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This election will be held on November 7, 2023. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Cliff Hayes is facing a challenge from Republican Elijah Colon in the general election for Virginia’s new 91st House of Delegates district. Delegate Hayes has served in the House of Delegates since 2016.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Cliff Hayes was born in Chesapeake and has represented the 77th District in the House of Delegates since 2016. With the redrawn district lines, he will now run for the 91st District. He attended Norfolk State University, where he played basketball and completed post-graduate studies at multiple institutes of higher education. He spent his professional career working in information technology and technology policy. He also served as a member of the Chesapeake City Council from 2004 to 2012. He has two college-aged daughters and lives with his wife in Chesapeake.

Serving as the chair of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, Del. Hayes is a strong advocate for technological developments that boost the economy and protect the environment. He introduced and successfully passed legislation that created a major offshore wind generation facility. His work on this project led him to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Delegate Hayes also voted in favor of the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which will transition Virginia’s energy grid to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Delegate Hayes has worked to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all Virginians. He voted in favor of Medicaid expansion in 2018, which granted access to affordable healthcare to 400,000 Virginians. Del. Hayes was chief co-patron of a bill that expanded telemedicine services and ensured Virginians could safely see their doctors during the pandemic and beyond. He also voted to make abortion coverage available on the state health insurance exchange. He voted to cap insulin prices at $50, and he introduced and passed a bill to make it easier for pharmacies to distribute marijuana and CBD-based products. He voted no on HB 212, which would have reinstated mandatory waiting periods before a person can have an abortion and voted yes on SB 1276, which repeals the abortion prohibition in Virginia health insurance plans.

Delegate Hayes has supported increased school funding at all levels. He voted in favor of a budget which gave teachers a 5% raise, increased funding for school counselors and nurses, and additional money to ensure schools can safely reopen during the pandemic. Del. Hayes also worked to make higher education more affordable by voting for the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) program, which makes community college tuition-free for low-and middle-income students who study in certain fields.

As a member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, Del. Hayes has supported bills to ensure racial equity in Virginia. He voted to recognize racism as a public health crisis in the Commonwealth. The caucus also worked to ensure that the tax dollars received from the legalization of marijuana went to the Black and Brown communities that were disproportionately affected by drug enforcement. Del. Hayes also fought for the historical preservation and funding for the maintenance of Black cemeteries in Chesapeake.

Delegate Hayes’ opponent is Republican Thomas Powell. We could not find any information on him at the time of research.

Due to his support of the environment, access to affordable healthcare, public education, and racial justice, Delegate Cliff Hayes is the most progressive choice for the 91st District.
Last updated: 2023-10-06

House District 091

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Election Day November 7, 2023
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State Senate

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.

Senate District 018

Incumbent Democratic Senator Louise Lucas has served in the State Senate since 1992. She is a Portsmouth native and the President and CEO of a number of businesses in her hometown. In 1971, she became the first Woman Shipfitter at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Urban Affairs from Norfolk State University. She is the mother of three, grandmother of six, and great-grandmother of nine.

Senator Lucas is a staunch advocate for abortion access and has made it clear that she will fight against any and all attempts to ban abortion. As chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, she helped stop a number of these extreme bills. Senator Lucas supports codifying abortion rights in the Virginia State Constitution. She is endorsed by abortion advocate organizations Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia and REPRO Rising Virginia.

Senator Lucas is outspoken on gun violence prevention. During the 2020 General Assembly, she introduced and passed a bill dealing with universal background checks for firearms purchases. She has expressed the need for legislators to stand up to gun lobbyists like the NRA and work to save the lives of their constituents. She supports extreme risk protection laws, regulating ghost guns, and increasing funding for community violence intervention programs. Senator Lucas is endorsed by Giffords, an organization dedicated to saving lives through gun violence prevention.

Senator Lucas is an advocate for LGBTQ rights and protections. Her track record shows great support for pro-LGBTQ policies. She supports codifying same-sex marriage into the Virginia State Constitution. As a co-patron, she supported amending anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity during the 2020 General Assembly. During that same session, she voted in favor of requiring schools to create transgender-friendly student policies.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Louise Lucas is facing a challenge from Republican Tony Goodwin. Goodwin ran for Portsmouth City Mayor in 2020, losing to Shannon Glover. Goodwin has a background in commercial real estate and hospitality. On several topics, does not make his stances explicitly clear. However, he has stated that he would align with Governor Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban.

Because of her track record of supporting and leading progressive policy, Senator Louise Lucas is the clear progressive candidate in this race.

Last updated: 2023-10-23

Incumbent Democratic Senator Louise Lucas has served in the State Senate since 1992. She is a Portsmouth native and the President and CEO of a number of businesses in her hometown. In 1971, she became the first Woman Shipfitter at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Urban Affairs from Norfolk State University. She is the mother of three, grandmother of six, and great-grandmother of nine.

Senator Lucas is a staunch advocate for abortion access and has made it clear that she will fight against any and all attempts to ban abortion. As chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, she helped stop a number of these extreme bills. Senator Lucas supports codifying abortion rights in the Virginia State Constitution. She is endorsed by abortion advocate organizations Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia and REPRO Rising Virginia.

Senator Lucas is outspoken on gun violence prevention. During the 2020 General Assembly, she introduced and passed a bill dealing with universal background checks for firearms purchases. She has expressed the need for legislators to stand up to gun lobbyists like the NRA and work to save the lives of their constituents. She supports extreme risk protection laws, regulating ghost guns, and increasing funding for community violence intervention programs. Senator Lucas is endorsed by Giffords, an organization dedicated to saving lives through gun violence prevention.

Senator Lucas is an advocate for LGBTQ rights and protections. Her track record shows great support for pro-LGBTQ policies. She supports codifying same-sex marriage into the Virginia State Constitution. As a co-patron, she supported amending anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity during the 2020 General Assembly. During that same session, she voted in favor of requiring schools to create transgender-friendly student policies.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Louise Lucas is facing a challenge from Republican Tony Goodwin. Goodwin ran for Portsmouth City Mayor in 2020, losing to Shannon Glover. Goodwin has a background in commercial real estate and hospitality. On several topics, does not make his stances explicitly clear. However, he has stated that he would align with Governor Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban.

Because of her track record of supporting and leading progressive policy, Senator Louise Lucas is the clear progressive candidate in this race.

Last updated: 2023-10-23

Senate District 019

Democrat Myra Payne is a nurse, veteran, and member of the United Way Committee on Diversity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She graduated from Gordonsville High School and began volunteering for the Red Cross. After, she worked as a nursing assistant at a local hospital. She holds several degrees including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing Science in Adult Health Nursing, and Master of Business of Administration, and Master of Divinity.

Payne believes everyone deserves fair and livable wages in order to thrive. She also supports quality affordable healthcare and education. Payne advocates for everyone to have the right to make their own healthcare decisions without interference, especially when it comes to abortion access. She is a champion for LGBTQ rights. Payne advocates for environmental sustainability and conservation. She supports common-sense gun violence prevention laws for the safety of everyone. Payne advocates for increasing access to affordable housing programs.

Democratic candidate Myra Payne and Republican candidate Christie New Craig will face each other in the general election for Virginia’s new 19th State Senate district. Craig previously served on the Chesapeake City School Board. New Craig is in favor of Governor Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban and the decision to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Because of her support for progressive policy and commitment to reproductive justice and protecting the LGBTQ community, Myra Payne is the progressive candidate in this race.

Last updated: 2023-10-23

Democrat Myra Payne is a nurse, veteran, and member of the United Way Committee on Diversity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She graduated from Gordonsville High School and began volunteering for the Red Cross. After, she worked as a nursing assistant at a local hospital. She holds several degrees including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing Science in Adult Health Nursing, and Master of Business of Administration, and Master of Divinity.

Payne believes everyone deserves fair and livable wages in order to thrive. She also supports quality affordable healthcare and education. Payne advocates for everyone to have the right to make their own healthcare decisions without interference, especially when it comes to abortion access. She is a champion for LGBTQ rights. Payne advocates for environmental sustainability and conservation. She supports common-sense gun violence prevention laws for the safety of everyone. Payne advocates for increasing access to affordable housing programs.

Democratic candidate Myra Payne and Republican candidate Christie New Craig will face each other in the general election for Virginia’s new 19th State Senate district. Craig previously served on the Chesapeake City School Board. New Craig is in favor of Governor Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban and the decision to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Because of her support for progressive policy and commitment to reproductive justice and protecting the LGBTQ community, Myra Payne is the progressive candidate in this race.

Last updated: 2023-10-23

House District 091

Virginia’s new 91st House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Chesapeake City and parts of Portsmouth City. With almost 60,000 registered voters, this district leans strongly Democratic.

This election will be held on November 7, 2023. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Cliff Hayes is facing a challenge from Republican Elijah Colon in the general election for Virginia’s new 91st House of Delegates district. Delegate Hayes has served in the House of Delegates since 2016.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Cliff Hayes was born in Chesapeake and has represented the 77th District in the House of Delegates since 2016. With the redrawn district lines, he will now run for the 91st District. He attended Norfolk State University, where he played basketball and completed post-graduate studies at multiple institutes of higher education. He spent his professional career working in information technology and technology policy. He also served as a member of the Chesapeake City Council from 2004 to 2012. He has two college-aged daughters and lives with his wife in Chesapeake.

Serving as the chair of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, Del. Hayes is a strong advocate for technological developments that boost the economy and protect the environment. He introduced and successfully passed legislation that created a major offshore wind generation facility. His work on this project led him to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Delegate Hayes also voted in favor of the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which will transition Virginia’s energy grid to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Delegate Hayes has worked to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all Virginians. He voted in favor of Medicaid expansion in 2018, which granted access to affordable healthcare to 400,000 Virginians. Del. Hayes was chief co-patron of a bill that expanded telemedicine services and ensured Virginians could safely see their doctors during the pandemic and beyond. He also voted to make abortion coverage available on the state health insurance exchange. He voted to cap insulin prices at $50, and he introduced and passed a bill to make it easier for pharmacies to distribute marijuana and CBD-based products. He voted no on HB 212, which would have reinstated mandatory waiting periods before a person can have an abortion and voted yes on SB 1276, which repeals the abortion prohibition in Virginia health insurance plans.

Delegate Hayes has supported increased school funding at all levels. He voted in favor of a budget which gave teachers a 5% raise, increased funding for school counselors and nurses, and additional money to ensure schools can safely reopen during the pandemic. Del. Hayes also worked to make higher education more affordable by voting for the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) program, which makes community college tuition-free for low-and middle-income students who study in certain fields.

As a member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, Del. Hayes has supported bills to ensure racial equity in Virginia. He voted to recognize racism as a public health crisis in the Commonwealth. The caucus also worked to ensure that the tax dollars received from the legalization of marijuana went to the Black and Brown communities that were disproportionately affected by drug enforcement. Del. Hayes also fought for the historical preservation and funding for the maintenance of Black cemeteries in Chesapeake.

Delegate Hayes’ opponent is Republican Thomas Powell. We could not find any information on him at the time of research.

Due to his support of the environment, access to affordable healthcare, public education, and racial justice, Delegate Cliff Hayes is the most progressive choice for the 91st District.
Last updated: 2023-10-06