As you may recall, back on January 7, VA State Senator Adam Ebbin (D-SD39) was named by then-Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger to serve in her administration as Senior Advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. That, in turn, triggered a special election for Sen. Ebbin’s Alexandria/Arlington/Fairfax deep-blue seat, won easily by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (who was endorsed by Sen. Ebbin, then won the Democratic nomination 71%-17% and cruised to victory in the special election on February 10). So anyway, today was Sen. Ebbin’s last day serving in the Virginia General Assembly, which he’s done since January 2004 — (first in the House of Delegates, then in the State Senate starting in January 2012.
Personally, I’ve always liked and respected Adam Ebbin, thought he was super-smart, really knew his stuff, worked very hard, had a great deal of integrity, and cared deeply about doing the best job he could for his constituents. Although, for whatever reason(s), we often didn’t agree on endorsements in Democratic primaries, going back to the 2006 U.S. Senate primary between Jim Webb (I was a co-founder of “Draft James Webb”) and Harris Miller (who Ebbin supported). Also, in 2007-2008, Ebbin supported Hillary Clinton for president, while I ended up supporting Barack Obama. But we did agree on Joe Biden for president after Biden’s victory in South Carolina on February 29, 2020, so we weren’t always on different sides of primaries. [Also note, when Ebbin ran for US House in 2014, I stayed neutral, as I liked a bunch of the people running…plus it seemed obvious to me that Don Beyer was going to win easily, given Beyer’s huge name ID, massive war chest, plus the fact that there were a dozen or so people “not named Don Beyer” in that race — something I told Ebbin on the phone, and which I don’t think he particularly appreciated at the time, lol.
Anyway, with that, thanks very much to Sen. Ebbin for his public service over all these years; see below for video and transcript of Sen. Ebbin’s farewell speech, which was very moving and well delivered, as well as colleagues paying tribute to him. That includes Sen. Louise Lucas with a remark that had everyone laughing: “If you’ve ever worked with Senator Ebbin on a bill and especially on cannabis, you know what it’s like to be down in the weeds.” LOL
“Thank you, Madam President. Serving this body has been the greatest honor of my life, representing Northern Virginia in the General Assembly, my adopted home since 1989 has been a responsibility that I haven’t taken lightly. I started off representing 80,000 people in the House, and became a voice for 216,000 Virginians in a Senate district that speaks more than 127 native languages from 10th generations to new Americans. I did it because I believed government could be a force for good – not perfect, not always fast, and certainly not easy, but transformative. And after all these years, I believe that more strongly than ever.
We are a 406-year old institution. But when I arrived, the distinct honor of being a first in the General Assembly and being an openly gay elected official 22 years ago didn’t earn you book deals or talk show appearances, just a seat in a deep minority across the hall. Still, being out was a fact that felt both deeply personal and unavoidably public. I was proud, but I was also aware that simply by being here, I carried a responsibility larger than myself. In a caucus of just 34 in a 100 member chamber, sometimes simply being here felt like all you could do. But over the years, Virginia has changed, and thankfully, so has this assembly. Today, there are LGBT Virginians serving openly, authentically, and unapologetically at every level of government. I see them in the hallways of this institution every day. Call them colleagues, future leaders, even Mr. Secretary. And that progress did not happen by accident. And I’m deeply humbled to have played a role in helping move this Commonwealth closer to a place we can all be proud of. I swore to myself that I wouldn’t leave until there was at least one, just one more out lesbian or gay General Assembly member. But when I leave, I’m proud we’ll have an eight member LGBTQ caucus. And if anyone on the other side of the aisle wants to come out, you will be more than welcome. We’re still waiting on that first openly gay Republican.
We are lucky, though. We are all lucky. We’re lucky to have experienced more firsts than any other generation of legislators. First, women of color in leadership positions. The senators from Portsmouth and Hampton. First Muslim members. First Asian American members. First transgender member. First Asian-American. First female and first Jewish speaker. First Black speaker. First Black attorney general. And you, Madam President, the first Muslim lieutenant governor in the country.
For all of us who are firsts, perhaps our greatest reward is reaching the next generation. When I was a kid, I feared that being openly gay meant you couldn’t serve at all in public office or achieve much of anything if you’re open. But I hope my service has made it easier for all young people who are different to know that they too can serve. And today, the General Assembly is truly a much more representative citizen legislature than Thomas Jefferson could have ever envisioned. This alone has led to the ability to craft more compassionate, more thoughtful, and more inclusive policies. As Mr. Jefferson said, laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind as that becomes more developed, more enlightened, and manners and opinions change, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. And I’m pleased to say that we have. We enacted major policies that protect and advance civil rights, strengthen education, expand access to health care, safeguard our environment, stand up for working people. And yes, we passed a few bills that required infinite patience.
I’m particularly proud of the work that we did, ensuring Virginia modernized state law to protect LGBT people from discrimination in their daily lives, including in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The Virginia Values Act of 2020, my proudest achievement, established new protections for all Virginians. This law, the first of its kind in the South, passed with strong bipartisan support, including nine Republican votes. Then-Delegate Mark Sickles partnered with me on this legislation, and former Senator Jill Vogel provided key support. And now, this November, after 20 years, Virginians will finally be able to vote on the Marriage Equality Amendment, which will protect the ability to marry who you love. It’s time for our state constitution to accurately reflect the law of the land.
Would I be remiss if I didn’t talk about the elephant in the room? And Madam President Pro Tem would be disappointed if I didn’t. Cannabis. When I first entered the General Assembly, I saw too many lives upended by simple marijuana charge, jobs lost, futures delayed, families hurt. And for too long, that harm was baked into our lives. That is no longer the case. The times have changed, and so have our laws. So many people have picked up the torch on cannabis. In 2020, House Majority Leader Charniele Herring joined me to sponsor legislation decriminalizing marijuana. The next year, she and Senator Lucas worked closely with me to pass the law legalizing possession of marijuana. And now Senator Aird and Delegate Krizek will carry the bill across the finish line…
But as I reflect on the past two decades, I remember some special moments early in my time here. I would look up at the ceiling in this beautiful Capitol as a daily reminder of the rich history of the General Assembly. In 2006, I felt the full weight of history as the 400th anniversary of the signing of the charter for the Virginia Company. Beneath the vaulted stone ceilings of the Honorable Society of the Middle Temple in London, where the legal profession was born. And on January 17th, we all witnessed Governor Abigail Spanberger make history and shatter the glass ceilings ceiling.
To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, thank you. In a time when cynicism is easy, this body has reminded me that public service, at its best, is still an honorable calling. We are sent here to do big and important things, but sometimes it’s the seemingly small courtesies and human moments that remind us we do our best work when we engage with each other as people first. I still remember Delegate Jeion Ward, soon to be the last serving member of the House class of 2004, who would bring me lox and bagels in her purse to make sure I had breakfast… and I will miss the fun moments I had with former Senators Jennifer Wexton, Jill Vogel, and Janet Howell.
There are many people to thank. First, I want to acknowledge my mother and stepfather. If they hadn’t come to Alexandria and campaigned for me relentlessly in 2003, I would never have won by 43 votes in a five-way primary. They’re my biggest supporters, and I thank my family and loved ones for their patience and understanding of a job that rarely respects evenings, weekends or holidays. And I’ve been fortunate to know many great local officials who I’ve been able to turn to for advice and counsel, among them Alexandria’s mayor Alyia Gaskins, our former mayor Justin Wilson, Delegate elect Kirk McPike, and former Arlington board member Katie Cristol. Delegate Patrick Hope has been a great friend and partner on our multiyear effort to stop the sale of vapes to children.
Senator Howell used to say that I was the best prepared senator, but the truth is, I only looked good because of some phenomenal legislative aides, including Benjamin Jones, Parker Treichel, Chris Lane and Henry Watkins. To the Senate staff, the DLS, the Senate finance team and the clerk’s office. Those that support our daily needs and especially my own team. You are extraordinary. You make us look smarter than we are. Keep us on schedule mostly, and ensure that the real people behind the policies are never forgotten. Any success attributed to me belongs just as much to you.
However, it’s only with the support of my constituents that I could be a force for progressive change. Thank you to the people of Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax, including the people I formerly represented in Mount Vernon, much to the great frustration of the Senator from Eastern Fairfax for trusting me to be a voice. The 39th district will be in excellent hands with Senator-elect Elizabeth Bennett-Parker. But as I reflect on the past 22 years, the words of a Jesus Jones song come to mind – ‘right here, right now, there is no place I’d rather be watching the world wake up from history’. I’ve been witness to and part of history together. We’ve all made a difference.
As I leave this chamber, I do so with optimism. Optimism, because Virginia’s story continues to be a story where even a short, transplanted New Yorker who sometimes doesn’t know when to shut up can be welcomed and given a chance to join the oldest continuous operating legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. This will always be a noble arc that drives us to opportunity, fairness and inclusion. The people in this chamber and those that follow us care deeply about getting it right. I may be leaving this desk, but I’m not leaving public life. I will always believe that who you are should never limit how fully you can serve. The day I was first sworn into the House, my late Aunt Janice gave me a note that I always kept behind my desk. It said, never forget the little guy and Aunt Janice, if you’re watching from above, I hope I’ve lived up to your words. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Virginia.”
- Here’s VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell’s tribute to Sen. Ebbin: “He proved…his reputation…by working on it bill by bill, issue by issue, speech by speech, showing everybody how prepared, how thoughtful, how serious of a legislator he was. And he’s going to walk out of this place with a quite an impressive set of achievements and a whole lot to be proud of for what he’s done in the…23 years he’s served in the General Assembly…He’s been a a wonderful member of this body, wonderful member of the General Assembly. He’s an historic member, and I don’t think a lot of people realize or remember just how historic he is and is about to become.”
