and Vice President have officially endorsed 23 Democratic candidates running in Virginia’s upcoming legislative elections on Tuesday.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has announced its selection of candidates, with a total of seven candidates for the state Senate and 16 candidates for the House of Delegates.
Currently, the Virginia state Senate is controlled by the Democrats, while the Republicans hold the state House and the governorship under GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
If the GOP manages to flip control of the state Senate and retain the state House, they will have full control over the state government, enabling them to pass Republican legislative priorities. Among these priorities, the GOP’s stance on abortion has garnered significant attention and sparked strong reactions from Democrats.
Youngkin has actively advocated for new abortion restrictions in the state, and the party has campaigned for a ban with exceptions after a 15-week limit.
In a joint statement, Biden and Harris highlighted reproductive rights alongside other critical issues, stating, “While our party continues to demonstrate steady leadership in Washington, these candidates are stepping up and actively campaigning in their communities to secure a brighter future for Virginia. Whether it involves safeguarding a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions, defending voting rights, or advocating for sensible gun safety laws, electing these candidates on November 7th will protect our fundamental freedoms.”
The endorsed state Senate candidates include: state Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg (SD-16), Clint Jenkins (SD-17), state Sen. Aaron Rouse (SD-22), state Sen. Monty Mason (SD-24), Joel Griffin (SD-27), state Del. Danica Roem (SD-30), and Russet Perry (SD-31).
In addition, they are endorsing a slate of candidates for the state House of Delegates: state Del. Michele Maldonado (HD-20), Joshua Thomas (HD-21), Travis Nembhard (HD-22), Atoosa Reaser (HD-27), Marty Martinez (HD-29), Amy Laufer (HD-55), state Del. Rodney Willett (HD-58), Joshua Cole (HD-65), state Del. Shelly Simonds (HD-70), Stephen Miller-Pitts (HD-75), Kimberly Pope Adams (HD-82), state Del. Nadarius Clark (HD-84), Karen Jenkins (HD-89), Phil Hernandez (HD-94), state Del. Kelly Fowler (HD-96), and Michael Feggans (HD-97).
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
