Why I Want To Represent Our Community in Richmond

On November 5th, when we go to the polls to vote, we will decide what direction we want Virginia to go – forward or backwards. 

Virginia voters will choose a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. Voters will also decide who will represent them in the Virginia House of Delegates. I am the Democratic candidate for the 34th District, which includes Great Falls, part of McLean, Vienna and dozens of neighborhoods in eastern Loudoun County.

People often ask me why I decided to run for office. It’s a great question with a simple answer.  I care about the issues so important to all of us: keeping our schools the best they can be, supporting solutions to ease our transportation problems, protecting women’s rights and voting rights and keeping our communities and children safe from gun violence. I believe we need a Delegate who will fight for the interests and values of our District in Northern Virginia.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is a big state with many competing ideas about public policy and the proper role of government. While we need to listen to and understand the views of those from other parts of the state, our Delegate must be focused on representing our local priorities.

Recently, we’ve seen our government, at the highest levels, be hijacked by extreme ideologues who ignored the best interests of the people by shutting down our jobs and threatening our economy. Unfortunately, our current delegate, Barbara Comstock, follows the path of Tea Party Republicans, Ted Cruz and Ken Cuccinelli, focusing on an ideological agenda rather than the needs of our community.

Government works best when our representatives work to together to find common ground and forge compromises to solve problems. We saw this happen this year in Virginia with the passage of the historic, bi-partisan Transportation Bill. Unfortunately, Delegate Comstock voted against it.  She also voted against the Budget that provides funding for our schools.

The need for first-class transportation infrastructure and quality public education unites citizens from all parts of Virginia. These basic functions of our state government are essential not only for our families and for the quality of life in our communities but also for maintaining our leadership as one of the best places to do business.

As your Delegate, I will bring a commitment to focus on bi-partisan problem solving for the 34th District. I will approach the job of Delegate with common sense, open to practical solutions and willing to work across party lines to get things done that will benefit all of us.

We must find a way to convince a majority in the General Assembly that all Virginians should be treated equally under the law, regardless of their gender, race, or sexual orientation.  We must convince our Republican colleagues that public policy should make it easier for qualified citizens to vote, not more difficult.  And we need a Delegate who will stand up for a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions with her doctor without the dictates of the General Assembly.

I believe we can agree that the safety of our communities must be a priority, so we must work together to identify common sense policies that will make it less likely that dangerous weapons will fall into the hands of criminals and mentally unstable people.

Given the ethics issues surrounding Governor McDonnell, I expect a majority of the General Assembly will agree on the need for measures to strengthen public trust in our elected officials through a combination of limits on gifts, greater transparency, and common sense campaign finance reform.

I grew up a military brat in a big family where we were taught to love and honor our country and to serve our community.  I have worked as a Congressional staffer handling Defense appropriations and at USAID handling Congressional affairs.  I understand the legislative process and know the importance of our representatives working together toward a common goal. As a small business owner, I know what it means to organize operations that are efficient and cost-effective. 

I have been your neighbor for over twenty years. I was appointed to the Human Services Council by Supervisor John Foust and serve on the Health Care Task Force for Fairfax and on the McLean Community Foundation. I helped found Salute Our Services, a non-profit that helps military families stay connected when a loved one is deployed.