Historic Number of Black Candidates Running in #Virginia in 2023

HISTORIC NUMBER OF BLACK CANDIDATES RUNNING in VIRGINIA 2023! A year after three African Americans appeared on the ballot in the Democratic primary for Governor for the first time in Virginia’s history, we see a surge in Black candidates in Virginia running for the General Assembly… and candidates are still filing. There are 40 State Senators and 100 Delegate seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and already there are close to 50 Black candidates who have already filed to run for office.

The new district numbers will be used after the General Assembly session.

Today, prominent community leader, NAACP President and Pastor Michelle Thomas will file to run for the House of Delegates in HD29.

In 1967, there was only one Black person in the Virginia General Assembly: Dr. Fergie Reid, Sr. who was elected to an at-large district in Richmond. Reid’s election happened eleven years after the organization he founded, the Crusade for Voters was established in Richmond in 1956. The Crusade was created to increase Black voting power, vet candidates and increase Black political awareness.

BLACK INCUMBENTS

INCUMBENTS: Current Black members of the Virginia General Assembly.

Several organizations have joined the Crusade’s mission over the years including Collective PAC, Higher Heights and attorney and fmr. Del. Jay Jones’ Meet Our Moment — which is specifically focused on Virginia. Black voters are the base of the Democratic Party in Virginia and in many key states in the U.S. The 2008 election of President Barack Obama, and his Vice President Joe Biden in 2020, cemented once again the fact that Black voters are the indispensable voting block on the road to victory for team blue.

The race between Rouse (D) and Adams (R) for SD07 is tonight.

President Obama’s primary defeat of Hillary Clinton featuring a diverse coalition of Americans was followed by an increase in Black candidates across the U.S. at the local, state a. Fourteen years later as demographics in the the Commonwealth become more diverse we see a surge of Black candidates in Virginia.

Feb. 21: The race for McClellan’s seat (SD09) will feature Del. Bagby.

The number one and number two voting blocks for Democrats are Black women and Black men. It should be no surprise that a record number of Black candidates will be on the ballot in 2023 in Virginia.

Rouse (D) vs. Adams (R) will be decided tonight.

Currently there are 21 Black members of the Virginia General Assembly and the third Black Lt. Governor in history, Winsome Sears, is President of the Virginia Senate. Sears is the highest ranking Black female ever elected in the Commonwealth’s history. January of 2024 could witness yet another historic first if Democrats win back the Virginia House. Del. Don Scott, who is the first Black Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates, could become the first Black Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Though there are several cases of Black candidates running against each other in primaries it’s certain that a record number of Black candidates will be on the ballot for the June 2023 primary and on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2023. That will likely lead to a record number of Black members of the General Assembly sworn-in in January 2024.

Redistricting means two Black Senators facing off in June 2023.

👊🏽 PRIMARIES. A number of Black candidates are likely to win with no serious primary challenge. Even though four Black members, Delegates Roz Tyler, Lashrecse Aird, Josh Cole and Alex Askew, of the Virginia General Assembly lost in 2021 as Glenn Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe on a red wave of rural voters, three of the four — Aird, Askew and Cole — will be on the ballot in 2023.

Though several Black candidates are running against each other for State Senate and House of Delegates there will still be more Black candidates running than ever before in Virginia’s history.

👊🏽 SD07. The first race of 2023 will take place tonight. Former Virginia Beach City Councilman Aaron Rouse (D) takes on Kevin Adams (R) for the State Senate seat left vacant after Rep-Elect Jen Kiggans (R) defeated incumbent Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D) on Nov. 8, 2022. (Rouse and Adams have filed to run in SD22 for 2023).

👊🏽 HD24. There’s also a special election tonight between Jade Harris (D) and the wife of Del. Ronnie Campbell, Ellen Campbell (R). Del. Ronnie🌹Campbell passed away on Dec. 13, 2022, prompting this special election in rural Virginia.

👊🏽 LUCAS V. SPRUILL. Because of a failure in redistricting strategy by Democrats, State Senator L. Louise Lucas (D) will most likely be running against State Senator Lionell Spruill (D) in the June primary — in a true clash of the titans… unless one of the Senators switches to run in another district.

👊🏽 CD04. Because of the death of Rep. A. Donald🌹McEachin there will now be a special election for the 4th congressional district. State Senator Jennifer McClellan (D) will take on Richmond Pastor Leon Benjamin (R) on Feb. 21. McClellan is heavily favored to make history as the first Black woman to be elected to Congress from Virginia.

Pastor Michelle Thomas is a major new entry, Luke Wright is running for Senate in Senate District 27.

👊🏽 CANDIDATE LIST… so far (using current seat numbers). Let’s look at Black candidates who are running in 2023 in Virginia!

CD04 - Jennifer McClellan v. Leon Benjamin 🚩Feb. 21 special
SD07 - Aaron Rouse / Kevin Adams 🚩Jan. 10 special. They will have to run again in SD22 in November.

SD09 - *Jennifer McClellan more to come
SD13 - Lashrecse Aird
SD14 - … about to be open for a special election
SD17 - Clint Jenkins
SD18 - *Louise Lucas / *Lionell Spruill
SD21 - Angelia Williams Graves
SD23 - *Mamie Locke
SD33 - Jennifer Foy / Hala Ayala

HD02 - Adele McClure
HD04 - *Charniele Herring
HD19 - Makya Little / Rozia Henson
HD20 - *Michelle Maldonado
HD23 - *Candi King
HD24 - Jade Harris
HD25 - *Briana Sewell
HD29 - Pastor Michelle Thomas
HD52 - *Luke Torian
HD54 - Dashad Cooper
HD64 - Leonard Lacey
HD65 - Josh Cole
HD76 - Debra Gardner
HD77 - Michael Jones
HD79 - *Jeff Bourne
HD79 - Rae Cousins / Ann Lambert
HD81 - *Delores McQuinn / Terrence Walker
HD82 - Victor MacKenzie / Kimberly Pope Adams
HD83 - Mary Person
HD84 - *Nadarius Clark
HD85 - *Cia Price
HD86 - *A.C. Cordoza
HD89 - Don Carey
HD92 - Bonita Anthony / Kim Sudderth
HD95 - Rick James
HD96 - Susan Hippen / Sean Monteiro / Brandon Hutchins
HD97 - Mike Feggans

* incumbent

The musical chairs candidates are engaged in after redistricting and unexpected vacancies will continue over the next few months. That could increase the number of Black candidates. Black Virginia News will continue to update these charts. Thank you to Fergie Reid, Jr. for your expertise and Sam Shirazi for your informative tweets and the Black Virginia News team across the Commonwealth.

This is what democracy looks like. 👨🏽‍💻 See what district you live in: whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov and polling place/voter registration info: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. VPAP updates on who is running https://www.vpap.org/elections/house/candidates/general/

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