From the VA House Democrats:
| House Democrats Kick Off “Standing Up for Virginia” Tour with Petersburg Town Hall |
| VIRGINIA — The Virginia House Democratic Caucus kicked off its statewide “Standing Up for Virginia” tour on Tuesday with a town hall in Petersburg, where more than 100 community members joined Speaker Don Scott, Senator Lashrecse Aird, Delegate Dan Helmer, and Kimberly Pope Adams, Democratic candidate for HD-82, for a lively discussion on the issues facing Petersburg families. |
|
|
[Kimberly Pope Adams, Democratic candidate for HD-82, and Del. Dan Helmer (HD-10) at “Standing up for Virginia” town hall in Petersburg, VA.] |
| Kimberly Pope Adams on Petersburg deserving better representation in Richmond:
“For too long, Petersburg has been talked about but not fought for. We’ve seen the cameras roll in, we’ve seen the promises made, and then we’ve also seen resources vanish after the spotlight fades away. That’s not leadership. That’s just politics. And Petersburg deserves better. We are not a photo op, we are a community, and we are a community that deserves more. And what inspires me the most is that despite Petersburg being overlooked for so long, Petersburg’s potential is still right here waiting to be fully realized, and that’s what this campaign is about. It’s not just about fixing what’s broken, it’s about unlocking what’s possible.” Speaker Don Scott on the stakes of the election in November: “There are folks right now who do not know what it means to stand up to a tyrant. They are licking the boots of someone who is not worthy of having his boots licked. You need to understand healthcare is on the ballot. Public education, opportunity economy for every person, no matter your race, religion, creed, is on the ballot.” Sen. Lashrecse Aird on the need for accountability: “The upcoming election is so important and matters so much because we can’t afford to go backwards. There are a lot of people that talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. And right now, the representation that we have in the House of Delegates talks a good game, but check the records and the receipts, they are not there. There are many people who expect you to not do your homework. There are many people who expect you to not hold them accountable, and the current representative of this district is one of those people.” Del. Dan Helmer on the risks of MAGA extremism: “We have never seen more risk to this community, our community, our Commonwealth, than these MAGA Republicans who are doing everything they can to undermine our security, to make it hard to live. We need new leadership for this community.” |
|
| [Del. Dan Helmer (HD-10), Sen. Lashrecse Aird (SD-13), Kimberly Pope Adams, Democratic candidate for HD-82, and Speaker Don Scott (HD-88) at the “Standing up for Virginia” town hall in Petersburg.] |
| The “Standing Up for Virginia” tour is a series of town halls and events across the Commonwealth — including in red-leaning and rural districts — where Republicans remain too afraid of Donald Trump to stand up for their own constituents.
The tour underscores Virginia’s role as a national bellwether and an early test of how voters are responding to Trumpism ahead of 2026 — and Virginia House Democrats are making it clear they’re ready to lead. |
|
### |
