Environmental group more than doubles number of priority House Districts; electoral efforts in 2019 reach $1.5M
For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(804) 225-1902 | lfrancis@valcv.org
RICHMOND – With a Conservation Majority at stake heading toward Election Day and two weeks to go, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters today announced it had expanded the number of priority districts where the organization is investing big to ensure the next General Assembly puts Virginia’s environment first.
In making decisions to prioritize the races of Shelly Simonds (HD-94), Clinton Jenkins (HD-76), Alex Askew (HD-85), and Rodney Willett (HD-73), Virginia LCV more than doubled the number of priority House districts from the initial program rolled out in early September.
“Election Day will be pivotal for Virginia’s future – our environment, our health, and our economy – and our expanded program reflects this urgency,” said Michael Town, executive director of Virginia LCV. “We must elect candidates in November who will act to address the climate crisis and protect our environment and health instead of catering to corporate polluters – we simply can’t afford further inaction and obstruction at the General Assembly.”
Overall, Virginia is investing approximately $1.5 million in this year’s election cycle – in programmatic investments and direct candidate contributions – with the intent to secure “Conservation Majorities” in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly. This greatly outpaces what Virginia LCV spent in the 2015 state legislative races.
Investments in target districts are going toward layered communication of direct mail and digital advertisements to voters. The goal is to 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.
To-date, mail and digital programs have reached hundreds of thousands of voters with pieces like these: Senate District 12, Senate District 7, House District 21, House District 85, and House District 51.
Top Priority Districts Now Include:
Alex Askew – House District 85
Hala Ayala – House District 51
Kelly Convirs-Fowler – House District 21
Wendy Gooditis – House District 10
Clint Jenkins – House District 76
Shelly Simonds – House District 94
Rodney Willett – House District 73
John Bell – Senate District 13
Ghazala Hashmi – Senate District 10
Debra Rodman – Senate District 12
Cheryl Turpin – Senate District 7
Virginia LCV has also moved to endorse the following candidates since announcing an initial slate in September:
Senate of Virginia
John Edwards – Senate District 21
Lynwood Lewis – Senate District 6
Monty Mason – Senate District 1
Chap Petersen – Senate District 34
Virginia House of Delegates
Lashrecse Aird – House District 63
Jennifer Carroll Foy – House District 2
Lee Carter – House District 50
Sally Hudson – House District 57
Kaye Kory – House District 38
Paul Krizek – House District 44
Martha Mugler – House District 91
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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Paid for by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. Not authorized by a candidate.