2019 investment doubles 2015 spending, reflects urgent need to address climate change and protect our Commonwealth’s environment

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019

Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org

RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters announced the launch of an initial $1 million electoral campaign with the intent to secure “Conservation Majorities” in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly.  This nearly doubles what Virginia LCV spent in the 2015 state legislative races.

The program will make heavy investments in at least four House of Delegates districts and at least four Senate Districts in battleground, suburban areas to defeat pro-corporate polluter incumbents, fill empty seats with proven environmentalists, and to return legislative champions to office.

“For years, Virginia’s General Assembly has stood in the way of climate action and failed to pass the serious environmental protections we need to ensure every Virginian is able to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and access parks and open spaces in their communities. This ends in November,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “When we elect a ‘Conservation Majority’ this Fall, 2020 will be only be the start of ongoing, long-term victories for our environment. We simply can’t afford inaction or obstruction any longer – Virginians want and need solutions now. This is why we’re all-in in 2019.”

This year’s electoral investments will go toward layered communication of direct mail and digital advertisements to voters in each of the target districts. The programs will raise the stakes in each race for voters who care about our environment, about keeping people safe from pollution, and about fighting against the climate crisis.

The messages were informed by comprehensive environmental issue polling across battleground districts in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads, with the goal of persuading and mobilizing conservation-minded voters to support Virginia LCV-endorsed candidates.

Current Top Priority Districts Include
Hala Ayala – House District 51
Kelly Convirs-Fowler – House District 21
Wendy Gooditis – House District 10

John Bell – Senate District 13
Ghazala Hashmi – Senate District 10
Debra Rodman – Senate District 12
Cheryl Turpin – Senate District 7

The organization will also be embedding field organizers in key districts in Hampton Roads and greater Richmond through its GreenRoots program, which will add a boots-on-the-ground approach to educate voters about environmental candidates and what’s at stake in this year’s legislative races.

Overall all, Virginia LCV has endorsed 50 candidates so far in the 2019 election cycle, all of whom are committed to protecting Virginia’s environment. In addition to the deep investment districts listed above, the following candidates have received the organization’s backing to date:

Senate of Virginia
Jennifer Boysko – SD 33
Missy Cotter-Smasal – SD 8
Creigh Deeds – SD 25
Barbara Favola – SD 31
Amy Laufer – SD 17
Mamie Locke – SD 2
David Marsden – SD 37
Jennifer McClellan – SD 9
Jeremy McPike – SD 29

Virginia House of Delegates
Dawn Adams – HD 68
Alex Askew – HD 85
Lamont Bagby – HD 74
Larry Barnett – HD 27
David Bulova – HD 37
Joshua Cole – HD 28
Sheila Bynum-Coleman – HD 66
Betsy Carr – HD 69
Karrie Delaney – HD 67
Eileen Filler-Corn – HD 41
Nancy Guy – HD 83
Elizabeth Guzman – HD 31
Dan Helmer – HD 40
Steve Heretick – HD 79
Charniele Herring – HD 46
Patrick Hope – HD 47
Chris Hurst – HD 12
Mark Keam – HD 35
Alfonso Lopez – HD 49
Kathleen Murphy – HD 34
Michael Mullins – HD 93
Sam Rasoul – HD 11
Danica Roem – HD 13
Ibraheem Samirah – HD 86
Don Scott – HD 80
Marcus Simon – HD 53
Shelly Simonds – HD 94
Suhas Subramanyam – HD 87
Kathy Tran – HD 42
Schuyler VanValkenburg – HD 72
Lee Ware – HD 65
Vivian Watts – HD 39
Rodney Willett – HD 73