to opportunity are high on Braswell’s list of priorities. He praised efforts of the Spotsylvania County Schools to contract two years of state field hockey tournaments with the Virginia High School League. He encourages similar partnerships with businesses across the county. As a school board member, he was a leader in growing support for students’ extracurricular activities and started a region wide chess tournament for students. He advocated for expanding the Career and College pathways programs to include a variety of tracks including veterinary science, visual and performing arts, and cybersecurity.
Along with his family, he hosts a run in honor of his late son, dedicated to reducing teen violence. Braswell sat on a panel along with area leaders to discuss race relations around Fredericksburg. He also championed the name change of R.E. Lee Elementary School to Spotsylvania Elementary School. He has stated that access to an equitable education must be a priority to end systemic injustice, pushing for local governments to better fund education.
Baron Braswell is challenging conservative incumbent Supervisor Chris Yakabouski (R). Yakabouski has lived in Spotsylvania for 30 years. He has two children enrolled in Spotsylvania Public schools, and he strongly supports SROs in every school and has pledged to back law enforcement. He has labeled himself the “conservative voice” on the board of supervisors.
Braswell is also challenging previous House of Delegates candidate Nick Ignacio. Nick Ignacio’s 2017 campaign focused on enforcing immigration laws, strengthening Second Amendment rights, and limiting abortion access. He is regional tea party chairman and was responsible for organizing an anti-mask rally. While making comments at a school board meeting, he refused to wear a mask and removed protective barriers at the podium. During another incident, he had to be removed from a school board meeting. He has been known to make use anti-gay slurs.
Due to his history of increasing accessibility to opportunities for students, updating infrastructure, and his commitment to reducing teen violence, Baron Braswell is the most progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-04-05
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Nicole Cole is a Virginia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University. She owns and operates two financial planning businesses, The College Money Team and Nicole Cole Financial Services Group, LLC. She currently serves as a member of the Citizens Budget Review Committee. She is a mother to three children that are currently enrolled in the Spotsylvania school system.
Cole is an advocate for the emotional developmental needs of children. She hopes to develop a school system that is an open and safe environment for students and staff to receive mental health services as needed. She supports investing in mental health programs for students and educating students and staff on mental illness. If elected, she plans to direct funds from the county’s annual budget to support mental health awareness and information for students and educators.
She pushes for education that encourages goal creation and provides children with better focus and more opportunities. She believes this is the key to achieving high student success and graduation rates. Cole believes the county should invest more in programs that help to integrate career pathways into curriculums and learning objectives. By connecting learning with career options, she hopes kids will graduate with rewarding careers or vocations. Cole is also in support of innovative learning centers for those interested in STEM programs, the arts, or teaching.
Cole stresses the importance of accountability in regards to the finances of the school district, having advocated for increased school funding since 2018. She believes that children and education are the best investments and supports increasing resources for teachers. Cole voiced her dismay towards the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors who voted against fully funding the 2022 SCPS budget. She also notes that Spotsylvania education has been defunded for over a decade.
When it comes to COVID-19 recovery efforts, Cole has expressed that leading by example is a civic duty. She has shared support of vaccination efforts, as well as masks, noting the latter as a necessity for children returning to school in person. She also showed support for the Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan. Additionally, Cole recognizes the connection between the pandemic and the teacher shortage, as well as its impact on the community.
Cole is running against Larry DiBella for the Battlefield district school board seat. DiBella is a former SRO who advocated for ending the school-to-prison pipeline. Due to her support of mental health services for students and a history of advocating for school funding, Cole is the more progressive choice in this election.Last updated: 2023-04-05Nicole Cole
Nicole Cole is a Virginia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University.Nicole Cole is a Virginia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University. She owns and operates two financial planning businesses, The College Money Team and Nicole Cole Financial Services Group, LLC. She currently serves as a member of the Citizens Budget Review Committee. She is a mother to three children that are currently enrolled in the Spotsylvania school system.
Cole is an advocate for the emotional developmental needs of children. She hopes to develop a school system that is an open and safe environment for students and staff to receive mental health services as needed. She supports investing in mental health programs for students and educating students and staff on mental illness. If elected, she plans to direct funds from the county’s annual budget to support mental health awareness and information for students and educators.
She pushes for education that encourages goal creation and provides children with better focus and more opportunities. She believes this is the key to achieving high student success and graduation rates. Cole believes the county should invest more in programs that help to integrate career pathways into curriculums and learning objectives. By connecting learning with career options, she hopes kids will graduate with rewarding careers or vocations. Cole is also in support of innovative learning centers for those interested in STEM programs, the arts, or teaching.
Cole stresses the importance of accountability in regards to the finances of the school district, having advocated for increased school funding since 2018. She believes that children and education are the best investments and supports increasing resources for teachers. Cole voiced her dismay towards the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors who voted against fully funding the 2022 SCPS budget. She also notes that Spotsylvania education has been defunded for over a decade.
When it comes to COVID-19 recovery efforts, Cole has expressed that leading by example is a civic duty. She has shared support of vaccination efforts, as well as masks, noting the latter as a necessity for children returning to school in person. She also showed support for the Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan. Additionally, Cole recognizes the connection between the pandemic and the teacher shortage, as well as its impact on the community.
Cole is running against Larry DiBella for the Battlefield district school board seat. DiBella is a former SRO who advocated for ending the school-to-prison pipeline. Due to her support of mental health services for students and a history of advocating for school funding, Cole is the more progressive choice in this election.Nicole Cole
Nicole Cole is a Virginia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University.
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Nicole Cole is a Virginia native who holds a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University. She owns and operates two financial planning businesses, The College Money Team and Nicole Cole Financial Services Group, LLC. She currently serves as a member of the Citizens Budget Review Committee. She is a mother to three children that are currently enrolled in the Spotsylvania school system.
Cole is an advocate for the emotional developmental needs of children. She hopes to develop a school system that is an open and safe environment for students and staff to receive mental health services as needed. She supports investing in mental health programs for students and educating students and staff on mental illness. If elected, she plans to direct funds from the county’s annual budget to support mental health awareness and information for students and educators.
She pushes for education that encourages goal creation and provides children with better focus and more opportunities. She believes this is the key to achieving high student success and graduation rates. Cole believes the county should invest more in programs that help to integrate career pathways into curriculums and learning objectives. By connecting learning with career options, she hopes kids will graduate with rewarding careers or vocations. Cole is also in support of innovative learning centers for those interested in STEM programs, the arts, or teaching.
Cole stresses the importance of accountability in regards to the finances of the school district, having advocated for increased school funding since 2018. She believes that children and education are the best investments and supports increasing resources for teachers. Cole voiced her dismay towards the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors who voted against fully funding the 2022 SCPS budget. She also notes that Spotsylvania education has been defunded for over a decade.
When it comes to COVID-19 recovery efforts, Cole has expressed that leading by example is a civic duty. She has shared support of vaccination efforts, as well as masks, noting the latter as a necessity for children returning to school in person. She also showed support for the Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan. Additionally, Cole recognizes the connection between the pandemic and the teacher shortage, as well as its impact on the community.
Cole is running against Larry DiBella for the Battlefield district school board seat. DiBella is a former SRO who advocated for ending the school-to-prison pipeline. Due to her support of mental health services for students and a history of advocating for school funding, Cole is the more progressive choice in this election.Last updated: 2023-04-05
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Spotsylvania native Erin Grampp was first elected to the school board in 2014 and previously served as its chairwoman. She attended Spotsylvania County Public Schools and graduated from Mary Washington College with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Grampp is the owner of EKG Stables at Hill Valley Farm and a certified riding instructor. After her election, she received the Virginia School Board Association’s Distinguished School Board Member award for three years (2014, 2015, and 2016).
As a member of the school board, Grampp has become well known for her strict interpretation of Virginia law. When matters are presented to the school board, she reminds fellow board members and the community that the school board does not have the authority to make laws. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people formed opposing opinions in regards to state and CDC guidelines, Grampp has been a leading force in reminding community members that the school board does not have the power to overturn any federal or state mandates.
Grampp uses her knowledge of economics to assist and educate community members on budget constraints. She was responsible for a budget amendment that allowed for a 5.5% increase for all Spotsylvania County Public School employees. This same budget amendment was intended to attract and retain more bus drivers and other school staff members. By investing in school staff, she hopes to see improvements in the quality of the education students receive.
Grampp continues to support a more individualized approach to education, and she pushes for programs that allow students to learn and pursue different educational tracks. She was an instrumental supporter in establishing new cyber technology programs for the school system. In adapting to the pandemic, she supported a hybrid education model that would keep students safe and still provide them with in-person learning. She also is in support of providing schools with funding for more mental health resources.
Grampp is facing a challenge from April Gillespie., who previously challenged Grampp for the Berkeley seat in 2017. Gillespie is an active member of the Spotsylvania school community and previously served as vice president of the PTO. She opposes mask mandates in schools and has stated that she would never seek an endorsement from teachers’ unions or the NAACP.
Due to her commitment to raising teacher and school staff pay, Grampp is the progressive choice in this election.Last updated: 2023-04-05Erin Grampp
Spotsylvania native Erin Grampp was first elected to the school board in 2014 and previously served as its chairwoman. She attended Spotsylvania County Public Schools and graduated from Mary Washington College with a bachelor’s degree in economics.Spotsylvania native Erin Grampp was first elected to the school board in 2014 and previously served as its chairwoman. She attended Spotsylvania County Public Schools and graduated from Mary Washington College with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Grampp is the owner of EKG Stables at Hill Valley Farm and a certified riding instructor. After her election, she received the Virginia School Board Association’s Distinguished School Board Member award for three years (2014, 2015, and 2016).
As a member of the school board, Grampp has become well known for her strict interpretation of Virginia law. When matters are presented to the school board, she reminds fellow board members and the community that the school board does not have the authority to make laws. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people formed opposing opinions in regards to state and CDC guidelines, Grampp has been a leading force in reminding community members that the school board does not have the power to overturn any federal or state mandates.
Grampp uses her knowledge of economics to assist and educate community members on budget constraints. She was responsible for a budget amendment that allowed for a 5.5% increase for all Spotsylvania County Public School employees. This same budget amendment was intended to attract and retain more bus drivers and other school staff members. By investing in school staff, she hopes to see improvements in the quality of the education students receive.
Grampp continues to support a more individualized approach to education, and she pushes for programs that allow students to learn and pursue different educational tracks. She was an instrumental supporter in establishing new cyber technology programs for the school system. In adapting to the pandemic, she supported a hybrid education model that would keep students safe and still provide them with in-person learning. She also is in support of providing schools with funding for more mental health resources.
Grampp is facing a challenge from April Gillespie., who previously challenged Grampp for the Berkeley seat in 2017. Gillespie is an active member of the Spotsylvania school community and previously served as vice president of the PTO. She opposes mask mandates in schools and has stated that she would never seek an endorsement from teachers’ unions or the NAACP.
Due to her commitment to raising teacher and school staff pay, Grampp is the progressive choice in this election.Erin Grampp
Spotsylvania native Erin Grampp was first elected to the school board in 2014 and previously served as its chairwoman. She attended Spotsylvania County Public Schools and graduated from Mary Washington College with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
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Spotsylvania native Erin Grampp was first elected to the school board in 2014 and previously served as its chairwoman. She attended Spotsylvania County Public Schools and graduated from Mary Washington College with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Grampp is the owner of EKG Stables at Hill Valley Farm and a certified riding instructor. After her election, she received the Virginia School Board Association’s Distinguished School Board Member award for three years (2014, 2015, and 2016).
As a member of the school board, Grampp has become well known for her strict interpretation of Virginia law. When matters are presented to the school board, she reminds fellow board members and the community that the school board does not have the authority to make laws. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people formed opposing opinions in regards to state and CDC guidelines, Grampp has been a leading force in reminding community members that the school board does not have the power to overturn any federal or state mandates.
Grampp uses her knowledge of economics to assist and educate community members on budget constraints. She was responsible for a budget amendment that allowed for a 5.5% increase for all Spotsylvania County Public School employees. This same budget amendment was intended to attract and retain more bus drivers and other school staff members. By investing in school staff, she hopes to see improvements in the quality of the education students receive.
Grampp continues to support a more individualized approach to education, and she pushes for programs that allow students to learn and pursue different educational tracks. She was an instrumental supporter in establishing new cyber technology programs for the school system. In adapting to the pandemic, she supported a hybrid education model that would keep students safe and still provide them with in-person learning. She also is in support of providing schools with funding for more mental health resources.
Grampp is facing a challenge from April Gillespie., who previously challenged Grampp for the Berkeley seat in 2017. Gillespie is an active member of the Spotsylvania school community and previously served as vice president of the PTO. She opposes mask mandates in schools and has stated that she would never seek an endorsement from teachers’ unions or the NAACP.
Due to her commitment to raising teacher and school staff pay, Grampp is the progressive choice in this election.Last updated: 2023-04-05
No Recommendation
Incumbent Lisa Phelps was first elected to the Lee District seat in 2017 after defeating Kathryn Palmer. That same year, Phelps received the Spotsylvania Republican Committee’s endorsement. As schools prepared to open, Phelps voted against CDC guidelines requiring universal masking. Phelps once used an Anti-Racism Resolution as means to suggest she was being targeted by another member of the board; even going as far as suggesting that a black member of the board would not understand her trauma.
Lisa Phelps will be challenged by independent Richard Lieberman. He is self-employed in the insurance industry and sports memorabilia industry. However, a lack of other online information about him means we cannot guarantee he will make progressive choices.
Given Phelp’s opposition to government efforts to protect communities during the pandemic, we do not have a recommendation in this race. However, we still encourage you to show up to vote by writing in a name for this race and casting your vote in the other races on your ballot.
Lisa Phelps will be challenged by independent Richard Lieberman. He is self-employed in the insurance industry and sports memorabilia industry. However, a lack of other online information about him means we cannot guarantee he will make progressive choices.
Given Phelp’s opposition to government efforts to protect communities during the pandemic, we do not have a recommendation in this race. However, we still encourage you to show up to vote by writing in a name for this race and casting your vote in the other races on your ballot.
No Recommendations - - Lee Hill - County School Board
Incumbent Lisa Phelps was first elected to the Lee District seat in 2017 after defeating Kathryn Palmer. That same year, Phelps received the Spotsylvania Republican Committee’s endorsement. As schools prepared to open, Phelps voted against CDC guidelines requiring universal masking.
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