Senate District 028

Jason Ford is a Center Manager at Rappahannock Goodwill, helping locals find access to training, education, and employment. He graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2020 with a degree in Political Science. Jason has a passion for helping others and has found fulfillment in seeing others succeed and grow.

Ford supports abortion access and believes everyone should be able to make their own healthcare decisions without government intervention. He recognizes that most Virginians support safe and legal abortion care. Regardless of the reasons, he supports Virginians and their right to access safe medical care and to make their own decisions. He supports expanding reproductive healthcare and family planning services. This includes access to contraception, affordable childcare, affordable housing, and a living wage.

Ford is in favor of common sense gun legislation. He recognizes gun violence prevention is top of mind for Virginians. He supports the use of extreme risk protection orders, noting they are proven to save lives. Ford also mentions the need to regulate “ghost guns.”

Increasing access to mental health resources is one of Ford’s key priorities. He advocates for bringing more mental health professionals into schools and communities, increasing training opportunities and prevention activities, improving and expanding local psychiatric units and hospitals, and providing better mental health resources to individuals in the correctional system. He also supports building partnerships between schools, service providers, and social service agencies.

Ford values public education and focuses on teacher pay as a major issue to tackle. He wants to work toward teachers and aides being paid above the national average, community partnerships for vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships, and enhancing school infrastructure. He advocates for facility and technology improvements, as well as policies that provide equitable opportunities so students are equipped with everything they need to thrive.

Challenging Incumbent Republican Senator Bryce Reeves are Democrat Jason Ford and Independent Elizabeth Melson. Senator Bryce Reeves has served in the State Senate since 2012. He is anti-abortion, stands against common sense gun laws, and voted against requiring schools to create transgender-friendly student policies. He also voted against repealing the same-sex marriage ban from Virginia’s State Constitution.

Independent candidate Elizabeth Melson is a farm and farmers market manager and yoga instructor. She offers trauma-informed programming to residents at RSW Regional Jail. She has experience in grassroots organizing for many topics including rights restoration and sentencing reform. Melson’s campaign site mentions defending the Second Amendment, requiring voter identification or verification, and funding public education while supporting families who choose private or homeschooling.

Due to his support for abortion access, common sense gun laws, and public education, Jason Ford is the most progressive candidate in this race.

Larry Jackson is a retired Department of Defense research engineer and now works as a contractor doing research. He has a bachelor’s degree in math and a master's degree in mechanical engineering. He was an adjunct Math Professor at Northern Virginia Community College for over five years. He was elected as one of the Co-Chairs of the Fauquier County Democratic Committee from 2018-2022. He is active in the local Black Lives Matter Vigil for Action and has attended since May 2020. He believes in climate change and relies on science and research to come to conclusions. He is a husband, father, grandfather, and son and has lived in Virginia for over 40 years. He has lived in Fauquier County since 2014.

Jackson does not have a comprehensive priorities or issues list on his website, but he does offer hints to his progressive leaning: he calls himself “pro environmental protection, pro healthcare access for all, pro public education, and pro common sense gun laws.” He is also endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.


Jackson announced his candidacy via a press release in which he outlined some of his positions. He says that “defending a woman’s right to choose and control her health care needs is my highest priority. We are witnessing states throughout the country and, particularly the south, restrict or deny the right for women to make the most personal and impactful decisions about their healthcare and lives. On behalf of my wife, daughter and numerous friends of mine I will do my best to ensure that Virginia remains a state where a woman has reproductive rights.”


Some of his other priorities include health care reform, environmental protection, public education and "common-sense gun laws." Jackson grew up on military bases, where he never saw neighbors carrying guns. He talks about strict rules that were in place about gun ownership and where a person can carry a gun. He models his position after this experience, arguing that I weapons of war should not be available to anyone who wants one, and there needs to be restrictions on their use.


Additionally, Jackson said he is committed to social justice reform “to ensure that all Virginia residents are treated fairly regardless of their race, gender, religion or ethnic background.” This extends to public school classrooms and civil society, where “we are increasingly witnessing efforts to control what people can read and how they can worship or where and how they can vote. This must stop, and I pledge to fight for our continued liberty as enshrined in our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.”

Jackson is challenging incumbent Republican Delegate Michael Webert. Webert has supported multiple anti-trans bills. He has supported initiatives to attack election access and integrity. He takes a hardline anti-abortion stance who supports Newsom’s initiative to ban abortion.

Given his support for reproductive freedoms, healthcare access, and civil liberties, Jackson is the progressive choice in this race.

Sara Ratcliffe is from the Midwest, and she was primarily raised by a single mother who faced mental health challenges. This upbringing exposed her at a young age to the consequences of government shortcomings in addressing citizens' needs. Growing up in a community where many families struggled to make ends meet, Sara witnessed parents who had to make the tough choice of either paying for medical bills or putting food on the table. These experiences ingrained in her a lifelong dedication to advocating for those whose voices often go unheard in the government.

Ratcliffe believes that healthcare is an inherent right, and that no one should ever face the dilemma of choosing between their family's well-being and financial stability. She believes that the foundation of healthcare should prioritize patient needs, enabling healthcare professionals to provide care without the interference of political rhetoric, which includes abortion access. She also believes that everyone should have access to affordable and top-notch healthcare services, including veterans. Ratcliffe wants everyone to have access to quality healthcare, mental health services, and counseling for substance abuse as well.

Ratcliffe says that Virginia’s commitment to environmental preservation extends to reinforcing regulations aimed at curbing pollution and safeguarding precious natural resources like air, water, and land. Embracing sustainable practices such as recycling, composting, and waste reduction will be integral to our efforts. Additionally, she believes that Virginia should champion the adoption of innovative technologies and approaches in sustainable farming to promote a greener and more responsible agricultural sector. Ratcliffe supports policies that are aimed at educating and involving the public in understanding the significance of environmental protection and climate action. She believes that community collaboration is essential as Virginia strives to create a sustainable future for the planet and the generations to come.

Delegate Nick Freitas is a Republican who has served the previous District 30 since 2016. Freitas is anti-abortion, and he does not support gun violence prevention legislation. His voting records also show that he is anti-LGBTQ, having voted in support of a forced outing bill.

Sara Ratcliffe is the progressive choice, as she supports accessible healthcare, reproductive rights, and environmental protection.