-
-
Democrat Victoria Luevanos grew up in a small rural town in California and enlisted in the United States Navy, where she developed a commitment to serve and support veterans and military families. Her experience with homelessness and food insecurity at a young age led her to appreciate the stability and support that government programs can provide. Victoria uses her life experiences to motivate her to serve the people of the Commonwealth.
Because Luevanos grew up around gang violence, she understands the need for gun violence prevention. As a parent, she experiences the fear of sending her children to school or to a friend’s house where guns might be present. Volunteering with Moms Demand Action has been a way to help fight for firearm safety. As a senator, she will continue to fight to prevent gun violence by supporting storing guns responsibly, banning automatic weapons from the market, supporting extreme risk protection laws, and holding the firearms industry accountable.
As a teen mom and an active-duty member of the military, Luevanos understands the importance of supporting everyone’s right to choose what they do with their own bodies and to access abortion. She will fight for these rights for all Virginians by pushing for paid parental and family leave for both parents, enshrining protections for reproductive health into law, providing public funding to those with limited resources for family planning, eliminating waiting periods to obtain reproductive healthcare including FDA-approved emergency contraception, and strengthening childcare programs for all including parents working non-traditional schedules.
Luevanos understands the importance of education in making a difference for families and communities. She will work to support giving the children of Virginia opportunities for a bright future by expanding public education to include more early childhood education, supporting free school meals, fighting for all youth so they can attend school without fear of bullying, assisting immigrant students by providing more ESL teachers for classrooms and making schools accessible through proper transportation and communication resources like sign language classes.
Luevanos believes that healthcare is human care. As a parent of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, she understands the importance of safe, affordable medical care. She will fight for all Virginians by working towards capping prescription drug costs, eliminating co-pays and premiums, removing networks so that everyone is able to see their nearest doctor, ensuring dental, vision, and hearing are covered together under medical insurance, providing easier access to medical cannabis for veterans and other Virginians in need.
Victoria Luevanos is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Bill DeSteph. Senator DeSteph has served in the State Senate since 2016, as well as the House of Delegates from 2014 to 2016. He does not support access to abortion and has spread disinformation on the topic. During the 2022 General Assembly, Senator DeSteph introduced a bill banning books.
Because of her commitment to progressive policies and values, Victoria Luevanos is the progressive choice in this race.
Last updated: 2023-10-23Victoria Luevanos
Democrat Victoria Luevanos grew up in a small rural town in California and enlisted in the United States Navy, where she developed a commitment to serve and support veterans and military families.
Democrat Victoria Luevanos grew up in a small rural town in California and enlisted in the United States Navy, where she developed a commitment to serve and support veterans and military families. Her experience with homelessness and food insecurity at a young age led her to appreciate the stability and support that government programs can provide. Victoria uses her life experiences to motivate her to serve the people of the Commonwealth.
Because Luevanos grew up around gang violence, she understands the need for gun violence prevention. As a parent, she experiences the fear of sending her children to school or to a friend’s house where guns might be present. Volunteering with Moms Demand Action has been a way to help fight for firearm safety. As a senator, she will continue to fight to prevent gun violence by supporting storing guns responsibly, banning automatic weapons from the market, supporting extreme risk protection laws, and holding the firearms industry accountable.
As a teen mom and an active-duty member of the military, Luevanos understands the importance of supporting everyone’s right to choose what they do with their own bodies and to access abortion. She will fight for these rights for all Virginians by pushing for paid parental and family leave for both parents, enshrining protections for reproductive health into law, providing public funding to those with limited resources for family planning, eliminating waiting periods to obtain reproductive healthcare including FDA-approved emergency contraception, and strengthening childcare programs for all including parents working non-traditional schedules.
Luevanos understands the importance of education in making a difference for families and communities. She will work to support giving the children of Virginia opportunities for a bright future by expanding public education to include more early childhood education, supporting free school meals, fighting for all youth so they can attend school without fear of bullying, assisting immigrant students by providing more ESL teachers for classrooms and making schools accessible through proper transportation and communication resources like sign language classes.
Luevanos believes that healthcare is human care. As a parent of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, she understands the importance of safe, affordable medical care. She will fight for all Virginians by working towards capping prescription drug costs, eliminating co-pays and premiums, removing networks so that everyone is able to see their nearest doctor, ensuring dental, vision, and hearing are covered together under medical insurance, providing easier access to medical cannabis for veterans and other Virginians in need.
Victoria Luevanos is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Bill DeSteph. Senator DeSteph has served in the State Senate since 2016, as well as the House of Delegates from 2014 to 2016. He does not support access to abortion and has spread disinformation on the topic. During the 2022 General Assembly, Senator DeSteph introduced a bill banning books.
Because of her commitment to progressive policies and values, Victoria Luevanos is the progressive choice in this race.
Victoria Luevanos
Democrat Victoria Luevanos grew up in a small rural town in California and enlisted in the United States Navy, where she developed a commitment to serve and support veterans and military families.
Virginia Beach, District 4
Not in Virginia Beach, District 4? Click here to choose your customized guide.
State Senate
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
-
-
Democrat Victoria Luevanos grew up in a small rural town in California and enlisted in the United States Navy, where she developed a commitment to serve and support veterans and military families. Her experience with homelessness and food insecurity at a young age led her to appreciate the stability and support that government programs can provide. Victoria uses her life experiences to motivate her to serve the people of the Commonwealth.
Because Luevanos grew up around gang violence, she understands the need for gun violence prevention. As a parent, she experiences the fear of sending her children to school or to a friend’s house where guns might be present. Volunteering with Moms Demand Action has been a way to help fight for firearm safety. As a senator, she will continue to fight to prevent gun violence by supporting storing guns responsibly, banning automatic weapons from the market, supporting extreme risk protection laws, and holding the firearms industry accountable.
As a teen mom and an active-duty member of the military, Luevanos understands the importance of supporting everyone’s right to choose what they do with their own bodies and to access abortion. She will fight for these rights for all Virginians by pushing for paid parental and family leave for both parents, enshrining protections for reproductive health into law, providing public funding to those with limited resources for family planning, eliminating waiting periods to obtain reproductive healthcare including FDA-approved emergency contraception, and strengthening childcare programs for all including parents working non-traditional schedules.
Luevanos understands the importance of education in making a difference for families and communities. She will work to support giving the children of Virginia opportunities for a bright future by expanding public education to include more early childhood education, supporting free school meals, fighting for all youth so they can attend school without fear of bullying, assisting immigrant students by providing more ESL teachers for classrooms and making schools accessible through proper transportation and communication resources like sign language classes.
Luevanos believes that healthcare is human care. As a parent of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, she understands the importance of safe, affordable medical care. She will fight for all Virginians by working towards capping prescription drug costs, eliminating co-pays and premiums, removing networks so that everyone is able to see their nearest doctor, ensuring dental, vision, and hearing are covered together under medical insurance, providing easier access to medical cannabis for veterans and other Virginians in need.
Victoria Luevanos is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Bill DeSteph. Senator DeSteph has served in the State Senate since 2016, as well as the House of Delegates from 2014 to 2016. He does not support access to abortion and has spread disinformation on the topic. During the 2022 General Assembly, Senator DeSteph introduced a bill banning books.
Because of her commitment to progressive policies and values, Victoria Luevanos is the progressive choice in this race.
Last updated: 2023-10-23
-
-
Virginia’s new 22nd State Senate district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City. With almost 150,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic.
This election will be held on November 7, 2023. Incumbent Democratic Senator Aaron Rouse is facing a rematch challenge from Republican Kevin Adams in the general election for Virginia’s new 22nd State Senate district. Senator Rouse was elected to the State Senate in 2023 in a special general election where he previously defeated Adams. Previously, he served on the Virginia Beach City City Council.Incumbent Democratic Senator Aaron Rouse has served in the State Senate since winning his 2023 Special Election in District 7. He previously served on the Virginia Beach City Council. He is a Virginia Beach native and First Colonial High School graduate. Senator Rouse holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Virginia Tech. He is a former NFL player. He and his wife, Virginia Beach Councilwoman Jennifer Valetine-Rouse live in Virginia Beach with their son and daughter.
Education is a key area of focus for Senator Rouse, having gone through the Virginia Beach public school system himself. He pledges to fight to raise teacher pay to above the national average. He believes in expanding access to preschool education programs. Senator Rouse also sees the need to modernize classrooms so all children in the Commonwealth can have a safe learning environment. He also believes that job training in schools should be expanded so children are better prepared to enter the workforce. He founded Rouse’s House, an education nonprofit that focuses on youth and families.
Senator Rouse advocates for affordable healthcare and abortion access. He believes healthcare decisions should be between patients and their doctors. His goals are to lower the overall cost of healthcare and prescription drug care costs, expand healthcare coverage, protect the right to abortion and fight against attacks on access, and ensure every person has access to contraceptives. On his win in the 7th District, Senator Rouse called it a “victory for ensuring access to reproductive healthcare across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Senator Rouse believes in investments that create an economy where every family can thrive. His focus is on new economic opportunities. While a member of the Virginia Beach City Council, he worked to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour and to increase salaries for education and public safety professionals. Senator Rouse’s economic goals are to bring new good-paying jobs to the region, expand job training opportunities, increase funding for affordable housing, and building new workforce housing.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Aaron Rouse is facing a rematch challenge from Republican Kevin Adams. The two faced each other in January 2023 during the special election for District 22. Kevin Adams is a retired Naval Lieutenant Commander. He is anti-abortion and has voiced support for Governor Youngkin’s 15 week abortion ban.
Because of his commitment to protecting abortion access, Senator Rouse is the progressive choice in this race.
-
-
Incumbent Democratic Senator Aaron Rouse has served in the State Senate since winning his 2023 Special Election in District 7. He previously served on the Virginia Beach City Council. He is a Virginia Beach native and First Colonial High School graduate. Senator Rouse holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Virginia Tech. He is a former NFL player. He and his wife, Virginia Beach Councilwoman Jennifer Valetine-Rouse live in Virginia Beach with their son and daughter.
Education is a key area of focus for Senator Rouse, having gone through the Virginia Beach public school system himself. He pledges to fight to raise teacher pay to above the national average. He believes in expanding access to preschool education programs. Senator Rouse also sees the need to modernize classrooms so all children in the Commonwealth can have a safe learning environment. He also believes that job training in schools should be expanded so children are better prepared to enter the workforce. He founded Rouse’s House, an education nonprofit that focuses on youth and families.
Senator Rouse advocates for affordable healthcare and abortion access. He believes healthcare decisions should be between patients and their doctors. His goals are to lower the overall cost of healthcare and prescription drug care costs, expand healthcare coverage, protect the right to abortion and fight against attacks on access, and ensure every person has access to contraceptives. On his win in the 7th District, Senator Rouse called it a “victory for ensuring access to reproductive healthcare across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Senator Rouse believes in investments that create an economy where every family can thrive. His focus is on new economic opportunities. While a member of the Virginia Beach City Council, he worked to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour and to increase salaries for education and public safety professionals. Senator Rouse’s economic goals are to bring new good-paying jobs to the region, expand job training opportunities, increase funding for affordable housing, and building new workforce housing.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Aaron Rouse is facing a rematch challenge from Republican Kevin Adams. The two faced each other in January 2023 during the special election for District 22. Kevin Adams is a retired Naval Lieutenant Commander. He is anti-abortion and has voiced support for Governor Youngkin’s 15 week abortion ban.
Because of his commitment to protecting abortion access, Senator Rouse is the progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-09-21
House of Delegates
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below House of Delegate races on your ballot.
-
-
Virginia’s new 95th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City and parts of Norfolk City. With over 57,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic.
This election will be held on November 7, 2023. Democratic candidate Alex Askew is running unopposed in the general election for Virginia’s new 95th House of Delegates district. Former Delegate Askew previously served in the House of Delegates.Democrat and Former Delegate Alex Askew is a Virginia Beach native who was raised by a public school teacher. He worked for nearly seven election cycles on various local, state-wide, and national campaigns. He served as a Chief of Staff for the Virginia House of Delegates, where he helped craft groundbreaking legislation such as the nationwide Ashanti Alert, Medicaid expansion, affordable housing expansion, and school safety initiatives. In his term as the Delegate for the 85th District, he had nine bills signed into law, with 7 of them receiving unanimous bipartisan support. In 2022, he was narrowly defeated and conceded the seat. He is now running to be reelected in the newly-redrawn 95th district.
Fmr. Del. Askew has been a staunch defender of equality. He worked alongside Delegate Dolores McQuinn and sponsored HB1993, which requires state agencies to establish and maintain comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans in coordination with the Governor’s Chief Diversity Officer. “The comprehensive emphasis on equity-minded legislation throughout the 2021 General Assembly session has been historic,” said Secretary of Administration Grindly Johnson. “This legislation makes Virginia a national exemplar in fostering the business case for organizational effectiveness in our state agencies.”
Fmr. Del. Askew has also been an advocate for common-sense gun violence prevention. He voted for HB 2128, which increases the time for the State Department to complete firearm Background Checks, a necessary step in preventing unsafe gun owners from slipping through the cracks. He also voted for HB 2276, which classifies the manufacture, import, sale, transfer, and possession of certain firearms as a Class 5 felony. These measures are indicative of Fmr. Del. Askew’s commitment to firearm safety and his understanding of the policies that can help prevent tragedies.
Fmr. Del. Askew’s record also shows he is committed to racial and economic justice. As delegate, he passed a law that makes it a hate crime to intentionally make a false 911 call on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin. Additionally, he voted for HJ 555, which restores the civil and voting rights for returning citizens after they have completed their jail sentences. He worked with the Virginia Emergency Management Association to protect minority and other vulnerable communities across Hampton Roads—a region prone to disasters and storm flooding.
He has also been clear on abortion access and healthcare. After Texas passed a horrendously restrictive abortion law in 2021, he said simply: “Repro care is health care. Repro justice is economic justice. Repro rights are human rights.” As Delegate, he voted to repeal the abortion prohibition in Virginia health insurance plans and establish the Reproductive Health Protection Act. His positions have earned him an endorsement from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
Fmr. Del. Askew is running unopposed, but because of his position on firearm safety, reproductive rights, and criminal justice, he is still the progressive choice in this race.
-
-
Democrat and Former Delegate Alex Askew is a Virginia Beach native who was raised by a public school teacher. He worked for nearly seven election cycles on various local, state-wide, and national campaigns. He served as a Chief of Staff for the Virginia House of Delegates, where he helped craft groundbreaking legislation such as the nationwide Ashanti Alert, Medicaid expansion, affordable housing expansion, and school safety initiatives. In his term as the Delegate for the 85th District, he had nine bills signed into law, with 7 of them receiving unanimous bipartisan support. In 2022, he was narrowly defeated and conceded the seat. He is now running to be reelected in the newly-redrawn 95th district.
Fmr. Del. Askew has been a staunch defender of equality. He worked alongside Delegate Dolores McQuinn and sponsored HB1993, which requires state agencies to establish and maintain comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans in coordination with the Governor’s Chief Diversity Officer. “The comprehensive emphasis on equity-minded legislation throughout the 2021 General Assembly session has been historic,” said Secretary of Administration Grindly Johnson. “This legislation makes Virginia a national exemplar in fostering the business case for organizational effectiveness in our state agencies.”
Fmr. Del. Askew has also been an advocate for common-sense gun violence prevention. He voted for HB 2128, which increases the time for the State Department to complete firearm Background Checks, a necessary step in preventing unsafe gun owners from slipping through the cracks. He also voted for HB 2276, which classifies the manufacture, import, sale, transfer, and possession of certain firearms as a Class 5 felony. These measures are indicative of Fmr. Del. Askew’s commitment to firearm safety and his understanding of the policies that can help prevent tragedies.
Fmr. Del. Askew’s record also shows he is committed to racial and economic justice. As delegate, he passed a law that makes it a hate crime to intentionally make a false 911 call on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin. Additionally, he voted for HJ 555, which restores the civil and voting rights for returning citizens after they have completed their jail sentences. He worked with the Virginia Emergency Management Association to protect minority and other vulnerable communities across Hampton Roads—a region prone to disasters and storm flooding.
He has also been clear on abortion access and healthcare. After Texas passed a horrendously restrictive abortion law in 2021, he said simply: “Repro care is health care. Repro justice is economic justice. Repro rights are human rights.” As Delegate, he voted to repeal the abortion prohibition in Virginia health insurance plans and establish the Reproductive Health Protection Act. His positions have earned him an endorsement from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
Fmr. Del. Askew is running unopposed, but because of his position on firearm safety, reproductive rights, and criminal justice, he is still the progressive choice in this race.Last updated: 2023-09-21
No Recommendation
Virginia’s new 100th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City, Accomack County, and Northampton County. With just over 63,000 registered voters, this district leans Republican.
This election will be held on November 7, 2023. Incumbent Republican Delegate Rob Bloxom, Jr. is facing a challenge from Democrat Charlena Jones in the general election for Virginia’s new 100th House of Delegates district. Delegate Bloxom has served in the House of Delegates since 2014.
Democrat Charlena Jones is an evangelist. She uses problematic language to discuss issues of equality and reproductive health. In both cases, her wording suggests that she does not support LGBTQ+ folks or abortion but asserts that people’s choices in these areas are their own.
Incumbent Republican Delegate Robert Bloxom voted to prohibit election ballot drop boxes and limit early voting to 2 weeks before an election. He voted for HB 212, which would have reinstated the mandatory waiting period before a person can have an abortion. He voted no on HB 670, which would allow localities to hold police accountable by creating Citizen Police Review Boards.
There is no recommendation in this race. We encourage people to vote and write in a candidate. Remember, there are other races this year that need your vote, so we encourage you to show up to vote anyway.
Incumbent Republican Delegate Robert Bloxom voted to prohibit election ballot drop boxes and limit early voting to 2 weeks before an election. He voted for HB 212, which would have reinstated the mandatory waiting period before a person can have an abortion. He voted no on HB 670, which would allow localities to hold police accountable by creating Citizen Police Review Boards.
There is no recommendation in this race. We encourage people to vote and write in a candidate. Remember, there are other races this year that need your vote, so we encourage you to show up to vote anyway.
Customizing the Progressive Voters Guide for your location...
Customizing the Progressive Voters Guide for your location...