Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Askew graduated from Hampton University with a BA in in history in 2007 and UVA’s Political Leaders Program in 2018. Askew currently works as a Community Relations Coordinator with Sentara Healthcare in Norfolk, VA, and has dedicated the majority of his career to politics. Askew first worked as a field organizer with Organizing for America (Virginia) in support of the Obama Campaign in 2012, before working as a Headquarters Fellow for the Obama inauguration in the same year. Askew has also worked in a leadership capacity in the campaigns of former Senator Vincent Shaheen (D-SC), Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and Virginia Delegate Zay Jones [1, 2, 7].
Askew was elected as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 2019 to represent the 85th District and lost the 2021 election to Delegate Karen Greenhalgh. During his time in the Virginia General Assembly, Askew produced 9 bills that were signed into law [1, 2].
Key Issues
Environment
Askew wants to collaborate with other state and federal agencies in order to improve the disaster preparedness of Hampton Roads and supports Virginia staying in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative [8].
Gun Policy
Askew wants to pass common-sense legislation that will promote public safety concerns through greater regulation of the sale and proliferation of firearms [8].
Endorsements
No endorsements could be found.
Sources
1 Alex Askew for Delegate
2 Ballotpedia
3 Facebook
4 Vote Smart
5 StateScape
6 Twitter
7 LinkedIn
8 Virginian Pilot
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Incumbent
Background
Jenkins attended Southeastern Baptist Theology Seminary and Saint Leo Univestiy, where he received a BA in human resource administration – Jenkins was also certified as a real estate salesperson from the Alpha School of Real Estate. Jenkins worked as a subcontracts administrator with Earl Industries, LLC from 2005 to 2010 and as a Subcontracts Administrator with BAE Systems since 2011 [7].
Jenkins first ran for election to Virginia House of Delegates District 76 in 2019, and was first elected in 2021. During his time in the House of Delegates, Jenkins serves on the Counties, Cities, and Towns, General Laws, and Public Safety Committees, and has sponsored 25 bills during his service [1].
Key Issues
Abortion
Jenkins wants to protect the women’s right to choose by perserving the current aboriton regulations in Virginia, and believes that access to abortion is directly related to the health and maternal mortality rates, especialy among women of African-American descent [2].
Education
Jenkins wants to establish literacy standards that will promote the success of all students regardless of race or ethnicity, and that teacher’s salaires are increased in order to respond to critical shortages. Jenkins also supports the institution of universal pre-kindergarten schooling [2].
Endorsements
VoteVets; Giffords; Climate Cabinet Action; Virginia Education Association; Freedom Virginia; Virginia Democrats Veterans and Military Families Caucus; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
Sources
1 Ballotpedia
2 Clinton Jenkins
3 Virginia General Assembly
4 Facebook
5 WAVY
6 BillTrack50
7 LinkedIn
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Incumbent
Background
Lucas was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and graduated cum laude from Norfolk State University in 1976 with a BS in vocational industrial education. In 1982, she earned a MA degree, graduating magna cum laude, with a concentration in human resources planning and administration. Lucas began working as an apprentice shipfitter at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1971, becoming the first female shiplifter in the organization’s history, and subsequently held positions as an engineering draftsman and a naval architect technician. In 1985, she transitioned to the non-profit sector, becoming the Interim Executive Director of the Southeastern Tidewater Opportunity Project and later was appointed as the Executive Director, holding this position until 1992. She joined NSU as an assistant professor from 1994 to 1998, and is the President/CEO of several organizations, including Lucas Lodge, Lucas Transportation, Portsmouth Day Support Program, and Southside Direct Care Provider, all operating in The Lucas Professional Center in Portsmouth [1, 2].
Lucas began her formal political career in June 1984 where she became the first African American woman to serve on the Portsmouth City Council. She was first elected to the Virginia General Assembly as a senator in November 1991, and has served as Chairwoman of the Senate Local Government Committee and President Pro Tempore of the Senate since 2020. Lucas’s committees include Education & Health, Courts of Justice, Finance, Local Government, and Rules. Lucas also ran for election to Virginia’s 4th Congressional District in 2001, but was unsuccessful [1, 3].
In 2020, Lucas was charged with two felonies for her involvement in a protest at a Confederate monument in Portsmouth, VA. These charges were later dismissed due to insufficient evidence [6].
Key Issues
Criminal Justice
Clark wants to reduce incarceration rates and improve rehabilitation programs for individuals in the criminal justice system [1]
Education
Lucas wants to improve education in Virginia by supporting measures to increase funding for public schools, reduce class sizes, and initiatives to enhance educational opportunities for students in the state [1].
Endorsements
No endorsements could be found.
Sources
1 Senator Louise Lucas
2 Senate of Virginia
3 Ballotpedia
4 X
5 Bill Track 50
6 The Hill
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Myra Payne was raised in Tennessee on a farm until she graduated from high school. She began a career in healthcare soon after by volunteering with the Red Cross and working with local hospitals. Payne has multiple degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Nursing Science in Adult Health Nursing, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Divinity. [1,2,4]
After receiving her nursing degree, Payne joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1984. She served in Iraq in the early 2000s, where she supervised nursing care before retiring in 2007. She participates in her community through advocacy on the United Way Committee on Diversity and through support of Historically Black Colleges. [1,2,4]
Key Issues
Economy
Payne wants to make sure all Virginians have a fair and livable wage. She wants to create access to affordable housing programs. [1,4]
Gun Rights
Payne describes fighting for responsible gun ownership as a top priority. She wants to increase requirements for lost or stolen firearms, as well as enforce a mandatory law on locks and safes. [1,4]
Healthcare
Payne wants to fight for healthcare reform to make healthcare more affordable. She wants to ensure all Virginians have access to health insurance. [1,2,4]
Reproductive Rights
Payne is pro-choice. She wants individuals to make their own decisions about abortion. [1,4]
Endorsements
Virginia Beach Democratic Committee; Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Sources
1 Myra Payne for Senate
2 WAVY
3 Facebook
4 Virginian-Pilot
5 Ballotpedia
6 VPAP
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Luevanos graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Luevanos was born in the immigrant community of Ventura County, California, and experienced domestic violence. Luevanos is a mother of two, a disabled Navy Veteran, and a community volunteer. After serving in the Navy, Luevanos was brought to Virginia Beach where she worked as a DOD contractor at NAS Oceana and Naval Station in Norfolk. Luevanos is currently pursuing her Master’s degree and is her niece’s caregiver [1, 2, 3].
Key Issues
Education
Luevanos wants to expand public education to include more early childhood education, assist immigrant students by providing for ESL teachers, and wants to support free school meals. She also wants to make school more accessible through proper transportation resources [1].
Gun Policy
Luevanos wants to store guns responsibly, remove automatic weapons from the market, and disarm those who have records of domestic abuse and violent crimes to prevent gun violence [1].
LGBTQIA+
Luevanos wants to block bills discriminating against the LGBTQIA+ community and wants to secure rights for the LGBTQIA+ community including access to quality healthcare [1].
Endorsements
Pro-Choice Endorsed; 90 for 90; Blue America; Juntos por Virginia; National Organization for Women; VA Democrats Veterans & Military Families Caucus; Equality Virginia; Freedom Virginia
Sources
1 Victoria Luevanos
2Candidate Profile: Victoria Luevanos
3 LinkedIn
4 VPAP
5 Virginia 20th Senate District race
6 The Virginian Pilot
7 Ballotpedia
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Jones graduated from Bryant and Stratton College in 2011 with a BBA – during her education, Jones worked as a Clerk with the Northampton County Department of Social Services, a Special Education Paraprofessional with Northampton County Public Schools, and as a Mental Health Specialist with Agape Counseling Therapeutic. Jones has also worked as the Owner of Vision Focus Business Consulting, LLC since 2007 [3].
Jones is also the first African American to chair the Northampton County School Board and led the initiative of strategic planning for the Northampton TECH center (an alternative education program), as well as serving as a member of the Northampton County Education Foundation [3].
Key Issues
Community
Jones wants to provide living wages to workers in schools, hospitals, and other public beneficiaries such as bus drivers, and also supports an increase in affordable workforce housing for teachers [3].
Education
Jones wants to promote student’s vocational education through public schools, believing that they should be career ready by the time of graduation, and wants to sure that more schools, especially those in rural localities, are guaranteed the necessary funding to ensure equity in education [3].
Endorsements
VA Dems Women’s Caucus, Care for VA Candidate, Rural Groundgame, National Democratic Redistricting Committee
Sources
1 Ballotpedia
2 WAVY
3 Jones 4 Delegate
4 VPAP
5 Virginian Pilot
6 Eastern Shore Post
7 LinkedIn
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Porterfield attended Hawaii Pacific University and Irvine Valley College, studying English/communications and journalism, respectively. Porterfield has worked in journalism in California, Arizona, Delaware, and Virginia, is a navy wife, and is currently a realtor and property manager for Atkinson Realty. Porterfield’s son currently attends Virginia Beach City Public Schools [2, 6, 7].
Porterfield is running because “Virginia has a rich history of progress and inclusivity,” and she believes that dangerous extremists are trying to reverse this [3].
Key Issues
Education
Porterfield believes that public schools deserve time and attention and wants to give more money to teachers and students through increased funding. Porterfield believes that schools should prioritize teaching students how to be responsible instead of how “to be a test score” [3].
Environment
Porterfield wants to keep Virginia in the Regional Greenhouse Gases Initiative, which promotes the development of energy-efficient and flood-protected homes. Porterfield also wants to introduce further construction grants that would benefit coastal communities [2].
Reproductive Rights
Porterfield wants to introduce legislation like that of California, where the government does not have the right to interfere or deny a woman an abortion [2].
Endorsements
Freethought Equality Fund PAC, People for the American Way, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
Sources
1 Ballotpedia
2 Pilot Online
3 WAVY
4 Cat Porterfield
5 Team Democracy
6 13 News Now
7 LinkedIn
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Michael Feggans is a graduate of Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He went on to study at Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, and Norfolk State so he values the importance of education in our community. In college, he was elected to the Base Enlisted Advisory Council and got his bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration [1, 3, 5].
He was accepted as one of the first enlisted active-duty Air Force Congressional interns and assigned to the Norfolk office of Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). He led the aeromedical evacuation operations for injured service members returning from Afghanistan and served as the medical IT mission planner. He was stationed back in the Hampton Roads and served on the City of Virginia Beach Cybersecurity Committee. He was a cybersecurity intern and eventually got his master’s in cybersecurity from Norfolk State [1, 2, 3, 4, 6].
Key Issues
Economy
Feggans wants to advocate for high-tech transitional skills training to promote job creation [1].
Education
Feggans wants to fully fund the public school system to ensure equal opportunities [1].
Environment
Feggans wants to protect our environment and support renewable energy jobs to support and combat the local flooding, and sea level rise [1].
Gun Control
Feggans wants to push common sense gun safety measures to keep our community safe [1].
Industry
Feggans wants to support small businesses and entrepreneurs to promote the economy [1].
Reproductive Rights
Feggans wants to defend women’s rights and vote against abortion bans; he believes it should be up to the people involved rather than the state [1].
Endorsements
Governor Terry McAuliffe, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, Congresswoman Elaine Luria, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Senator Aaron Rouse, Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, Delegate Cliff Hayes, Delegate Dan Helmer, Former Delegate Alex Askew, Former Delegate Jay Jones, Former Delegate Nancy Guy, Former Delegate Bobby Mathieson, Derrick Wood Mayor of Dumfries, Karen Jackson Former Virginia Secretary of Technology, Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond Virginia Beach City Council Member, Jennifer Rouse Virginia Beach City Council Member, Trenace Riggs VBCPS Board Chairwoman, Kim Melnyk VBCPS Board Member, Staci Martin VBCPSl Board Member, Carlos Clanton Norfolk School Board Member, Phil Kellam Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue, Sharon Felton Former VBCPS Board Member, Carolyn Rye Former VBCPS Board Member
Sources
1 Micheal Feggans
2 Ballotpedia
3 LinkedIn
4 VPAP
5 Wavy News 10
6 Sister District
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Incumbent
Background
Grave graduated with an associate of science degree in business administration from Tidewater Community College and a BS in business with a concentration in marketing from Old Dominion University. Grave also attended the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, and currently works as the Principal Broker with Angelia Realty & Property Management Company in Norfolk, VA [1].
Grave has worked for the City of Norfolk since 2001, was later appointed to the Norfolk Public Libraries Board of Trustees and the Norfolk City Council in 2010, and was the co-chair of the Commission on Poverty Reduction City of Norfolk. Grave was appointed as Vice-Mayor of the City of Norfolk in 2014, and was later elected to the 90th District of Virginia’s General Assembly in 2021. Grave was named the 2023 Legislator of the Year by the Hampton Bar Association [1, 7].
Key Issues
Abortion
Grave wants to codify abortion access in Virginia and has announced her intention to reject any proposal that infringes on reproductive rights already available to Virginia women [3].
Education
Grave wants to limit the politicization of education by increasing the protections available to teachers against persecution based on their teaching practices, and also wants to fully fund public schools to improve the general quality of education [3].
Public Safety
Grave wants to enforce strong gun safety laws in order to prevent the onset of violence in Norfolk communities, as well as supporting legislation to invest in violence intervention programs and reform the criminal justice system [1]
Endorsements
Hampton Roads Faith Leaders; Governor Ralph Northam; Governor Terry MacAuliffe; Senator Tim Kaine; Councilwoman Danica Royster; Norfolk Treasurer Daun Hester; Senator Aaron Rouse; Martin A. Thomas Jr., Norfolk City Vice Mayor
Sources
1 Angelia Williams Grave
2 Ballotpedia
3 WAVY
4 Facebook
5 VPAP
6 Virginian-Pilot
7 LinkedIn
Key Facts
Party
Democrat
Status
Challenger
Background
Rouse graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007 with a BA in sociology, before beginning a professional football career with the Green Bay Packers (2007-2009), New Your Giants (2009), and Arizona Cardinals (2010). Rouse retired from the league in 2011, working in the Virginia Beach community through the creation of his non-profit organization Rouse’s House, which focused on establishing education for underprivileged youth [2, 7].
In 2018, Rouse ran for an at-large seat in the Virginia Beach City Council and was elected along with incumbent John Moss. In 2020, he ran for mayor against Bobby Dyer, but dropped out of the race due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rouse replaced Jen Kiggans (R-VA2) in Virginia’s 7th Senate District in the January 2023 special election, defeating Kevin H. Adams. For his public service, Rouse has been awarded the Changemaker of the Year Award by Volunteer Hampton Roads and the 2019 History Maker Award by the Virginia Beach NAACP [2].
Key Issues
Economy
Rouse wants to build new economic opportunities by raising the minimum wage to $15/hour, increasing salaries for education and public safety professionals, and lowering taxes for small businesses. Rouse supports measures to attract good paying jobs to the region by investing in job training, increasing funding for affordable housing, and lowering the cost of health care [2].
Education
Rouse wants to ensure equal education opportunities for each child to obtain high quality education by raising teacher salaries, modernizing school infrastructures and expanding job-training for students [2].
Healthcare
Rouse wants to make health care affordable as well as protecting access to abortion – specific measures he’s proposed include lowering prescription drugs, increasing access to health care coverage for every family, defending abortion rights and ensuring contraceptives for everyone [2].
Endorsements
Mark Warner, U.S. Senator; Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator; Bobby Scott, U.S. Congressmen; Elaine Luria, Former Congresswoman; Ralph Northam, Former Governor; Don Beyer, U.S. Congressman; Abigail Spanberger, U.S. Congresswoman; Jennifer McClellan, U.S. Congresswoman
Sources
1 Virginia General Assembly
2 Rouse for Senate
3 Facebook
4 Virgina Tech
5 Ballotpedia
6 WAVY
7 LinkedIn
