Fighting For Every Vote
From Abingdon to Arlington and everywhere in between
DPVA Staff have been working overtime to win special elections, recruit candidates to run in a record number of districts, and showcase our amazing candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General. We’re also showing the nation what is possible when you have Democratic control and reminding voters why it’s crucial Virginia Democrats win in November.
The SD-38 Special Election Was An Example Of How DPVA Will Invest In Rural Democrats
Read DPVA Executive Director Andrew Whitley’s reflections on the race and what we learned Laurie Buchwald’s campaign. From investing in training for local candidates to helping smaller races with their mail budgets, we’re making sure Democrats in all kinds of districts have the resources to run successful campaigns.
A note from Laurie
“Sending a massive thanks to Virginia Democrats for the incredible support my candidacy for Senate received. The Special Election was short in duration but long in energy and commitment, and I absolutely could not have done it without the help of all of you. This truly was a Commonwealth wide campaign, and despite not winning the seat in this deep red district, the campaign was a success. I continue to hear from Southwest Virginians who were encouraged about our aggressive yet positive message that focused on the issues that affect every single person, every single day. We connected with some strong future candidates and gave hope to many who are ready to continue to work to turn SWVA Blue! Have no fear, I will keep on working to make sure that happens.”
— Laurie Buchwald,
Democratic Candidate for SD-38
The DPVA held the Blue Commonwealth Candidate Forum
So far, the Democratic Party of Virginia has held a candidate forum and a televised debate. Both were available online — giving an unprecedented number of Virginia voters access to the candidates who wish to represent them. This has never been a party-run process before. We continue to make history, break barriers, win elections, and show the nation what is truly possible when a group of dedicated people come together to form the best State Party in the nation. I want to thank our moderator, Delegate Lashrecse Aird, all the candidates, and most importantly for me, all the members of the DPVA staff who helped pull this together!
— Nick Scott,
Digital Director, Democratic Party of Virginia
If you missed the live stream you can watch it here:
The First Democratic Primary Debate Was On April 6
As the Republican Party of Virginia continues to face criticism for spreading Trump’s Big Lie, choosing an un-democratic method of nomination, and for being as transparent as a ‘Make America Great Again’ flag, The Democratic Party of Virginia has been planning statewide office debates since last October. The party believes that Virginians deserve to hear directly from their candidates, so that they are able to make the best informed decision when casting their vote in the Democratic Primary on June 8th. Given that we have a historically diverse slate of candidates this year I couldn’t be prouder of the work that we’re doing to get these candidates in front of the people of the Commonwealth. Special thanks goes out to our partner stations, host venues, Chairwoman Swecker, and all the staff at the DPVA.
— Ivana Hall
Senior Advisor, Democratic Party of Virginia
Learn more about future debates here.
We brought on another new member of staff!
Meet Kiana Ham, our new Special Projects Director
Kiana is a graduate of VCU and got her start in politics as an intern for the DPVA in 2017. She served as a finance assistant in the historic 2017 VA House of Delegates races where she was part of the team that gained 15 Democratic seats in one campaign cycle.
Previously, she served as the Operations and PAC Director for the House Democratic Caucus where she was part of the team that won a Democratic majority in the House for the first time in almost 20 years. Outside of work, Kiana likes attending dance workshops with local Richmond dance groups, playing video games and taking care of her plants.
Trainings Upon Trainings
Together with the National Democratic Training Committee, the DPVA is holding local candidate trainings that will build the bench and help ensure we are a Blue Commonwealth for years to come.
We are super excited for the launch of our Training Program, beginning with the DPVA Inaugural Local Candidate Cohort, a cohort consisting of 20 local candidates, representing all 11 VA Congressional Districts. The program launched in March and will continue through the first week of May. We have also launched a weekly training series for legislative and campaign staff with topics offered such as: VAN Refreshers, Compliance and Cybersecurity. On April 6th, we will launch our first committee training. To date, we have hosted 9 training experiences. We believe building power begins with learning, and we are committed to providing the most relevant, intentional training experiences to every Democrat in Virginia.
— Jara Butler,
Training Director, Democratic Party of Virginia
