From Del. Rip Sullivan and his BLUE DOMINION PAC.
Flip-A-District Friday: Volume V
Welcome to the fifth issue of our 2021 Flip a District Series
The Democratic majority in the House of Delegates continues to make history. On Tuesday the General Assembly concluded its Special Session by providing relief to thousands of Virginians and Virginia businesses who have faced hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and electing a diverse group of eight new judges to the Commonwealth’s newly-expanded Court of Appeals.
The relief comes in the form of funding for broadband expansion, public school infrastructure, clean water, the Virginia Unemployment Commission, and financial aid for higher education. And our new judges bring to the Court a wide range of background, legal experience, and geography. Four women and four men, including four African American judges, will transform the Court, as we continue our effort to diversify Virginia’s court system and to create a bench that looks more like Virginia.
We need the candidates in this week’s Flip to win, so we can continue our history-making efforts. As usual, we present a mix of first time candidates and incumbents, all of whom are dedicated to making Virginia a place that works for and uplifts everyone. A more fair and just Virginia.
Vote for them. Give to them. Work hard for them.
House District 79
Born in Norfolk, he attended I.C. Norcom High School in downtown Portsmouth and Virginia Union University, an Historically Black College University (HBUC), in Richmond, Virginia.
House District 79:
In the wake of COVID-19, we need to ensure that schools at every level have the funding and resources for students to return to school safely. Additionally, Nadarius knows that many teachers make up the deficit in adequate funding out of their own, under-paid pockets. He will fight for teachers to receive adequate pay for themselves and sufficient funds for their classrooms.
Nadarius also understands that college isn’t for everyone and that especially in Hampton Roads, we need stronger investments in vocational programs and trade schools so everyone has access to a premier education and a chance at a decent livelihood.
Contact the Campaign: team@clarkfordelegate.com
Contribute: https://secure.
House District 52
Meet the candidate: Luke Torian
Delegate Luke Torian was first elected to represent the 52nd district in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009. He serves a constituency of approximately 80,000 Virginians in Prince William County.
Delegate Torian is Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He also serves on the Rules and General Laws Committees and the ABC/Gaming Subcommittee in the House of Delegates. He has been a Minister for over 35 years and has served as Pastor of First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries since 1995. Delegate Torian lives in Woodbridge with his wife, Clarice. They are the proud parents of their daughter, Constance.
Delegate Torian chairs Virginia’s Minority Business Commission and the Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission and is a member of the Commission on Employee Retirement Security and Pension Reform, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Revenue Estimates, and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees.
Delegate Torian earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Winston-Salem State University. He continued his education by pursuing graduate studies at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, then earning a Master of Divinity from the School of Theology at Virginia Union University. In 1987, Delegate Torian earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Howard University School of Divinity.
Since being elected to the General Assembly, Delegate Torian has successfully passed over 40 bills and resolutions including legislation improving education, housing, and criminal justice policies, ending surprise medical “balance billing,” promoting security in retirement, and benefitting the lives of veterans and their dependents and those living in assisted living facilities.
Contact the Campaign: here
Contribute: here
House District 73
Meet the candidate: Rodney Willett
A Virginia native who grew up in a family of teachers, Rodney has dedicated his career to public service. Rodney attended Virginia’s oldest university – The College of William and Mary – where he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees, and where he was instrumental in founding the Pulley Family Endowment, which supports public service work by students.
As an attorney, Rodney represented local governments in Virginia, where he learned firsthand what good governance can look like and the positive impact it can bring to working families. He was also instrumental in establishing and expanding free legal assistance programs while running his practice.
In the late ’90s, Rodney saw the potential for technology to transform government and created Virginia Interactive, where he led a public/private partnership with the Commonwealth to move information and citizen/business services online, helping put Virginia at the forefront of the online revolution.
Rodney then continued this work as a technology consultant at Impact Makers. Impact Makers’ “all profits to charity” model has led the company to contribute nearly $3 million in financial and pro bono support to nonprofits that help families facing health care, education, and housing issues.
In addition to serving others in his professional career and as an elected official, Rodney also volunteers on numerous boards and committees, including Rx Partnership which provides free or low-cost prescription medication fulfillment to uninsured Virginians, Virginia’s Children’s Health Insurance Advisory Board working to ensure the continuation of life-saving healthcare coverage for kids, the Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, and the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance championing its early learning through arts program for kids. He is a member of the Student Engagement and Leadership Advisory Board at the College of William and Mary where he founded the Pulley Family Endowment in order to fund public service work by student volunteers worldwide.
Rodney was elected to the House of Delegates in 2019. As a delegate representing the 73rd District, he helped pass laws improving Virginia’s early childhood educational opportunities, adolescent mental health programs, and environmental protections.
About the 73rd District:
A once deeply red district, the 73rd has become one of the most competitive districts in the House of Delegates. The district first flipped from red to blue in 2017, when former Delegate Debra Rodman defeated incumbent Delegate, John O’Bannon, by just 894 votes. In 2019 Delegate Willett defeated challenger Mary Margaret Kastelberg by just under 1,300 votes. The 73rd is fully encompassed by the 7th congressional district, and maintaining Democratic control of Henrico County is crucial to maintaining our majority in the House of Delegates, as well as keeping the 7th district blue.
Just one example on why we must defeat Mary Margaret Kastelberg:
Mary Margaret Kastelberg is running against Delegate Willett again, following her unsuccessful bid for the seat in 2019. She opposed Medicaid expansion, and is against government regulation of pharmaceutical companies. Kastelberg wants to see the Supreme Court overturn Roe versus Wade, taking away a woman’s right to a safe, legal abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, and went to the Capitol to march with pro-life extremists.
Kastelberg will not look out for hardworking Virginia families. The government charged Kastelberg’s investment firm with fraud and deceit for ripping off clients and the company was forced to pay more than six-million dollars back to consumers. Also, Kastelberg opposes any government oversight of Wall Street, which will only further enrich her business and her donors at our expense. We can’t count on Kastelberg when she can’t manage her own firm.
Contact the Campaign: here
Contribute: here
House District 42
Meet the candidate: Kathy Tran
Kathy Tran fled Vietnam with her parents as boat refugees when she was just seven months old. Her family risked everything to come to America in search of hope, opportunity, and freedom –values Kathy fights for every day in the House of Delegates.
As Delegate for Virginia’s 42nd District over the last four years, Kathy has passed 29 bills, including bills to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, expand voter access, improve worker’s rights, protect our waterways, and make Virginia more welcoming and inclusive.
Even before being elected, Kathy devoted her career to ensuring all workers have the chance to achieve the American Dream. She served for 12 years at the US Department of Labor and worked as an advocate with the National Immigration Forum.
She graduated from Duke University and earned her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Michigan. A past President of her local PTA, Kathy and her husband Matt live in West Springfield with their five children – and they are all avid Washington Nationals fans!
About HD-42: After 28 years of being a Republican strong-hold, Delegate Kathy Tran flipped this seat blue in 2017. In 2021 this race was named as a spotlight race by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and a remains a Democratic seat to protect in the House of Delegates. The 42nd district lies entirely within Fairfax County and includes parts of Mount Vernon, Springfield, Lorton and Fairfax Station. The 42nd is also home to some of Virginia’s greatest treasures: Mason Neck State Park and Mt. Vernon, President George Washington’s historic home.
Contact the Campaign: info@
Contribute: https://secure.
House District 63
Delegate Aird is running for reelection to fight for our community. As an African American mother with two school-aged children, she faces the same challenges as many of us, which fuels her passion to fight for Virginia families. As a delegate, she’s prioritized our students and teachers, getting schools funding to reopen safely. As a champion for our community, she expanded access to affordable health care. Her parents worked multiple jobs, so she’s incentivized job creation in communities that are struggling financially. Aird will keep fighting for us because she’s one of us.
About HD-63: District 63 was redrawn in 2019 and now includes suburban Chesterfield and rural Dinwiddie counties along with urban Petersburg. As a result this year we’re in a truly competitive race facing a GOP challenger.
For more information on the district please click here.
Contribute: here
House District 2
Meet the candidate: Candi Mundon King
In these unprecedented times, our community needs a Delegate like Candi King who not only understands the issues in the 2nd District, but also who can hit the ground running and start fighting for families on day one. With over a decade of experience in government and community relations, including securing millions of dollars in funding for underserved educational programs, Candi King knows how to get things done in Richmond.
Candi started her career as an intern in the Virginia House of Delegates and a student organizer at Norfolk State University where she was responsible for garnering support for the 2002 Higher Education Bond Referendum, which garnered over $900 Million dollars in funding for Virginia’s higher education institutions. Upon graduating, Candi served as the agency liaison for Norfolk State University, where she led efforts to address equitable funding for Virginia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Following her time in the General Assembly, she advocated on behalf of the world’s largest organization of African American women, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and spent three years running her small business and now works in philanthropy. As a mother of a special needs daughter, Candi helps families with special needs children navigate the education system and mentors high school students with the college admission process.
Candi was born and raised in the Commonwealth and earned a degree in political science from Norfolk State University. She and her husband Josh King, an Iraq War Veteran and Fairfax County Deputy Sheriff, live in Dumfries with their three children.
House District 2:
The 2nd District is situated along I-95 spanning from Prince William County down to Stafford. It includes zip codes in Woodbridge, Dumfries, Quantico, Triangle, and Stafford. For more information on the district please click here.
Just one example of why we must defeat Ciarcia:
Gina Ciarcia continues to share anti-mask rhetoric during one of the most deadly pandemics in American history. She will continue to stand in the way of any action to address this tragic epidemic. She also continues to push for fewer gun safety measures despite proof that gun safety measures work. Ciarica has shown time and time again that our safety is not of importance to her. These issues alone show how disinterested she is in preserving public health and public safety.
Contact the Campaign: https://www.
Contribute: here
That’s it for Volume V of our Flip-a-District Friday series. I encourage you to review this email and future editions to find a candidate or candidates whom you would like to support with your time or financial resources.Project Blue Dominion is committed to supporting Democratic candidates in every corner of the Commonwealth. Join us. The fight to defend and expand our majority is on
Best,
CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE TO BLUE DOMINION PAC
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