Public primary elections for the Democratic and Republican parties of Virginia will be held on June 20, 2023. Off on a Tangent makes recommendations to primary voters in state- and federal-level races in Virginia and local elections in Loudoun County whenever nominees will be chosen in a contested public primary election.
Political parties are private organizations that should have no formal standing in our political system. As private organizations, they are free to choose their nominees through whichever process they wish—common methods include conventions, caucuses, private “firehouse primaries,” and direct nomination by party leaders. But in Virginia and many other states, the Democratic and Republican party duopoly has given itself permission to hold public primaries when they wish to. These are managed by state election authorities and funded by the taxpayers.
When a party chooses to have a public primary for an office in Virginia, it is “open”—any registered voter may vote in it. Virginia does not have formal party registrations and party membership is a private matter between the party and the individual. A voter’s party membership status may affect whether they can participate in a private nomination process, but it is irrelevant in public primaries. That said, a voter may only vote in one party’s primary on a given day. If both major parties are having public primaries for an office, the voter must pick one or the other.
The public primary system is unconstitutional. Private organizations may not use public agencies and funds to conduct internal business. The state also cannot discriminate between organizations—meaning if they are going to offer this service, they must offer it to any organization of any type. If we’re going to allow public primaries for the Democrats and Republicans, we must allow the Libertarians and Greens to have them too . . . and the Rotary Club, and your neighborhood association, and your swim team, and your church, and Starbucks, and Google. Either everybody can do it, or nobody can.
I do not vote in party primaries because I am not a member of any party. I have no inclination (and no right) to influence who a private club wants to nominate for elected office unless I am a member of the club. But I am a taxpayer, which means I’m paying for it when the parties chose to nominate with a public primary. For that reason, I make recommendations in public primary races, but not in races where the parties are choosing their nominees privately.
Overview
Contested public primaries are being held by both the Democratic and Republican parties. Democrats are holding primaries for fifteen seats in the Senate of Virginia, sixteen seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, and one Loudoun County local office. Republicans are holding primaries for seven seats in the Senate of Virginia and nine seats in the Virginia House of Delegates.
The Senate of Virginia is the higher of two houses in the Virginia General Assembly. There are forty senators who serve four-year terms with no term limits. Currently, the Democratic Party holds a 22-18 majority.
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower of two houses in the Virginia General Assembly. There are one hundred delegates who serve two-year terms with no term limits. Currently, the Republican Party holds a 50-46 majority and there are four vacant seats.
The local Democratic Party primary in Loudoun County is for Commonwealth’s Attorney, an office with four-year terms and no term limits.
This year will have the first state- and local-level elections since the post-census redistricting. All General Assembly districts have been redrawn and renumbered, as have most local districts and precincts. Voters should check with the Virginia Department of Elections or their local registrar’s office to determine their new districts and find out if their voting precinct or location has changed.
Incumbent senators and delegates are treated as incumbents, but because of the new district numbers and boundaries all General Assembly races are technically open races.
Democratic Party Primaries
Virginia Senate
- 4th District: The redrawn district has two incumbents—Senator John Edwards (D-VA 21st) and Senator Dave Suetterlein (R-VA 19th). Edwards is not seeking reelection. DeAnthony “D.A.” Pierce (D), Roanoke City Council Member Luke Priddy (D-At Large), and Trish White-Boyd (D) stand as candidates to challenge Suetterlein. I recommend voting for D.A. Pierce.
- 11th District: Incumbent Senator Creigh Deeds (D-VA 25th) is challenged by Delegate Sally Hudson (D-VA 57th). I make no recommendation.
- 13th District: Incumbent Senator Joe Morrissey (D-VA 16th) is challenged by former Delegate Lashrecse Aird (D-VA 63rd). I recommend voting for Lashrecse Aird.
- 14th District: Incumbent Senator Lamont Bagby (D-VA 9th) is challenged by Katie Gooch (D). I make no recommendation.
- 18th District: The redrawn district has two incumbents—Senator Louise Lucas (D-VA 18th) and Senator Lionell Spruill (D-VA 5th). Both are seeking reelection. I make no recommendation.
- 21st District: Delegate Angelia Williams Graves (D-VA 90th) and Norfolk City Council Member Andria McClellan (D-Superward 6) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Andria McClellan.
- 27th District: Joel Griffin (D) and Ben Litchfield (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Joel Griffin.
- 29th District: Incumbent Senator Jeremy McPike (D-VA 29th) is challenged by Delegate Elizabeth Gusmán (D-VA 31st). I recommend voting for Jeremy McPike.
- 31st District: Leesburg Town Council Member Zach Cummings (D) and Russet Perry (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Russet Perry.
- 32nd District: Former Delegate Ibraheem Sumirah (D-VA 86th) and Delegate Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA 87th) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Suhas Subramanyam.
- 33rd District: Former Delegate Hala Ayala (D-VA 51st) and former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-VA 2nd) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 35th District: The redrawn district has two incumbents—Senator David Marsden (D-VA 37th) and Senator Dick Saslaw (D-VA 35th). Saslaw is not seeking reelection. Marsden is challenged by Heidi Drauschak (D). I recommend voting for Heidi Drauschak.
- 36th District: Incumbent Senator George Barker (D-VA 39th) is challenged by Fairfax County School Board Member Stella Pekarsky (Sully). I make no recommendation.
- 37th District: Incumbent Senator Chap Petersen (D-VA 34th) is challenged by Saddam Salim (D) and Erika Yalowitz (D). I recommend voting for Chap Petersen.
- 40th District: Incumbent Senator Barbara Favola (D-VA 31st) is challenged by James DeVita (D). I make no recommendation.
Virginia House of Delegates
- 2nd District: Adele McClure (D) and Kevin Saucedo-Broach (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Adele McClure.
- 7th District: Mary Barthelson (D), Paul Berry (D), Shyamali Hauth (D), and Fairfax County School Board Member Karen Keys-Gamarra (At Large) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Mary Barthelson.
- 15th District: Fairfax County School Board Member Laura Jane Cohen (Springfield), Eric Schmidt (D), and Henri’ Thompson (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 19th District: Rozia Henson (D), Makya Little (D), and Natalie Shorter (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 26th District: Sirisha Kompalli (D) and Kannan Srinivasan (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 54th District: Bellamy Brown (D), Albemarle County School Board Member Katrina Callsen (Rio), and former Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 55th District: Former Charlottesville School Board Member Amy Laufer (At Large) and Kellen Squire (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Kellen Squire.
- 57th District: Susanna Gibson (D) and Bob Shippee (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Susanna Gibson.
- 79th District: Rae Cousins (D), Richmond City Council Member Ann-Frances Lambert (D-3rd), and Richard Walker (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Ann-Frances Lambert.
- 80th District: Destiny LeVere Bolling (D) and John Dantzler (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 81st District: Incumbent Delegate Delores McQuinn (D-VA 70th) is challenged by Terrence Walker (D). I make no recommendation.
- 82nd District: Kimberly Pope Adams (D) and Victor McKenzie (D) stand as candidates to challenge incumbent Delegate Kim Taylor (R-VA 63rd). I recommend voting for Victor McKenzie.
- 84th District: Incumbent Delegate Nadarius Clark (D-VA 79th) is challenged by Michele Joyce (D). I recommend voting for Michele Joyce.
- 92nd District: Bonita Anthony (D) and Kim Sudderth (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 95th District: Former Delegate Alex Askew (D-VA 85th) and Rick James (D) stand as candidates for an open seat. I make no recommendation.
- 96th District: Incumbent Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D-VA 21st) is challenged by Susan Hippen (D), Brandon Hutchins (D), and Sean Monteiro (D). I recommend voting for Sean Monteiro.
Loudoun County Local Office
- Commonwealth’s Attorney: Incumbent Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj (D) is challenged by Elizabeth Lancaster (D). Biberaj’s tenure has been an unbroken cycle of scandal and failure—an unmitigated disaster. In one notable case, her office allowed a violent criminal’s release on nothing but an unsecured bond, freeing him to bludgeon his wife to death with a hammer. In another, her office tried an unethical court-switch maneuver that resulted in an accused murderer’s release and a nationwide manhunt to get him back later. Biberaj is a danger to public safety. She must not be reelected. I strongly recommend voting for Elizabeth Lancaster.
Republican Party Primaries
Virginia Senate
- 1st District: Lance Allen (R), James Bergida (R), Frederick County Supervisor Blaine Dunn (R-Red Bud), Timmy French (R), Delegate Dave LaRock (R-VA 33rd), former Strasburg Town Council Member John Massoud (R-At Large), Frederick County School Board Member Brandon Monk (Back Creek), and Shenandoah County Supervisor Brad Pollack (R-3rd) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Timmy French.
- 12th District: Incumbent Senator Amanda Chase (R-VA 11th) is challenged by Tina Ramirez (R) and former Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-VA 10th). I recommend voting for Tina Ramirez.
- 17th District: Delegate Emily Brewer (R-VA 64th) and Hermie Sadler (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Emily Brewer.
- 19th District: Former Delegate Tim Anderson (R-VA 83rd), Jeff Bruzzesi (R), and former Chesapeake School Board Member Christie New Craig (At Large) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Christie New Craig.
- 27th District: Delegate Tara Durant (R-VA 28th) and Matt Strickland (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Matt Strickland.
- 29th District: Nikki Baldwin (R) and Maria Martin (R) stand as candidates to challenge either incumbent Senator Jeremy McPike (D-VA 29th) or his Democratic primary challenger, Delegate Elizabeth Gusmán (D-VA 31st). I recommend voting for Nikki Baldwin.
- 30th District: Robert Ruffolo (R) and Bill Woolf (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Bill Woolf.
Virginia House of Delegates
- 21st District: Josh Quill (R) and former Prince William County Supervisor John Stirrup (R-Gainesville) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Josh Quill.
- 39th District: Will Davis (R) and Ron Jefferson (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Will Davis.
- 47th District: The redrawn district has two incumbents—Delegate Marie March (R-VA 7th) and Delegate Wren Williams (R-VA 9th). Both are seeking reelection. I recommend voting for Wren Williams.
- 50th District: Incumbent Delegate Tommy Wright (R-VA 61st) is challenged by John Marsden (R). I recommend voting for John Marsden.
- 59th District: Incumbent Delegate Buddy Fowler (R-VA 55th) is challenged by Graven Craig (R) and Philip Strother (R). I recommend voting for Graven Craig.
- 65th District: Michael Kasey (R) and Lee Peters III (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Lee Peters III.
- 73rd District: Mark Earley (R), Yan Gleyzer (R), and Chesterfield County School Board Member Ryan Harter (Matoaca) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Yan Gleyzer.
- 84th District: Michael Dillender (R) and Rod Thompson (R) stand as candidates to challenge either incumbent Delegate Nadarius Clark (D-VA 79th) or his Democratic primary challenger, Michele Joyce (D). I recommend voting for Rod Thompson.
- 94th District: Amy Chudzinsky (R), Kenneth O’Brien (R), and Andy Pittman (R) stand as candidates for an open seat. I recommend voting for Andy Pittman.