We are in the peak of campaign season here in late September. And you know what that means… campaign ads. Plenty of campaign ads. There will be millions of dollars spent between now and election day with both sides trying to reach folks through their favorite football games, tv shows, and maybe even late night comedy shows.

Abigail Spanberger and her team are doing amazing work with their political ads this year. One of my favorites is the  one she put out in August calling out Winsome Earle-Sears for not thinking the reckless downsizing of the federal workforce is a “real issue”

I know a many Virginians understand that these outrageous federal policies ARE a real issue to thousands of federal workers, their families, and our economy, and recognize that Virginia is already starting to take a major hit from these actions.

We need to send a LOUD message to Winsome Earle-Sears and the Virginia GOP that Virginians want leaders who will fight to protect and support Virginians against these harmful policies. And that starts by supporting candidates like the ones highlighted in today’s Flip-and-Defend-a-District newsletter.

We have four great candidates to showcase in this week’s Flip and Defend-a-District. I hope that you are able to take a moment to learn more about them and support them in any way 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 united, be energized, and seize this historic opportunity.

Kacey Carnegie is a proud Deep Creek native, loving mother of two girls, respected community leader, and a dedicated attorney who has built her career and raised her family in the place that shaped her. Now, she’s running for office to be the change her region needs.

Kacey understands our community’s values and challenges and is running for Virginia House 89 to lower living costs for working individuals and families, improve public safety, and invest in education.

Growing up in a close-knit community taught Kacey the importance of support and collaboration. As a dedicated attorney and community leader, she advocates for families in the Chesapeake and Suffolk area and is actively involved in local organizations.

In addition to her work and her campaign, Kacey leads two Girl Scout troops and is the president of the Dance Moms group. She has also held various leadership roles in the Ruritan Club and raised funds to support local causes.

Kacey’s campaign is hosting a fundraiser with former Governor Ralph Northam and former First Lady Pam Northam this weekend as a final push to raise what they need to get over the finish line.

Even if you can’t attend, would you consider contributing any amount to help her have enough funds to win this November? I am confident any amount would be greatly appreciated.

Stretching from the Nansemond River to the North Carolina border, House District 89 will be one of the most watched seats on election night. It is definitely one we can win.

After Youngkin won the district handily, Democrats have managed a comeback. With conditions favoring  Kacey, it is one of the most likely seats to flip this cycle.

Kacey is running against GOP nominee Mike Lamonea in this November’s general election. A retired ICE investigator and Youngkin-aligned school board member, Lamonea’s entire political background may prove to be more of a liability than an asset in a district that has continued to shift away from right wing politicians.

Sam Soghor is a PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) dad, a special education instructional assistant, and a volunteer who steps up and does the hard work so underpaid teachers can get a lunch break. Now, he’s running to bring that same assistance and relief to everyone in House District 53.

As an Amherst County Public Schools dad, he participates in most County Board of Supervisors and County School Board meetings, advocating for better schools, fair pay, and the support our teachers deserve.

His decision to run for delegate is rooted in his belief that we must come together as a community and show the nation and the world that we stand united. He is not running to follow party lines, but to represent the best interests of his rural community in House District 53.

He vows to bring more money and resources from Richmond into his community without raising taxes. He will prioritize improving schools, expand healthcare accessibility, defend reproductive rights, take measures to protect the environment, work to end police brutality, and address the gun violence epidemic.

Wrapping around Lynchburg like a crescent, House District 53 is a beautiful swatch of Virginia.

A Democratic victory here depends on flipping purple districts near Lynchburg and Charlottesville while also lowering GOP margins in more rural precincts.

Sam is facing incumbent GOP freshman Delegate Tim Griffin. A stringent opponent of green energy, Griffin is campaigning on pulling back any progress made in Virginia’s efforts to fight climate change.

Randolph “Randy” Critzer is an attorney and Midlothian-local who has worked in every corner of the Commonwealth prior to returning home to begin his law practice in 2018.  He is married and father to a three year old son.

Now, he is running to bring generational change to the people of Central Virginia.

Randy is deeply committed to addressing the issues that affect his community and wants to give his district a stronger, younger voice at the state level. His ability to make connections both as a lawyer and as a citizen would be an incredible asset to the constituents of Chesterfield, Powhatan, Amelia, and Nottoway.

For Randy this race is about more than just replacing an incumbent — it’s about choosing a positive path forward for his district and Virginia. Randy will fight to bring down costs, make housing more affordable, and ensure everyone has affordable healthcare.  Randy will fight to protect reproductive rights and stand up for the rule of law and our Constitution.

Spread across four counties, House District 72 has a diverse constituency that includes both suburbs and farmland.

A Democratic victory in the district would require strong turnout in blue and purple areas of Chesterfield and Nottoway and a candidate who can make inroads in Powhatan and Amelia.

Randy is up against incumbent GOP Delegate Lee Ware. Ware has served the area since 1998 and has been a consistent GOP vote in Richmond. At a time when voters are calling for generational change, that may no longer be the asset it once was.

Closing out this week’s newsletter we have my fellow Delegate from Fairfax, Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra.

The daughter of a retired military veteran and social worker, Keys-Gamarra grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated from Tulane University. She received her J.D from Washington University School of Law. After her three sons were born, Keys-Gamarra was a full-time parent and volunteer. When she returned to practicing law, she became a Guardian Ad Litem, representing children’s best interests in cases of abuse, neglect, detention, adoption, and other areas of family law.

In the House of Delegates, Delegate Keys-Gamarra has sponsored legislation to improve Virginia’s foster care program, promote safety for disabled Virginians, expand access to cancer screenings, and restrict the use of solitary confinement in state facilities.

Based in Reston in Western Fairfax County, a strong showing in House District 7 will be key to powering a statewide Democratic victory in November.

Margins here will be a telltale sign of things to come on election night. Youngkin’s 30% showing in 2021 may not have seemed impressive at the time, but it was an early sign of what was ahead.

Delegate Keys-Gamarra is running against GOP nominee Cassandra Aucoin. Locals may remember Aucoin from her unsuccessful race for a seat on the Fairfax County School board in 2023, when she ran on Youngkin’s record and received just 10% of the vote.

That’s it for Volume 17 of our Flip and Defend-a-District Friday series! We’ll return 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(s) 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