Progressives Should be Excited to Vote in Virginia this November
Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and in many cases the House of Delegates, bring significant Progressive credentials to the table that I believe should lead Progressives to be excited to vote for them, not just against their opponents. There are a number of Progressives who won competitive local primaries. These candidates come from every region of the Commonwealth, include a diverse slate of candidates, and in many cases are endorsed by Our Revolution, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and similar organizations. In addition, the gubernatorial election is incredibly important in stopping the extreme agenda of Republicans in the General Assembly, and ensuring that redistricting in 2020 does not lead to even more gerrymandering in Republicans’ favor.
Statewide
It is understandable for Progressives to be demoralized after primary losses at the national, state, and local level. I think it is important to acknowledge this frustration while also talking about what we should be excited about. I was a Perriello supporter and I understand why some Progressives are unenthusiastic about Northam. He is a moderate, and his stances generally reflect this. However he does check off most boxes, including being pro-choice, supporting LGBT rights, supporting Medicaid expansion, and supporting a minimum wage increase. He is certainly leagues ahead of Ed Gillespie, who is making his second attempt to win statewide office after losing to Mark Warner in 2014. Gillespie has taken a more extreme approach this time around, doubling down on a Trump-like immigration agenda that has been roundly denounced as having clearly racist implications. This includes the claim that allowing Latino immigrants to stay in the country will lead to gang activity and crimes like rape, echoing remarks Trump made when he launched his campaign. Unsurprisingly, Trump has tweeted out his endorsement of Gillespie.
Lt. Gubernatorial candidate Justin Fairfax provides a Progressive compliment to Northam, as he is a staunch opponent of the proposed pipelines that would run through Virginia (and over property rights and environmental concerns). He supports a livable wage, and his support for a state-based student loan restructuring program, a pet issue of mine, would massively help college students, young people, and especially recent college graduates. He could provide a key tie-break vote in the Senate on these and other issues.
Attorney General Mark Herring is running for reelection, and has a long record of supporting Progressive reforms. One of his main Progressive credentials is his decision to allow Dreamers, who pay taxes and who in many cases have lived in the state for a decade or more, to access in-state tuition at public colleges. He was instrumental in allowing same-sex marriage in the Commonwealth due to his decision not to defend Virginia’s ban on gay marriage. He has been key in ensuring that Virginia emphasizes rehabilitation and prevention over punishment in the opioid epidemic.
Delegates
Maps of all Delegate districts can be found here.
Lee Carter is a Progressive in the 50th district who has been endorsed by Our Revolution. His campaign focuses on workers’ rights, getting money out of politics, reforming the criminal justice system, expanding transportation options, and accepting the Medicaid expansion. A Marine Corps veteran, he is expected to run a close race to pick up a seat for Democrats in his increasingly diverse Manassas and Prince William centered district.
Next door in Prince William, Elizabeth Guzman is running in the 31st district, another potential pickup for Democrats. She is endorsed by Our Revolution, many local unions, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee for her Progressive stances on issues including Medicaid expansion, workers rights (unsurprising since she is a union member), a living wage, environmental protections, expanding pre-K educational opportunities, and improving mental healthcare in the public school system. She is running to become the first Latina member of the House of Delegates.
Moving slightly South to southern Prince William and Stafford, where Jennifer Foy is expected to run a very competitive race in the 2nd district. The 2nd is crucial to Democratic goals this election, as it was carried by Hillary Clinton, the election for delegate in 2015 was decided by 1%, and the Republican incumbent is not seeking reelection. Foy is no stranger to close races, as she won the Democratic Primary this past June by 12 votes against a more moderate alternative. Foy certainly has unique personal experiences to draw upon, as one of the first African-American female graduates of VMI, a public defender, an adjunct professor, and a foster parent. She supports a $15 minimum wage, Medicaid expansion, increased funding for public education, criminal justice reform including marijuana decriminalization in order to help shut off the school-to-prison pipeline, and has signed the pledge not to accept campaign donations from Dominion Power. In addition to being endorsed by Our Revolution, she has been endorsed by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
It is no secret that Democrats have struggled in southwestern Virginia and the Blue Ridge since the rise of the Tea Party in 2009. However, Steve McBride is aiming to change that in the 8th District — around Roanoke and Craig County. His campaign focuses on a populist message of getting money out of politics, and he has put his money where his mouth is by refusing corporate donations. He holds a degree in Biology, and holds a Masters from James Madison University. He has also taken graduate classes in Biology at Virginia Tech. It would certainly be refreshing to have a man of science in the House of Delegates who acknowledges Climate Change and believes that measures must be taken to combat it. He also supports more affordable — potentially tuition free — Community College and technical schools. He supports increased teacher salaries, and has the endorsements of Political Revolution and Our Revolution in the Blue Ridge. Let’s send a teacher and a scientist to Richmond! Some members of the House of Delegates could use one.
Tia Walbridge’s campaign in the 33rd District focuses on several significant Progressive causes, including expanding access to healthcare through the Medicaid expansion. She takes a strong stand in favor of public education, citing the importance of expanding Kindergarten to full day, ensuring that schools have enough nurses and teachers, and making sure that all students have access to education by hiring teachers who can address special needs and disabilities. Finally, she draws upon her experience as a farmer to emphasize the ecological and cultural importance of conservation and environmental protection in her developing, but still largely rural, district. Her district encompasses northwestern Loudoun, northern Clarke, and northeastern Frederick Counties. She holds the endorsement of Our Revolution Virginia, and her website emphasizes making sure that our economy works for everyone.
Schuyler VanValkenburg, an alum of both the University of Richmond and VCU (which must be interesting come basketball season), is running to attempt to pick up the 72nd District, which lies in Henrico. One of his main goals is to fight gerrymandering and voter suppression, which makes a lot of sense because the Republican State Legislature drew his district to resemble something like a child who could not keep inside the lines attempting to draw a crescent moon. The district was carried by Hillary, and the Republican incumbent is retiring, so it should be competitive. He is endorsed by Resurgent Left on account of his support for criminal justice reform, racial justice, increased teacher salaries, Medicaid expansion, and infrastructure improvements.
In the Heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Brent Finnegan is mounting an effort to pick up the 26th district, which stretches from near Harrisonburg to the West Virginia border. A JMU employee, he has received an enthusiastic response from the student body, with the student paper reporting that “Finnegan’s experience includes running hburgnews.com, a community-driven news network, and working for the IIHHS, which serves as an interface to connect the JMU community to the Harrisonburg community. The IIHHS also provides essential services to local schools, such as literacy programs and workshops to prevent teen pregnancy.” He has the endorsement of Our Revolution in the Blue Ridge, and gained experience in local politics volunteering for Bernie Sanders. His campaign is focused on environmental issues, including his opposition to fracking and the pipelines. He refuses to accept donations from Dominion. He also supports a living wage, Medicaid expansion, reforms to prevent gerrymandering, workers’ rights, and expanding treatment options to combat the opioid epidemic.
In the southeastern corner of the Commonwealth, Kimberly Anne Tucker is running to pick up the 81st in Virginia Beach. In addition to endorsements from the AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, and Planned Parenthood, she recently gained the national endorsement of Our Revolution. The importance of the Bay is undeniable in her district, as is the evidence of climate change. Acknowledging this reality, she makes preservation of the Bay, protections for the local ecosystem, and the creation of green jobs cornerstones of her campaign. She draws upon her experience as a cancer survivor to stress the importance of Medicaid expansion and healthcare access. She opposes directing public funds towards for-profit schools, and believes that expanding programs to help those with disabilities, in the school system and beyond, is a moral imperative.
A little further up the bay, Michael Wade has launched a campaign based on a series of Progressive proposals, ranging from fighting for a $15 minimum wage, to criminal justice reform, to opposing privatization of schools, to supporting Medicaid expansion, to public financing of elections and getting money out of politics, debt-free higher education, and strong environmental protections to conserve the Bay. He pledges to stand against both racial and religious bigotry. He takes Progressive stances on a great many other issues that would take too long to describe here, but I highly suggest looking at the detailed and broad set of issues he describes on his website. His district, the 91st, contains Poquoson and parts of Hampton.
Finally, in the Fredericksburg area, Joshua Cole is running to pick up the 28th district, currently held by retiring Republican Speaker of the House Bill Howell. This race is special to me because the 28th includes my family’s ancestral home in Aquia along its Northern border. The district contains most of Stafford, stretching South along the borders of King George, to Caroline, Spotslyvania, and through Fredericksburg. Ultimately, this diversifying district is expected to be competitive since Trump won it by only 1%. Cole’s campaign is focused on Progressive priorities like universal pre-K, increasing teacher salaries, funding the arts in public schools, tuition-free higher education for qualifying students, reforming punishment in the school system, prioritizing mental health and addiction treatment over punishment in the judicial system, decriminalizing marijuana, Medicaid expansion, increased funding for veterans’ care, fighting against fracking and pipelines, increasing the minimum wage, and easing traffic issues on 95. Cole is the first African American candidate in the district’s history, and has the national endorsement of Our Revolution.
I would be remiss if I did not mention 95th district Delegate Marcia Price, the only Democrat in the Legislature to endorse Bernie Sanders. Although she is unopposed, she will play a crucial role in the future of Progressivism in Virginia.
There are other candidates in Virginia who could be considered Progressives. I greatly appreciate anybody who shares this article, and I encourage those who do to add information about candidates I may have overlooked. I highly encourage everybody to look into local races. Democrats are likely to pick up a number of the seats mentioned above, and it will be a breath of fresh air to have a serious Progressive wing in the House of Delegates.
You can read more of my work here: https://medium.com/@wmoncure
