Former Delegate Joshua Cole was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2019-2021, losing his district by less than a 1,000 votes in a difficult off-year election. He is a pastor, former President of the Stafford County NAACP, and works with numerous other local and community initiatives. In his first term, he voted to cap out-of-pocket health care costs on prescription drugs for people with pre-existing conditions, raise the minimum wage, expand voting rights and make community college tuition free. He also took the lead on historic legislation, including renaming Jefferson Davis Highway to Emancipation Highway and bringing automatic voter registration to Virginia. He is running for HD-65 to return to the General Assembly and continue his work on behalf of Fredericksburg area families.

During his previous term, Former Delegate Cole fought to make his district a more just, affordable, and environmentally friendly place to live. He voted to pass the Equal Rights Amendment and protect a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent, including expanding healthcare coverage to include abortions. He pushed to prohibit landlords from running negative credit checks during the pandemic.

Fmr. Del. Cole has fought for all working people in Virginia, no matter their income. He voted to raise the minimum wage and make community college tuition-free. He also advocated for increasing the number of affordable housing units in the district while working to address the rising cost of living and rent. He plans to establish rent controls, create a Virginia Housing Tax Credit, increase funding for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, and promote inclusionary zoning to ensure there are sufficient housing units in the district.

Fmr. Del. Cole supported the expansion of Medicaid and hopes to repeal Medicaid work requirements. He also supports Medicare For All. He supports keeping the price of prescriptions down and voted to cap insulin co-payments. Fmr. Del. Cole advocated for banning the practice of “balanced billing,” also known as surprise billing, where patients are charged with surprise fees. He also plans to work on improving the district’s medical and mental health support for veterans.

Fmr. Del. Cole has also advocated for critical environmental policies by fighting to preserve the district’s natural resources and environment. He co-sponsored the Virginia Green New Deal Act, which would establish a moratorium on fossil fuel projects and incentivize investment in clean energy. He recognizes that renewable energy is both environmentally and economically beneficial by creating new jobs. He also supported legislation that would set strict regulations on polluters and raise the standards for clean air and water.

Fmr. Del. Cole is facing Lee Peters III in the general election, a lifelong cop endorsed by Governor Youngkin, Attorney General Miyares, and other heinous right-wingers. Predictably, “law and order” is a top priority–he supports Youngkin’s initiatives to ensure police remain forever unaccountable. He wants to further undermine public schools and the safety of children in them. He sees necessary safety regulations as red tape and pledges to eliminate oversight.

Due to his support of affordable healthcare, the environment, affordable housing, and working families, Fmr. Del. Joshua Cole is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 65th District. Close Window