FLIP-A-DISTRICT FRIDAY Volume I
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the 2021 Flip-a-District series.
With a record-breaking number of diverse and talented candidates, and exceptionally high Democratic enthusiasm, we are preparing for a historic November election that I am confident will keep Democrats in charge of the General Assembly.
We are ready to win in November.And we will continue to govern as we have for the last two years, bringing progressive change that lifts up all Virginians and makes Virginia the best place to live, work, raise a family, and do business.
The candidates Project Blue Dominion spotlights in our Flip-a-District series are the Democrats—incumbents and challengers—who Virginians need to elect to defend and expand our majority on November 2nd. The power that can and will put us over the top lies in your hands. It is the time, contributions, and activism of Virginia voters that will determine our collective future. I hope you will join us in seizing this historic opportunity.
District 51
Meet the candidate: Briana Sewell
Born and raised in Prince William County, Briana is the daughter of two high school sweethearts from Selma, Alabama. After graduating from the Prince William County public school system, Briana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from American University.
Coming from a military family, Briana's parents instilled in her the importance of integrity, and service to others. Briana has always been drawn to a career in public service because she recognizes the unlimited potential for good when intelligent and ethical leaders are in office.
Once Briana graduated from college, she served as District Director for Congressman Connolly, helping lead the office in community events and overseeing the strong constituent services team. In 2018, Briana accepted a new role to help establish the Virginia Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy. In this position, Briana worked to bring all factions together to support policies like paid family and medical leave, lower-cost child-care, affordable college and job training programs, and more affordable elder care options.
As a District Director, a community organizer, and in her current role as Chief of Staff to the County Chair, Briana has been listening to the people’s concerns for the entirety of her professional life. She understands the issues of District 51 because she’s witnessed them, lived through them, and will be ready to legislate on day one.
House District 51:
The 51st is a fully within the jurisdictional boundaries of Prince William County and covers the communities of Lake Ridge, Woodbridge, Bethel, Westridge, Kerrydale, Coles, Buckhall, Brentsville, and Nokesville.
Contact the campaign: here
Contribute here.
DISTRICT 10
Meet the candidate: Wendy Gooditis
About Wendy:
Delegate Gooditis is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (VA-10), representing parts of Clarke, Frederick, and Loudoun counties. She is a mother, former teacher, and 25-year member of our community. Wendy knows the consequences of not being able to get the health care a family needs—her brother, Brian, was unable to get access to proper health care and passed away four years ago. Wendy has served HD-10 since 2017, working to ensure that other Virginia families don’t have to experience similar devastating—and avoidable—losses.
Since taking office, Wendy has worked tirelessly to pass smart and impactful legislation to improve the lives of children and families across Virginia. She is focused on keeping Virginians safe and healthy, and revitalizing our economy as we move Virginia forward.
Before serving her community in public office, Delegate Gooditis worked as a teacher, real estate agent, and technologist. She lives in Millwood, Virginia with her husband, six horses, and two Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
About HD10
HD-10 is located in the western part of NoVA and is made up of portions of Loudoun, Clarke, and Frederick Counties.Wendy has proudly served HD-10 since she ousted the sitting Republican incumbent in 2017, Randy Minchew—who had represented the district since 2011—in an unprecedented seat flip for Virginia Democrats. In 2019, Minchew ran to reclaim his seat, spending more (over $500,000 of his own money) than he had in the previous race, only to lose to Wendy by a larger margin than in 2017.
Despite the increasing voter turnout trend in HD-10 and Wendy’s win margin in the last two elections, this seat is still competitive, and holding it in an off-year will be a challenge. HD-10 has repeatedly been designated as a “Toss-Up,” and Wendy will be facing a new Republican challenger who does not hold Minchew’s same “entrenched insider politician” status and who has very deep pockets.
What Wendy is up against
Wendy’s opponent is a former coal lobbyist, is staunchly anti-union, and is the grandson of major developers in the area. His family is funneling money into this race already and it is poised to be on the most expensive House of Delegates races this year..
Contact the campaign: liz@wendygooditis.com
Contribute here.
DISTRICT 27
Meet the candidate: Debra Gardner
After growing up in a rural community in North Carolina, Debra became the first person in her family to attend college, eventually earning a Masters of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she has also taught. She's lived in Chesterfield County for three decades. As a social worker, Debra has devoted many hours to working with veterans determined to overcome PTSD, with people recovering from addiction and she’s guided kids through the complexities of the foster-care system. Additionally, Debra has had a long, successful career working with government agencies and law enforcement to make Virginia safer. She has led or served as the chief deputy director of three state agencies: the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Department of Corrections, and the Commission on Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. Helping people, Debra says, is in her DNA
House District 27:
HD-27 is located primarily within Chesterfield County. Winning here would be particularly a symbolic victory as President Biden won this district handedly in 2020. The seat is currently held by Delegate Roxann Robinson. During the last election cycle this seat was lost only by 189 votes. For more information on House District 27 please click here.
Just one example of why Robinson needs to go:
Delegate Robinson has voted no on countless issues that have moved Virginia forward. Take for example the following legislation she has opposed.
HB 2263-Abolishing the Death Penalty in Virginia..no
HB1890-The Voting Rights Acts of Virginia...no
HB1786-Increasing the minimum wage for farmers...also no
Robinson is on the wrong side of these important issues, and it's time to replace her.
Contact the campaign: info@debragardner4delegate.com
Contribute here.
DISTRICT 13
Meet the candidate: Danica Roem
Virginia state Delegate Danica Roem represents the 13th District of the Virginia House of
Delegates as the first out-and-seated transgender state legislator in American history. Elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2019, Delegate Roem is a 36-year-old step-mom, former newspaper
reporter and lifelong resident of the Prince William County part of Manassas. She was one of 23 Democrats to flip state legislative seats Red to Blue between 2017 and 2019, allowing Democrats to reclaim the majority in both chambers for the first time in 20 years.
In 2018, she was part of the bipartisan coalition that voted to expand Medicaid to what is now 562,000 Virginia adults – and climbing. That same year, she earned the Prince William Times “Readers Choice” award for “Best Local Politician” as well as the Washington Blade’s “Readers Choice” award for Local Hero.
During her two terms in office, the governor of Virginia has signed 23 of Delegate Roem’s bills into law, including eight to prevent school meal debt shaming and three to protect LGBTQ Virginians. Her top priorities include fixing Route 28, raising teacher pay and making Virginia a more inclusive commonwealth.
House District 13:
The 13th District is trending blue. In 2014, Ed Gillespie beat Senator Mark Warner by four points there, but Hillary Clinton won by an astonishing 14 points just two years later. Senator Tim Kaine continued that progress and won 65% of the vote in his 2018 re-election campaign.
The 13th had the unfortunate distinction of being represented by extremist, homophobic,
transphobic Republican Bathroom Bob Marshall from 1992 until Danica beat him by nearly 8 points in 2017. The 13th District includes the towns of Haymarket, Manassas, Gainesville in Prince William County and the entirety of Manassas Park City.
Why Roem needs to win: As the HD-13 state delegate, Danica delivered. During her two terms, Danica authored 23 bills signed into law. She kept her promises to raise the minimum wage, fight climate change, reform criminal justice, pass the DREAM Act, honor our veterans, expand voting rights, protect LGBTQ Virginians and have Virginia vote to ratify the ERA. With a Democratic Governor and Democratic majority in the General Assembly, Danica has continued doing what her constituents elected her to do in the first place: improve Virginians quality of life and make Virginia a more inclusive commonwealth.
Contact the campaign: click here
DISTRICT 100
Meet the candidate: Finale Norton
Finale Johnson Norton was born and raised in Exmore, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and currently calls Jamesville home. Finale will be a tireless advocate for working families in the General Assembly because her own family had to work hard to make ends meet. Her mom cleaned homes before earning her cosmetology license later in life, and her father shucked clams and laid ground cable. Her father died after he was hit by a truck when Finale was in eighth grade. In the hard times that followed, Social Security helped her family get through. In high school, Finale cleaned clam buckets at 6 a.m. at Willis Wharf, graded tomatoes at Six L’s, waitressed, and spent a short week picking crabs at a local crab house. Thanks to public schools, Finale had a chance to further her education. After graduating from Northampton High School, she attended Hampton University and earned her Bachelor of Science degree.
For the next 20 years as a Navy wife and businesswoman, she resided in Norfolk, Virginia, never far from home, remaining close to her family members in Norfolk and on the Eastern Shore. Finale began working at Bank of America (FKA) Sovran Bank in 1988. Always advocating for inclusion and equity, she served on Bank of America’s Diversity Council and was an executive sponsor for the company’s Lead for Women initiative and LGBTQ initiative. During her 26-year tenure at Bank of America, mostly in Norfolk, Finale worked her way up to becoming an executive responsible for more than 3,500 employees. She then worked at a global consulting company before retiring from corporate America.
Over the years, Finale has given back to the community through United Way campaigns, Junior Achievement mentorship, Habitat for Humanity builds, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, March of Dimes fundraising, and the Urban League. While her career has been in business, she has never forgotten her roots. She moved back home to the Eastern Shore to be closer to her family.
Finale never imagined being a candidate for public office, and she is not a career politician. She is running for Delegate in House District 100 because she believes her community deserves a representative who puts people and working families above profit: a servant leader who will be a champion for everyone throughout District 100, both in Norfolk and the Eastern Shore. District 100’s issues are her issues because she has experienced them firsthand. Her willingness to listen and learn embodies the kind of leadership we need. As your future Delegate, Finale will bring your concerns to the General Assembly.
Finale and her husband, retired Navy Captain Sam Norton, live in Jamesville with their rescue pup, Hershey.
About the District:
House District 100 is one of only two districts in the Commonwealth that voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 that is still held by a Republican. It includes all of Virginia's Eastern Shore and the areas of Willoughby, Ocean View, West Ocean View, Crossroads, Suburban Park, Wards Corner, and Northside in Norfolk.
Contact the campaign: click here
Contribute: click here
DISTRICT 49
Meet the candidate: Alfonzo Lopez
Delegate Alfonso Lopez has nearly three decades of public service experience at the Federal level and in the Virginia government. The son of a father from Venezuela – who came to the U.S. undocumented at the age of 19 with the dream of a better life – and a public school teacher mother, he has served as an Obama Administration political appointee, Tim Kaine Gubernatorial Administration cabinet-level appointee, and a five-term member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the people of the 49th District (Arlington & Fairfax). Alfonso’s family experience and time in government gives him a unique sense of purpose that motivates him to fight for his community everyday. The first Latino Democrat ever elected to the Virginia General Assembly, today he serves as the Majority Whip of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.
The 49th District is the most diverse one in Virginia and deserves representation that fights for everyone here, not just a select few. There are over 100 languages spoken in the District and over 40 languages spoken at the local high schools. It is truly the “world in a zip code.”
Alfonso has represented this district nearly 10 years and has a clear and consistent record of delivering progressive results for Virginia’s families. In 2019, he played a key role in creating the Democratic majority in the General Assembly, transforming the state. Among his legislative accomplishments, he created the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Virginia DREAM/In-State Tuition Act, overturned the ban on Project Labor Agreements, repealed driver’s license suspensions for inability to pay fines & fees, repealed mandatory reporting of undocumented immigrants to federal authorities, expanded Medicaid coverage to immigrant mothers and children, and passed the Solar Energy Freedom Bill.
In contrast, Alfonso’s challenger is a far-right, Trump supporting candidate who is actively working to undermine all the tangible progress Virginia has felt in the past few years. His challenger does not represent the values of the 49th district.
Contact the campaign: click here
Contribute here: click here
That’s it for Volume I of our Flip-a-District Friday series. We'll be back next week and every week between now and Election Day to tell you about more of our great candidates. In the meantime, I encourage you to review this email and future editions to find a candidate or candidates 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 defend and expand our majority is on.