WOMEN ARE IN THE HOUSE

The spark that ignited the January 21 Women’s March fired up a movement in Virginia

Election night in Virginia showed the impact of women who run, the women who support them and how a grassroots effort inspired record numbers of voters on Tuesday, November 7th. Women voters turned out for candidates who support equality.

Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam won the gubernatorial election with 61% of his votes coming from women, including 91% of Black women voters who supported him. Lieutenant Governor-elect Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring were handily elected as well, due in large part to their vocal commitment to champion better public policies on issues that affect women, children and working families.

Democrats nearly doubled the number of women serving in the House of Delegates.

All of the 12 Democratic incumbent women are winners and an additional 10 Democratic women challengers defeated Republicans with two more races still undecided. “Many of the women candidates who ran in this election were inspired by the Women’s March in January to run for the very first time,” said Julie Jakopic, Chair of Virginia’s List, which champions Virginia’s Democratic women candidates. “In the anger and frustration over policy changes that could take women’s rights back a century, women came together to support each other and solve problems. Many reached higher than they had ever considered before. And they succeeded.”

“We created this PAC to provide the critical financial support that Democratic, pro-choice women need in order to successfully run for office,” said Amy Laufer, Charlottesville School Board member and founder of Virginia’s List. “Thirty-one Democratic women filed as candidates for the House of Delegates, many running against incumbent Republicans. There were surprising victories and expected losses. We have very gerrymandered districts in Virginia that create nearly insurmountable hurdles. The fact that so many women were willing to run, despite the odds, carried many of their fellow candidates on a wave to victory.”

While election results are not final, Virginia’s List salutes our candidates who have won or are in undecided races, including Jennifer Foy (HD 2),Wendy Gooditis (HD 10),Danica Roem (HD 13), Kelly Fowler (HD 21), Elizabeth Guzman (HD 31),Kathy Tran (HD 42), Hala Ayala (HD 51),Karrie Delaney (HD 67),Dawn Adams (HD 68),Debra Rodman (HD 73), Cheryl Turpin (HD 85), and Shelley Simonds (HD 94).

Contact Julie Jakopic, 703.201.6004, Julie@ileadstrategies.com