I hate headlines like this.

I’m thrilled, of course, that it shows we have a lead. But I worry that it will cause voters to assume too much. To presume the outcome is a done deal. To think we can coast to victory. And–most frighteningly–to conclude that they don’t even need to vote.

That is not the case. Don’t anyone think that for an instant!

We have to keep our foot on the accelerator, to keep working, to keep giving, to keep knocking doors, and to make absolutely sure we win this thing, and win BIG.

We have four more great candidates to highlight for you in this week’s Flip and Defend-a-District. I hope that you can take a moment to learn more about them and support them however you can.

At Project Blue Dominion, we are committed to uplifting every Virginia Democratic candidate with our Flip and Defend-a-District newsletter. This week, we are highlighting:

With Virginia in the national spotlight, the stakes are higher than ever—and you have the power to help elect Democrats. Every candidate highlighted in this newsletter deserves your support. As we race to election day, we need to stay energized, stay united, and seize this historic opportunity.

Born in Hampton and raised in Highland Springs, Nicole Cole is Virginian through and through.

As a member of the Spotsylvania County Public School Board, she’s proven she can fight for funding, equity, and resources to improve the quality of education for students. In the House of Delegates, she aims to expand on that mission and build a stronger Virginia for everyone.

A small business owner, nonprofit leader, and mother of three, Nicole is no stranger to wearing many hats. In addition to her work on the School Board, Nicole has served on the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors’ Citizen Budget Review Committee and as President of the Board of Directors of the Rappahannock YMCA.

In 2022, Nicole founded the Pathways to Success Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on education and education advocacy, and served as board president for Higher Education and Learning Professional (HELP) Consulting, Inc., a national nonprofit delivering programming in college and career readiness, social justice, and education-centered grant consulting.

Straddling I-95 between Richmond and Fredericksburg, House District 66 is a true swing seat.

In 2024, voters in the district voted to re-elect both Donald Trump and Senator Tim Kaine, and it swung hard for Youngkin in 2021.

In that same year, Nicole in her first election was the only Democrat on the ballot to win a seat in Spotsylvania.

While polling is strong for Democrats, we can’t ignore the fact that Youngkin’s handpicked successor will be at the top of the ticket. Nicole will need as much support as possible to flip the seat and help expand our House majority.

Nicole is set to take on Delegate Orrock in November. Having served in the House since 1990, Orrock is one of the most senior Republicans in Richmond. But in a review of his voting record this year, it is clear he is worried about re-election. In the 2025 session, Orrock didn’t vote on several key bills, trying to avoid a record that hurt him with either party’s voter base. This included legislation regulating schools, healthcare for minors, reproductive rights, and Virginia’s cannabis marketplace.

Eric Klotz is a proven military leader who is ready to bring that experience to Richmond on behalf of House District 39.

A decorated Navy combat veteran who served in the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC), Klotz enlisted at age 18 and began his naval career as a nuclear welder on an aircraft carrier. He later transitioned into special operations and has deployed all over the world.

While overseas in 2006, Eric sustained significant injuries and once fully recovered he continued to deploy, working an additional eight years conducting intelligence operations throughout Africa before retiring in 2014.

Now, after relocating to southwest Virginia in 2016, Eric is running to bring better education, affordable healthcare, and stronger infrastructure to his community. With a unique blend of military discipline, healthcare expertise, and a heartfelt commitment to community service, Eric is ready to make a lasting impact.

House District 39 straddles Virgil H Goode Highway south of Roanoke in the Virginia Mountains region.

While Trump carried the district by double digits in 2024, strong environmental conditions and an equally strong candidate may bring the seat into play this cycle.

In the November Election, Eric is set to take on incumbent GOP Delegate Will Davis. Davis is a lawyer and political novice first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. In that time, he has been one of the most consistent votes for GOP party bosses in Richmond, voting in lockstep with the party on 97% of recorded votes.

In the 63rd district, Democrats have another seasoned military veteran on the ballot: Forrest Miller.

Originally from Alabama, Forrest enlisted in the US Army in 2000, went on to graduate from the Warrant Officer Cadet School in 2009, and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in 2021.

After a military career that took him around the globe, Forrest settled in Spotsylvania County with his wife Jamie, a fellow veteran and law enforcement officer/school resource officer, and his two children.

A former Republican, Forrest is now seeking elected office as a Democrat in response to the deterioration he has seen across the GOP.

“Right now, we are all emotional about what’s happening in Washington and throughout the Country. I know I am,” says Forrest. “I think our challenge is to turn that emotion into motivation. My goal is to get this message out to the Democrats, Republicans, and everyone in between that lives in District 63. We need to let everyone in the District know that we are ready for a change and there is an option available.”

“In my military career, I learned that real leadership begins by taking care of people. We need to return the government to this style of leadership where we empower people by creating the opportunities and services they need.”

Located north and south of Colonial Highway between Fredericksburg and Orange, House District 63 has seen growing Democratic performance since the last gubernatorial election.

A Democratic win in the seat depends on strong turnout in the growing Fredericksburg suburbs and a weak GOP turnout statewide.

Forrest is set to take on Delegate Phillip Scott , who is seeking his third term in the House of Delegates. Like many of his GOP colleagues, Scott is laser focussed on making it more difficult for Virginians to vote. In 2023, he introduced legislation to shorten Virginia’s early voting period to just 14 days, down from the 45 days we currently enjoy.

Del. Candi King has served in the General Assembly since 2021 and is ready to build on everything she has learned in her next term.

In the GA, Candi has been a ceaseless advocate for working women, introducing bills to improve healthcare services and awareness for new moms dealing with postpartum depression.

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.

Located along I-95 between Dade City and Stafford, House District 23 includes rapidly growing Dumfries and Quantico.

A reliable Democratic district, high turnout here will be key to any statewide Democratic victories in November.

This November, Candi is set to take on James Tully, a local Marine veteran and retired Fairfax Sheriff. Tully is running a textbook Republican social issues campaign focused on criminalizing abortion, legislating youth sports, and expanding gun access to almost anyone with a pulse.

That’s it for Volume 9 of our Flip and Defend-a-District Friday series. We’ll be back next week and every week until Election Day to share more about our great candidates. In the meantime, 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 protect and expand our House majority is on.

Best,

Rip Sullivan