Petersburg, Ward 4

Incumbent Delegate Rodney Willett is a Virginia native who studied law at the College of William and Mary. Delegate Willett has served District 73 since 2020, and he was reelected in 2021. He has also served on an extensive list of Boards, which include the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance, and the Virginia’s Children’s Health Insurance Advisory Board. He also was a member of the Student Engagement and Leadership Advisory Board at the College of William and Mary, where he founded an endowment that funds student volunteers.

Delegate Willett believes that everyone should have accessible, affordable healthcare. He wants people to be taken care of by a quality health care system. He believes that there was some improvement when we expanded Medicaid, but that further measures should be taken, as too many people still do not have access to affordable health care. In addition to expanding access, he wants to increase funding for mental health care and addiction treatment. He also learned from his experience on the Board of Rx Partnership that too many people cannot access the prescriptions that they need, and he believes that this is a major problem.

Delegate Willett believes that education and adequate employment are key components in creating successful futures for people. He wants to make pre-K enrollment universal for all Virginia kids, and also improve other areas, such as funding for schools, counseling resources, and fair wages for teachers. Del. Willett wants to minimize red tape so that businesses can operate more efficiently, and he also wants to focus on job training, liveable wages, and equal pay.

Delegate Willett also supports abortion access and would vote against an abortion ban.
Additionally, he supports common sense gun violence prevention legislation that would include universal background checks, as they are a proven way to keep guns out of the hands of those who mean harm. He wants extreme risk protective orders to be enforced as well.

Delegate Willett believes the science that strongly suggests that climate change is real, and he sees that Virginia is already suffering from the effects. As time goes on, sea level rise will cause even more damage to a coastal state like Virginia, and Del. Willett wants to support legislation that will help protect the environment to ensure the safety of Virginians.

Delegate Willett is facing a challenge from Republican Riley Shaia, a University of Virginia graduate and group exercise instructor. While she has stayed quiet regarding her own views on abortion, she has repeatedly expressed gratitude over being endorsed by Governor Youngkin, who hopes to implement a 15-week abortion ban. She claims to be tired of partisan politics but aligns herself with extremist politicians.

Willett is the progressive choice for this race, as he supports reproductive rights, accessible healthcare, and legislation that promotes community safety. Close Window

Rachel Levy ran for the 55th district in 2019, and through community engagement, helped to increase voter turnout to 30 percent. She personally visited every precinct within the district, and due to redistricting, she is now running for the 59th district. Levy was raised by two civil rights lawyers, which sparked her passion for civic engagement that inspired her to earn her doctorate in educational leadership and policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Levy is a leader in the group Together Hanover, and she is a member of the Hanover Democratic Committee and the Hanover NAACP. She is also a Jury Commissioner for the Ashland District of Hanover, and she serves on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. The list covering her involvement in Virginia government is extensive, and it includes a number of committees, local councils, and a board of directors.

Levy is an experienced educator and leader in in her field, holding a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy. She has classroom experience and policy expertise, and her dedication to promoting equity within our public education system benefits all types of students. She advocates for policies that benefit students of color, special needs students, English Language Learners, and low-income students. She also wants increased salaries for teachers and protections for trans and non-binary students. Levy believes that laws should be developed and enforced for the purpose of ensuring the safety and funding of schools, including the improvement of buildings’ quality.

Levy wants accessible healthcare for everyone, which includes lowered or capped drug prices, expanding access to medicaid, funding and resources for mental health services, including for substance abuse disorders. She also supports the protection of reproductive rights and expanding access to abortion and contraception. Levy believes that racial disparities need to be addressed along with socio-economic and gender-based disparities in access to healthcare.

Rachel Levy supports responsible gun ownership, and she wants to uplift the need for legislation that aims to prevent injuries and deaths from gun accidents, deaths by suicide, along with gun violence. Levy also wants gun safety training for gun owners, extreme risk protection orders, secure storage policies, along with other policies to ensure the safety of members in the community.

Buddy Fowler is a Republican who has served the 55th District since 2014. He is a graduate of Hermitage High School, and he is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Mary Washington with a degree in History. He serves as the Vice Chair of Finance and he is Chair of Subcommittee 2 for Local Taxation in the House of Delegates. He also serves on a number of other committees. Fowler voted against notices that would protect renters from rising rent without adequate notice, and he also supported legislation to restrict privacy and participation in sports for trans children. He also sponsored a bill to allow anyone with a concealed handgun permit to be exempted from the one-gun-a-month law.

Rachel Levy is the progressive choice for this race, as she maintains an extensive platform, which includes gun safety, reproductive rights, and accessible healthcare.



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Herb Walke was born and raised in Norfolk, VA. He studied engineering at the University of Virginia and worked in construction on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel between semesters. Walke married his wife Jackie and worked for Reynolds Metals in Richmond for several decades as a corporate staff industrial engineer, division planning manager, systems and financial analyst, division accounting manager, and division cost manager. Walke started Walke Business Solutions, Inc. in 1998 and has since helped Fortune 500 companies, government, and small businesses adopt “Lean Manufacturing” to improve production and processes. He has trained over 3,000 professionals in Lean Manufacturing systems. Walke has volunteered and has served as an officer in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers local Richmond Chapter for over 40 years. He is also a passionate woodturner and has volunteered with the Richmond Woodturners.

Walke will be a strong voice for commonsense gun violence prevention. He knows that innocent people are killed, hurt, maimed, or emotionally traumatized daily by gun violence. He argues that we need reasonable commonsense rules and laws that rein in the out-of-control use of deadly weapons by those who should not be allowed to have them. Prayers and thoughts are not the answer.

Walke’s views on community safety extend to law enforcement as well. He believes that we should be at ease interacting with law enforcement. Law enforcement should be properly trained and monitored to ensure they have the necessary training and equipment to keep them safe while they protect us and our communities.

Walke will be a voice for environmental protection. He wants us to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program, which puts a cap on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that will get stricter over time. He speaks out against Governor Youngkin’s decision to remove us from it, arguing that “Virginia’s biggest air polluters just sent the Commonwealth another $71 million dollars to help pay down the Commonwealth’s exorbitant climate costs and spiking energy bills. Perversely, the very same week, Governor Youngkin proposed Virginia taxpayers instead shoulder the burden of paying for climate damage to our coastal real estate and inland communities.”

Funding and protections for public schools are also a top issue for Walke. He believes that education is the fundamental reason that the US and Virginia have been leaders in innovation for our society. Virginia K-12 schools have consistently been ranked as number 4 or 6 among the 50 states. It is imperative that we properly fund our treasured public schools and universities and not attempt to micromanage the teaching at our excellent schools.

Walke is facing Republican Mark Earley, an attorney. Earley supports Republican initiatives to police public schools and forcibly out trans kids. In the run-up to the election, he removed his positions on abortion from his website, which previously indicated that he was wholly against abortion. He will do nothing about gun violence and even supports putting armed guards in classrooms.

Given Walke’s positions on environmental protection, common sense gun reform, and public education, he is the progressive choice in this race.
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Stephen Miller-Pitts is a combat veteran, military spouse, father, educator, service-disabled small business owner, and community activist. He joined the military in 2001 and developed a passion for volunteering in the community throughout his military service. After returning from Afghanistan, he was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service. His advocacy for resources and better services for veterans led to his political pursuits, and he became the Senior Legislative Assistant for a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Miller-Pitts is an alumnus of the 2018 cohort of the Minority Political Leadership Institute and obtained his Master of Public Administration at Regent University.

Miller-Pitts does not list any positions on his website, but he does pledge that he is “committed to expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare, increasing opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and working to make our communities safer from gun violence.” This commitment is solidified by endorsements from Giffords, Run for Something, Roe Your Vote Virginia, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. He also co-authored an assessment of the Racial Equity Impact of Legislation to Establish a Virginia Grocery Investment Program and Fund.

Miller-Pitts is challenging current Republican Incumbent Delegate Carrie Coyner, who was first elected in 2019. Coyner is a Chester native, where she currently resides with her three children. She voted in opposition to the Virginia Clean Economy Act and voted against renter’s protections during the ongoing pandemic. She also voted against raising the minimum wage and establishing the Virginia Voting Rights Act.
Despite limited information, because of his pledge to expand quality, affordable healthcare and his commitment to keeping our communities safe from gun violence, Miller-Pitts is the progressive choice in this race.
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Debra Gardner is a former teacher, social worker, and public servant. She received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. She worked as an adjunct professor at VCU and has held leadership positions at three state agencies: the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Human Services. She currently lives in North Chesterfield with her daughter.

Gardner is dedicated to policies that support Virginia working families. When her elderly mother came to live with her, Gardner understood the needs of an aging society and immediately set to work on policies that would reduce the caregiving burden on families. She also received the “Family Friendly Seal of Approval” from the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy for her dedication to paid family and medical leave, paid sick days, quality childcare and affordable eldercare. She is also dedicated to ensuring everyone in our communities earns a living wage and receives sufficient support during the economic recovery from COVID-19.

Gardner will also prioritize access to affordable healthcare. She especially supports expanding insurance options for people who are unemployed so that access to healthcare is no longer tied to employment. Additionally, she will work to increase funding for mental health care and addiction recovery to ensure these critical services are accessible to all who need them. She will fight to decrease the price of prescriptions to make sure everyone is able to afford their necessary medications.

With her background in criminal justice and corrections, Gardner has proven her dedication to public safety. Additionally, Gardner served on the Commonwealth Domestic Violence Prevention Response Advisory Board. She will implement evidence-based and community-based programs to increase community safety. She will require updated training for all police officers and work to improve relationships between officers and communities. She sees common-sense gun violence prevention legislation as critical to ensuring community safety.

Gardner will also work to tackle the climate crisis in Virginia. She sees protecting the planet as beneficial both environmentally and economically and knows investing in clean energy will help bring jobs to the 27th District. She will fight to ensure economic growth is responsibly planned and sustainable. She also sees how public health is tied to environmental protections and will work to ensure all of her constituents, regardless of economic status, have access to clean water and healthy food.

Republican Duc Truong, a small business owner, is Gardner’s opponent in this race. Truong wants to leave the fate of healthcare in the hands of employers. He wants to help Republicans cut regulations, making us less safe. His favored solution for fostering success beyond K-12 education is to traffic graduates directly to the military.

Due to her support for the environment, affordable healthcare, and Virginia working families, Gardner is the most progressive choice for Virginia’s 76th district.
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Richmond City Councilman Mike Jones is the son of a Navy SEAL and proud Richmonders who taught him to overcome any obstacles that life can throw your way. He graduated from Maggie Walker Governor’s School. His parents taught him to never judge someone based on the superficial aspects because of what they witnessed growing up in a segregated Richmond. For most of his life, Jones has channeled the values taught to him to fight for the rights of others. He has been about the people.

Jones knows that climate change is real and that we must take action to reduce emissions and protect the public health of Richmond citizens. He believes that it is unacceptable that Richmond has some of the highest rates of asthma in the country and flooding in our neighborhoods. He also understands the need for environmental justice, as some parts of the 77th district are 10% hotter than others. He believes that we need to fight at the state level for tree canopies, greenspace, and improvements to the James River Park System. Jones has taken a pledge not to take any campaign contributions from Dominion Energy and has been endorsed by Sierra Club.

Jones has garnered a reputation of fighting for the streets. Black, White or Brown, he has sought to amplify the voices of those that are too often overlooked. In a part of the City that has been left out of so many conversations, Jones has a way of matching problems with legislation. He has shown his ability to lead during tough times by chairing the Council’s Finance Committee, calling for more fiscal responsibility. He is willing to say what so many are afraid to say in a tone of empathy and compassion. Jones tries to educate and inform while others might seek to alienate.

As a Black man, Jones knows people of color are over-represented in the criminal justice system and underrepresented in elected office. We need to rectify some of the wrongs of the past, but more importantly, stop the next generation from being pulled into the system. Jones wants to slow the school-to-prison pipeline, reform policing, help returning citizens get into the workforce, and eliminate mandatory minimum sentences. On the city council, Jones led the fight to gain local control of the Confederate Monuments in the City of Richmond. Standing alone, he endured backlash and death threats. That did not stop him. He is leading the charge for more accountability with Law Enforcement seeking to move to a true form of public safety.

Jones also supports access to abortion and feels strongly that the government should never limit access to or prevent someone from making their own reproductive choices. He also wants to give kids a pathway to the middle class by providing jobs with good benefits, a $15/hr minimum wage, and creating a great economy that works for everyone.

Councilman Jones is running unopposed, but given his stance on criminal justice reform, climate change, and racial justice, he is decidedly the progressive choice in this race.
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Incumbent Delegate Betsy Carr was first elected in 2009. Before serving in the legislature, she was a director of outreach for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Richmond. Additionally, she helped found the Micah Initiative, which connects faith communities and city elementary schools to provide mentors, tutors, and volunteers. She also served on the Richmond School Board and worked for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. She is a grandmother of six and a mother of three.

Delegate Carr understands the urgency of the climate crisis and is working to tackle the issue in the Commonwealth. She was a patron of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which commits Virginia to using 100% renewable energy by 2050. She successfully sponsored legislation that prohibits food vendors from using harmful styrofoam food containers by 2025. She also voted in favor of tax rebates for electric vehicles. Additionally, she introduced a budget amendment to fund an urban green space at the Science Museum of Virginia.

Del. Carr is also an advocate for tenant rights and affordable housing. During COVID, she passed a bill allowing tenants to prevent their landlord from entering their home for non-emergency maintenance during a pandemic. She also worked to expand the Virginia Fair Housing Law to ensure individuals with disabilities can request accessible parking at their homes. She also helped introduce new tools for local governments to transform unused properties into affordable housing opportunities.

Del. Carr supports legislation to strengthen working families. She voted in favor of raising the minimum wage and 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. She supported the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights in 2021. She also is in favor of providing paid family and medical leave and ensuring childcare and eldercare are affordable.

Del. Carr voted for critical criminal justice reforms in Virginia. She was a patron of the bill to abolish the death penalty. During the 2021 Virginia General Assembly session, she supported marijuana legalization, ending qualified immunity for law enforcement officers, and establishing a process of automatic expungement of certain criminal records. She also supported legislation requiring racial and ethnic impact statements for any form of criminal justice legislation to ensure the legislation being passed is equitable.

Del. Carr is running unopposed, but her record on criminal justice, tenant’s rights, and environmental justice prove that she remains a stalwart progressive champion. Close Window

Rae Cousins is a lawyer and candidate for the House of Delegates. She graduated from The College of William & Mary and Howard University School of Law. Cousins has worked at BrownGreer, a local law firm in Richmond, where she manages the administration of multi-million- and billion-dollar settlement programs for people injured by harmful drugs and medical devices and environmental disasters. She has a passion for voter registration and has worked on voter registration drives throughout the city. Cousins is endorsed by Governor Ralph Northam, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Delegate Jay Jones, and many other organizations and unions, including the Working Families Party, Bold Progressives, and the National Women's Political Caucus of Virginia.

Cousins promises to be a strong voice for tenants’ rights. Her plans to enhance tenants' rights include increasing the inventory of affordable housing and supporting people who want to stay in their communities despite rising tax revenues and costs of living. She also seeks to keep utility prices down and address environmental hazards that disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. To achieve this, she plans to ensure more urban green space, invest in clean energy, and fight for transparency and community input in the decisions behind new development projects.

With the Commonwealth one election away from bans on abortion access, Cousins understands that the time is now to enshrine reproductive rights into law. She will advocate for the right to an abortion and the use of contraceptive methods, and she will be a champion for reproductive health on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates. She also aims to expand affordable quality healthcare for all Virginians and promote preventative healthcare, access to fresh and healthy foods, and enhanced maternal health care services. She supports or sponsors legislation aimed at ensuring paid family and medical leave and will not compromise with Republicans seeking to dismantle public healthcare for low-income Virginians and the elderly.

Cousins believes that all Virginians deserve to feel safe in our neighborhoods. As Delegate, she will work to enhance sensible gun violence prevention measures to keep our streets safe. She will also work to eradicate the school-to-prison pipeline, invest in after-school enrichment programs, provide funding for programs that support individuals with felony convictions as they reenter society, and work with community stakeholders and law enforcement to implement data driven policies that cut to the root cause of crime in our neighborhoods.

As a lawyer committed to equal justice, Cousins understands that a good education is the foundation for economic opportunity. She is committed to defending public education and to renewing our commitment to our students by modernizing technology and maintaining our school buildings. As delegate, Cousins will defend public education from Gov. Youngkin’s so-called “school choice” policies, which amount to defunding our public schools. Cousins is also committed to securing funding for career and technical skills training for Richmond’s young people, universal pre-K and early childhood care, and increased teacher pay. She will work to ensure that all students, regardless of their gender or sexual identity, feel at home in Virginia.

There are no other candidates on the ballot in this race, but given Cousins’ commitment to ensuring access to healthcare for all Virginians, her support of common sense gun violence prevention legislation, and her advocacy for tenant’s rights, Cousins is decidedly the progressive choice. This recommendation remains in line with Progress Virginia’s endorsement of Cousins in the Democratic primary.
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Destiny LeVere Bolling is the Communications Director at Virginia AFL-CIO and chairs the Virginia Conference NAACP's Labor and Industry Committee. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, International Relations, and Latin American Iberian Studies, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs. She has completed the Emerge Virginia program and serves on Virginia's Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission. She is also the Secretary of the board of The Commonwealth Institute and directs her mentorship program "Destined to Be Mentorship Program."

Bolling's top priority if elected to the Virginia House of Delegates is to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare, especially for children and older adults. She aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand notice and education on available care resources, streamline the process for obtaining proper certifications for home healthcare providers, enhance access to incentives for caregivers, increase funding for grants and expand access to resources for older adults, and leverage community partnerships to improve access to services for individuals in need.

Since she works at the Virginia AFL-CIO, Bolling deeply understands the struggles of working families. She has fought for equal, equitable, and safe worker rights and protections for all Virginians. She aims to improve the lives of her community by fighting for higher wages, better working conditions, comprehensive benefits, and access to opportunity. Bolling plans to protect minimum wage increases, expand unemployment insurance, ensure equitable safety and health protections on the job, increase funding for worker training programs, and build on Virginia's collective bargaining law to ensure everyone has a fair shot.

Bolling believes in building an equitable, restorative justice system where every person affected by the actions of people in the position she seeks must have a voice, including those who have paid their debts to society after being convicted of a crime. She aims to hold Governor Youngkin accountable for rolling back the restoration of rights process, assist constituents in their efforts to get their rights restored, and work with her colleagues to pass a resolution allowing for voters to consider a constitutional amendment to guarantee the automatic restoration of voting rights.

Bolling aims to build the strongest public schools in the nation and provide every child access to a top-notch public education. She plans to raise teacher pay, improve staffing ratios, increase access to reading and math volunteers and specialists, end the school-to-prison pipeline, ensure access to pre-K, increase funding for apprenticeship programs, expand vocational and technical education curricula, engage students and parents about career pathways and college funding opportunities, offer diverse career fair opportunities, and invest in incentives for individuals interested in becoming an educator in the Commonwealth.

Bolling’s only opponent in the race is Independent Michael Harned. At the time of research, we could find no information on his positions.

Because of her commitments to providing healthcare, advocating for workers’ rights, and building an equitable justice system, Bolling is the progressive choice in this race. Close Window

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Delores McQuinn is a lifelong resident of the Richmond area and a public servant with a passion for community service. She has served in various roles throughout her career, including as Vice Chairperson of the Richmond School Board, Vice-Mayor and Vice-President of Richmond City Council, and as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. McQuinn has received numerous awards for her work, including recognition as the YWCA's Woman of the Year and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Award.

Delegate McQuinn has been a strong supporter of protecting the environment since she was first elected. Throughout her career, she has received an overall rating of 100% from both the Virginia Sierra Club and the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. In the last session, she voted to expand renewable energy tax credits (SB 710--conference vote). She also took steps to prevent gentrification by Introducing HB 635, which required inclusionary housing and zoning.

Delegate McQuinn has also been a reliable voice for abortion access and bodily autonomy. She received an overall rating of 92% from REPRO Rising Virginia. In the last session, she voted against HB 212, which would have reinstated the 24 hour mandatory waiting period before a person can access abortion care. . In the session before that, she voted to repeal the abortion prohibition in VA Health Insurance Plans (HB1276), voted to establish the Reproductive Health Protection Act (HB 980) and voted against the prohibition of state funding of abortion services (HB2264).

Delegate McQuinn has also proven to be a staunch defender of immigrant rights. She voted to expand financial aid for undocumented immigrants (SB 1387), voted to authorize driver's licenses for undocumented people(SB 34, concurrence vote), voted to eliminate the requirement that jails and prisons ascertain citizenship status of inmates (HB 1150 Conference report vote), voted to authorize in-state tuition for undocumented students (SB 925), voted to prohibit law enforcement questioning and individual's immigration status (HB 262) and voted against prohibiting the establishment of sanctuary cities (HB 1257).

She has proven a reliable vote for gun violence prevention. Last session, she co-sponsored HB 2387, which establishes a refundable income tax credit for firearm safety devices, and voted against repealing the extreme risk protection order law law (HB 509). She was rated 14% by Virginia Citizens Defense League and 0% by the NRA. She voted against reducing penalties for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and was rated 100% by LEAP Forward.

Delegate McQuinn is running unopposed, but her historic support of progressive issues such as abortion access, gun violence prevention, and immigrant rights make her the progressive choice in this race. Close Window

Kimberly Pope Adams is an auditor who wants to bring accountability to the House of Delegates. She grew up in the "Five Forks" area of Hopewell and has a deep-rooted connection to the traditions and culture of the Tri-Cities. Adams is a mother who wants to be a voice for a district that Richmond has long ignored. She will stand with farmers, local businesses, and community leaders to make the district thrive.

Adams believes that every Virginian deserves to live in a safe community. She wants to address the crime and violence that have devastated families and neighborhoods in the 82nd District. As Delegate, Adams will work to achieve measurable results for the district by engaging stakeholders to promote a law enforcement workforce that reflects the community it serves, working with community leaders, individual citizens, and law enforcement to establish innovative crime prevention initiatives, and ensuring state funding exists to adequately staff Sheriff and Police departments.

Adams believes that the government should not interfere in a healthcare decision, and all decisions should be made between the person and their doctor. As Delegate, she will fight tirelessly to oppose any attempt to ban abortions in Virginia, including obstacles like mandatory waiting periods and limits on access to contraception.

Adams believes every working family deserves an opportunity to enjoy economic security and success. She believes that workers should have the right to unionize and collectively bargain. Employees should have paid sick leave to use for themselves or their children, and employers should invest in specialized training, making education and workforce development available to the community.

Food insecurity is an undeniable fact for many residents in our community. People in both urban and rural areas lack access to affordable fresh food. Most tragic is that food deserts exist in communities where agriculture is vital to the local economy. Adams believes broadband internet access is as necessary for Virginians as electricity and water. Educational opportunities, employment opportunities, and affordable healthcare are often dependent upon reliable internet access. In order to make counties more attractive to live, broadband access must be a unified priority for both State and local government.

Pope’s opponent is incumbent Republican Delegate Kim Taylor, a Dinwiddie County resident who owns a small business with her husband. As Delegate, Taylor voted to require reinstatement of the mandatory 24-hour waiting period before a person can access abortion (HB 212). She opposes common-sense gun violence prevention legislation and voted to repeal the extreme risk protection law (HB 209). She also voted to reduce penalties for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit (HB 11).

Because of her stances on healthcare, economic security and development, and her commitment to the needs of her constituents, Kimberly Pope Adams is the progressive choice in this race. Close Window

Mary Person is a native of Emporia, Virginia, who has served as an educator in her community for 26 years. She began her career as a teacher of children with autism and is now the Principal of Bellfield Elementary in Emporia. Person is an active member of the NAACP, a board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Greensville/Emporia, and a member of the Crater Regional Workforce Development Board. She has also served in various educational and political roles, including eight years as Mayor of Emporia. Person has worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of her constituents, establish scholarships for graduating seniors, and attract more businesses and industry jobs to the area.

Person believes that quality health care should be affordable for everyone. She is in favor of expanding mental health services for adults and children. She believes that prescription drugs should be affordable, saying that “no one should have to choose between getting a prescription filled or eating.” She pledges to advocate for legislation to combat health care inequity.

Educational infrastructure is a top priority for her. She wants to ensure the future of public education and make sure all children succeed. She wants to make sure kids have the social and emotional skills necessary to be successful in school and have qualified teachers in the classroom, especially in rural areas such as the 83rd district. Incentives must be offered to college students to go into the field of education to increase the number of qualified teachers in the field.

She also lists economic development as a top priority. She wants to provide opportunities for our communities to have jobs. She believes that a qualified workforce is essential to economic development, so specialized training for skilled positions is a must. To accomplish this, she pledges to actively recruit prospective companies by meeting with them and explaining the benefits of investing in our district. She pledges to always be the number one advocate for obtaining good paying jobs in our communities.

Of equal importance is public safety. She argues that our communities must be a safe place to live, work, and go to school. She advocates for community policing to allow officers to develop relationships with the community and the community to develop relationships with the officers. She also wants to ensure that officers are properly trained in dealing with mental health issues. She pledges to promote legislation to ensure community safety remains a priority and will also work with local government and police departments to fight for safe communities.

Person’s opponent is incumbent Republican Otto Wachsmann, a Sussex County pharmacist and small business owner. Wachsmann has consistently voted against trans youth, having voted for HB 1387, which limits participation in sports on the basis of sex assigned at birth, and voted for HB 2432, which requires schools to inform parents of students experiencing "gender incongruence". He wants to deny abortion access and voted for HB 212, which would have reinstated the mandatory 24 hour waiting period for individuals seeking an abortion.

Given Person’s commitment to building an equitable society and ensuring the basic needs of all are met, she is the progressive choice in this race. Close Window