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A Prince William County native, Incumbent Democratic Delegate Briana Sewell was raised by parents who were each United States Air Force members for over 20 years. She attended Prince William County Public Schools, and then received her bachelor’s degree in public policy from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Administration from American University. She has since worked providing constituent services for Congressman Gerry Connolly. She also helped found the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, which advocates for paid family and medical leave for working families. During her time as Delegate she has patroned bills to support the improvement of education for students as well as protections for teacher licensure. She has also made efforts to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth by co-patroning bills to conduct a study on the effect of gun violence in the community.

Due to her experience advocating for paid family and medical leave, Delegate Sewell supports policies that uplift Virginia’s families and economy. She worked to ensure federal employees receive 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave and other workers have access to sufficient leave and benefits. She also knows a well-funded education system is crucial to a strong economy. She will work to ensure school resources are equally distributed and every student has access to well-funded, quality education. She supports policies to lower the cost of college and fund other job training and vocational programs.

Delegate Sewell particularly understands how women play a critical role in the economy. A strong advocate for fair pay and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace, she will work to lower the cost of childcare to ensure parents can afford to stay in the workforce. She will also advocate for childcare providers, who are often women and women of color. She knows that economic and reproductive rights are inherently tied together and will fight for people to have access to abortion, so people can choose when and whether to become parents.

Delegate Sewell knows that paid family and medical leave must also go hand-in-hand with affordable and accessible healthcare coverage and chief co-patroned HB2035, a bill to establish the paid medical leave program. She supports efforts to regulate prescription drug companies and reduce prescription costs. The pandemic has further revealed racial and socioeconomic biases in healthcare coverage, and Del. Sewell will work to ensure there are no barriers to necessary healthcare.

Delegate Sewell has advocated for the environment her entire career. While working in Congressman Connolly’s office, she tried to reduce pollutants in the district by shutting down the coal ash pond nearby. She chief patroned HJ545, a bill requiring the Dept. of Energy to list the barriers that prevent local governments from directly buying clean energy. She believes that investing in green infrastructure will create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and will ensure that every citizen has access to clean water and air. She will work to fund green public transit options to limit emissions and traffic congestion.

Sewell is running against Republican John S Gray. Information on Gray’s politics was unavailable, but his string of extremely problematic tweets gives some clue as to where his politics lie. Among the tweets he paid to be deleted are racist statements made in regards to Black people and the BLM protests, as well as hateful speech towards other religious practices. He has expressed no regret for his statements.

Due to her advocacy for Virginia working families, women’s rights, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Delegate Briana Sewell is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 51st District.

Last updated: 2023-10-27

A Prince William County native, Incumbent Democratic Delegate Briana Sewell was raised by parents who were each United States Air Force members for over 20 years. She attended Prince William County Public Schools, and then received her bachelor’s degree in public policy from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Administration from American University. She has since worked providing constituent services for Congressman Gerry Connolly. She also helped found the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, which advocates for paid family and medical leave for working families. During her time as Delegate she has patroned bills to support the improvement of education for students as well as protections for teacher licensure. She has also made efforts to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth by co-patroning bills to conduct a study on the effect of gun violence in the community.

Due to her experience advocating for paid family and medical leave, Delegate Sewell supports policies that uplift Virginia’s families and economy. She worked to ensure federal employees receive 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave and other workers have access to sufficient leave and benefits. She also knows a well-funded education system is crucial to a strong economy. She will work to ensure school resources are equally distributed and every student has access to well-funded, quality education. She supports policies to lower the cost of college and fund other job training and vocational programs.

Delegate Sewell particularly understands how women play a critical role in the economy. A strong advocate for fair pay and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace, she will work to lower the cost of childcare to ensure parents can afford to stay in the workforce. She will also advocate for childcare providers, who are often women and women of color. She knows that economic and reproductive rights are inherently tied together and will fight for people to have access to abortion, so people can choose when and whether to become parents.

Delegate Sewell knows that paid family and medical leave must also go hand-in-hand with affordable and accessible healthcare coverage and chief co-patroned HB2035, a bill to establish the paid medical leave program. She supports efforts to regulate prescription drug companies and reduce prescription costs. The pandemic has further revealed racial and socioeconomic biases in healthcare coverage, and Del. Sewell will work to ensure there are no barriers to necessary healthcare.

Delegate Sewell has advocated for the environment her entire career. While working in Congressman Connolly’s office, she tried to reduce pollutants in the district by shutting down the coal ash pond nearby. She chief patroned HJ545, a bill requiring the Dept. of Energy to list the barriers that prevent local governments from directly buying clean energy. She believes that investing in green infrastructure will create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and will ensure that every citizen has access to clean water and air. She will work to fund green public transit options to limit emissions and traffic congestion.

Sewell is running against Republican John S Gray. Information on Gray’s politics was unavailable, but his string of extremely problematic tweets gives some clue as to where his politics lie. Among the tweets he paid to be deleted are racist statements made in regards to Black people and the BLM protests, as well as hateful speech towards other religious practices. He has expressed no regret for his statements.

Due to her advocacy for Virginia working families, women’s rights, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Delegate Briana Sewell is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 51st District.

Last updated: 2023-10-27

House District 025

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Election Day November 7, 2023
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Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.

Senate District 029

Incumbent Democratic Senator Jeremy McPike has served in the State Senate since 2016. He received his Bachelor's and Master's of Public Administration degrees from George Mason University. He is a volunteer firefighter and led the design and construction of an innovative, environmentally conscious, and award-winning volunteer fire station. He is a department director for the City of Alexandria and has worked for the city for 22 years.

Senator McPike has supported numerous progressive bills during his time in the Senate. He sponsored a bill to ensure foster children can keep their healthcare while transitioning into adulthood after turning 18. He is also committed to advancing common-sense gun safety measures, like universal background checks and blocking domestic abusers’ access to firearms. He considers redistricting reform as one of his fundamental policy goals. Sen. McPike voted to expand Medicaid in Virginia and to raise Virginia’s minimum wage.

Senator McPike recognizes abortion rights in Virginia are on the line, noting abortion ban attempts this past General Assembly session. He has stated that he fully supports reproductive rights, the right to safe and legal abortion, and access to contraceptives. He believes the government should not interfere with critical medical decisions and that Virginians should have the right to make their own choices. He voted to support the Reproductive Health Protection Act in 2020, and prioritizes codifying access to abortion into the Virginia Constitution.

Senator McPike supports public education and trusts teachers to know what is best in the classrooms. He considers Governor Youngkin’s teacher tip line as an extreme tactic to spy on educators. Senator McPike wants to invest in school facilities and teacher resources. He also stresses the importance of teaching real history.

Senator McPike advocates for workers' rights and is pro-union. He voted in favor of removing the ban on public sector collective bargaining and passed legislation to hold companies accountable for wage theft from Virginia workers. He believes in continuing to raise the minimum wage and so workers have fair pay. He also advocates for all workers having access to paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave.

Senator McPike is facing a challenge from Republican Nikki Rattray Baldwin. Baldwin grew up in Florida in the foster care system until her second placement. She earned her Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts in Psychology and her Master’s in Public Administration. Her campaign site fails to mention her stances on several issues.

Due to his record for protecting abortion access, workers rights, and public education, Senator Jeremy McPike is the progressive choice in this race.

Note: portions of this write-up were compiled from a previous Progressive Voters Guide recommendation for this candidate.

Last updated: 2023-10-27

Incumbent Democratic Senator Jeremy McPike has served in the State Senate since 2016. He received his Bachelor's and Master's of Public Administration degrees from George Mason University. He is a volunteer firefighter and led the design and construction of an innovative, environmentally conscious, and award-winning volunteer fire station. He is a department director for the City of Alexandria and has worked for the city for 22 years.

Senator McPike has supported numerous progressive bills during his time in the Senate. He sponsored a bill to ensure foster children can keep their healthcare while transitioning into adulthood after turning 18. He is also committed to advancing common-sense gun safety measures, like universal background checks and blocking domestic abusers’ access to firearms. He considers redistricting reform as one of his fundamental policy goals. Sen. McPike voted to expand Medicaid in Virginia and to raise Virginia’s minimum wage.

Senator McPike recognizes abortion rights in Virginia are on the line, noting abortion ban attempts this past General Assembly session. He has stated that he fully supports reproductive rights, the right to safe and legal abortion, and access to contraceptives. He believes the government should not interfere with critical medical decisions and that Virginians should have the right to make their own choices. He voted to support the Reproductive Health Protection Act in 2020, and prioritizes codifying access to abortion into the Virginia Constitution.

Senator McPike supports public education and trusts teachers to know what is best in the classrooms. He considers Governor Youngkin’s teacher tip line as an extreme tactic to spy on educators. Senator McPike wants to invest in school facilities and teacher resources. He also stresses the importance of teaching real history.

Senator McPike advocates for workers' rights and is pro-union. He voted in favor of removing the ban on public sector collective bargaining and passed legislation to hold companies accountable for wage theft from Virginia workers. He believes in continuing to raise the minimum wage and so workers have fair pay. He also advocates for all workers having access to paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave.

Senator McPike is facing a challenge from Republican Nikki Rattray Baldwin. Baldwin grew up in Florida in the foster care system until her second placement. She earned her Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts in Psychology and her Master’s in Public Administration. Her campaign site fails to mention her stances on several issues.

Due to his record for protecting abortion access, workers rights, and public education, Senator Jeremy McPike is the progressive choice in this race.

Note: portions of this write-up were compiled from a previous Progressive Voters Guide recommendation for this candidate.

Last updated: 2023-10-27

Senate District 033


Former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy represented the 87th District from 2017 to December 2020, when she resigned to make an unsuccessful run for Governor. She is now seeking the State Senate in District 33 in 2023. During her stint as Delegate, she fought to pass Medicaid expansion to 400,000 Virignians. She also voted for a pay raise for Virginia teachers. She co-patroned a bill to increase the grand larceny threshold from $200 to $500. She supports legislation to increase abortion access, affordable public transportation, and criminal justice reform.

As Delegate, Carroll Foy was a strong advocate for building good jobs and ensuring sustainable development. In 2018, she earned the Champion of Enterprise Award from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce for her efforts. Carroll Foy passed bipartisan legislation to give veterans greater access to the capital they need to start and grow a business. She co-sponsored a bill that rewarded companies for creating jobs in underserved communities. Additionally, she passed legislation to give small minority-owned businesses more opportunities to secure contracts with utilities. She passed legislation to provide greater access to coding courses in high school, preparing students for the 21st-century economy. Finally, she passed a bill allowing local school divisions to enter into College and Career Access Pathways Partnerships with community colleges.

Fmr. Del. Carroll Foy has always fought for unions and working families. As a Delegate, she passed groundbreaking legislation that instituted a prevailing wage on all state-funded construction projects, sponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and passed a bill that cracks down on companies that don't pay their workers. She also sponsored legislation to ensure that workers' compensation covered firefighters who contracted cancer on the job. She co-sponsored legislation repealing the "Comstock rule" that banned the use of Project Labor Agreements, which would help thousands of construction workers get quality health coverage. Their efforts led to the biggest expansion of labor rights in decades.

Fmr. Del. Carroll Foy has spent her career fighting for equal rights. She led the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and has made concrete changes to advance equality for all Virginians. As Delegate, she worked to protect reproductive freedom, helped to lead the Reproductive Health Protection Act, and pushed legislation to establish equality in school dress codes. She also advocated for paid family and medical leave and passed the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act.

Throughout her career, Fmr. Del. Carroll Foy has witnessed the systemic flaws that define the criminal justice system, which disproportionately impact our most vulnerable communities. She has advocated for those who could not advocate for themselves and on behalf of those for whom the justice system is broken. As a Delegate, she sponsored legislation to address cash bail reform, the ban on parole, and the issue of "driving poor," all of which contribute to mass incarceration and cyclical patterns of joblessness and poverty within minority communities. She also sponsored a bill prohibiting the use of neck restraints, such as chokeholds, by law enforcement and passed legislation to repeal the Habitual Drunkard law, which unfairly punishes the homeless and those struggling with substance abuse.

Fmr. Del. Carroll Foy is facing Republican Mike Van Meter in the general election. Van Meter will do nothing to hold police accountable for abuse against the communities they’re supposed to protect. He follows in the footsteps of the worst Republican attacks on public education. He will do nothing to prevent gun violence plaguing our communities.

Given her record of supporting sustainable development, lifting up unions, pursuing equality, and fighting for a fair criminal justice system, Fmr. Del. Carroll Foy is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Last updated: 2023-10-27

House District 025

A Prince William County native, Incumbent Democratic Delegate Briana Sewell was raised by parents who were each United States Air Force members for over 20 years. She attended Prince William County Public Schools, and then received her bachelor’s degree in public policy from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Administration from American University. She has since worked providing constituent services for Congressman Gerry Connolly. She also helped found the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, which advocates for paid family and medical leave for working families. During her time as Delegate she has patroned bills to support the improvement of education for students as well as protections for teacher licensure. She has also made efforts to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth by co-patroning bills to conduct a study on the effect of gun violence in the community.

Due to her experience advocating for paid family and medical leave, Delegate Sewell supports policies that uplift Virginia’s families and economy. She worked to ensure federal employees receive 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave and other workers have access to sufficient leave and benefits. She also knows a well-funded education system is crucial to a strong economy. She will work to ensure school resources are equally distributed and every student has access to well-funded, quality education. She supports policies to lower the cost of college and fund other job training and vocational programs.

Delegate Sewell particularly understands how women play a critical role in the economy. A strong advocate for fair pay and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace, she will work to lower the cost of childcare to ensure parents can afford to stay in the workforce. She will also advocate for childcare providers, who are often women and women of color. She knows that economic and reproductive rights are inherently tied together and will fight for people to have access to abortion, so people can choose when and whether to become parents.

Delegate Sewell knows that paid family and medical leave must also go hand-in-hand with affordable and accessible healthcare coverage and chief co-patroned HB2035, a bill to establish the paid medical leave program. She supports efforts to regulate prescription drug companies and reduce prescription costs. The pandemic has further revealed racial and socioeconomic biases in healthcare coverage, and Del. Sewell will work to ensure there are no barriers to necessary healthcare.

Delegate Sewell has advocated for the environment her entire career. While working in Congressman Connolly’s office, she tried to reduce pollutants in the district by shutting down the coal ash pond nearby. She chief patroned HJ545, a bill requiring the Dept. of Energy to list the barriers that prevent local governments from directly buying clean energy. She believes that investing in green infrastructure will create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and will ensure that every citizen has access to clean water and air. She will work to fund green public transit options to limit emissions and traffic congestion.

Sewell is running against Republican John S Gray. Information on Gray’s politics was unavailable, but his string of extremely problematic tweets gives some clue as to where his politics lie. Among the tweets he paid to be deleted are racist statements made in regards to Black people and the BLM protests, as well as hateful speech towards other religious practices. He has expressed no regret for his statements.

Due to her advocacy for Virginia working families, women’s rights, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Delegate Briana Sewell is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 51st District.

Last updated: 2023-10-27

A Prince William County native, Incumbent Democratic Delegate Briana Sewell was raised by parents who were each United States Air Force members for over 20 years. She attended Prince William County Public Schools, and then received her bachelor’s degree in public policy from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Administration from American University. She has since worked providing constituent services for Congressman Gerry Connolly. She also helped found the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, which advocates for paid family and medical leave for working families. During her time as Delegate she has patroned bills to support the improvement of education for students as well as protections for teacher licensure. She has also made efforts to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth by co-patroning bills to conduct a study on the effect of gun violence in the community.

Due to her experience advocating for paid family and medical leave, Delegate Sewell supports policies that uplift Virginia’s families and economy. She worked to ensure federal employees receive 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave and other workers have access to sufficient leave and benefits. She also knows a well-funded education system is crucial to a strong economy. She will work to ensure school resources are equally distributed and every student has access to well-funded, quality education. She supports policies to lower the cost of college and fund other job training and vocational programs.

Delegate Sewell particularly understands how women play a critical role in the economy. A strong advocate for fair pay and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace, she will work to lower the cost of childcare to ensure parents can afford to stay in the workforce. She will also advocate for childcare providers, who are often women and women of color. She knows that economic and reproductive rights are inherently tied together and will fight for people to have access to abortion, so people can choose when and whether to become parents.

Delegate Sewell knows that paid family and medical leave must also go hand-in-hand with affordable and accessible healthcare coverage and chief co-patroned HB2035, a bill to establish the paid medical leave program. She supports efforts to regulate prescription drug companies and reduce prescription costs. The pandemic has further revealed racial and socioeconomic biases in healthcare coverage, and Del. Sewell will work to ensure there are no barriers to necessary healthcare.

Delegate Sewell has advocated for the environment her entire career. While working in Congressman Connolly’s office, she tried to reduce pollutants in the district by shutting down the coal ash pond nearby. She chief patroned HJ545, a bill requiring the Dept. of Energy to list the barriers that prevent local governments from directly buying clean energy. She believes that investing in green infrastructure will create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and will ensure that every citizen has access to clean water and air. She will work to fund green public transit options to limit emissions and traffic congestion.

Sewell is running against Republican John S Gray. Information on Gray’s politics was unavailable, but his string of extremely problematic tweets gives some clue as to where his politics lie. Among the tweets he paid to be deleted are racist statements made in regards to Black people and the BLM protests, as well as hateful speech towards other religious practices. He has expressed no regret for his statements.

Due to her advocacy for Virginia working families, women’s rights, affordable healthcare, and the environment, Delegate Briana Sewell is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 51st District.

Last updated: 2023-10-27