Note that Virginia’s 8th State Senate District (Virginia Beach), currently held by right-wing Islamophobe Republican Bill DeSteph, was won by Ralph Northam in 2017 by a 50%-49% margin, and by Tim Kaine in 2018 with 51.3% of the vote. Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal is running for the nomination to take on DeSteph; see below for her first campaign video and a press release from her campaign.

Missy Cotter Smasal Launches First Campaign Video

Virginia Beach, VA – Missy Cotter Smasal is running in Virginia’s 8th Senate district. The campaign released the first campaign video called This Door highlighting her community advocacy, military background, and her small business. The video includes Missy’s family, her Girl Scout troop, local parents, community activists, former Rita’s employees, and other supporters of the campaign. Here are some highlights from the video:

“Behind this door, my nine-year-old daughter and hundreds of other kids are doing all the things kids do in school. Math, gym class, lunch. Of course, this door is locked. But two years ago, it wasn’t. Virginia Beach public schools were not locking their doors. A dangerous person could just walk right in. I was told it didn’t matter.

Well, I’m Missy Cotter Smasal and it mattered to me. And turns out, it mattered to thousands of other parents who signed my petition. Most couldn’t believe the doors were unlocked.

It took thirteen months but now, this door is locked with a camera and a buzzer. Along with every door on every elementary school in Virginia Beach. We got something done.

I like getting things done. In college, I joined the ROTC, then joined the Navy, became a surface warfare officer and drove a ship in the Persian Gulf during Operation Enduring Freedom.

We need to grow Virginia Beach’s economy, make it easier to start a business here. We need to invest in our schools and keep them safe. We need to protect our coastline and get serious about sea level rise and flooding. Most of all, I think we need a Senator who cares about this community and knows how to get something done.”

You can learn more about Missy’s activism in this Virginia Pilot article: Virginia Beach mom starts petition to lock city schools’ front doors. Due in part to Missy’s role in this issue, every public Elementary school door is locked throughout Virginia Beach.