John,
Tonight is my last night as a Virginia state delegate after six years of serving the people of the 13th District in my lifelong home community.
Tomorrow at noon, I’ll be sworn in to represent the people or the new 30th District of the Senate of Virginia — still my lifelong home community of western Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park.
What we achieved together since I launched my first campaign on Jan. 3, 2017, as an unemployed, uninsured, 32-year-old former news reporter driving a $324 ‘92 Dodge Shadow, living at home with my ma, against the self-described “chief homophobe” of Virginia who had been in office 26 years over 13 terms was entirely an experiment in hope.
We changed what was possible in American politics when we won that election on Nov. 7, 2017 and I was sworn in as the first out-and-seated transgender state legislator in American history on Jan. 10, 2018.
In the years since then, we expanded Medicaid to more than 700,000 Virginians, made the Code of Virginia the most inclusive for LGBTQ people in the entire South, passed 41 of my House Bills into law — all with bipartisan support — and, above all, secured tens of millions of dollars to *finally* fix Route 28.
I couldn’t have done any of that without the confidence of the people I represent in Manassas Park, Manassas, Gainesville and Haymarket after holding more than 40 local town hall meetings, personally knocking thousands upon thousands of doors in 2017, 2019 and 2021, and the support of countless volunteers who pitched in to help me earn 30,499 votes to be elected to the Senate in 2023.
While I won’t be on the ballot again until 2027, I would be grateful for anything you can pitch in tonight to make sure we can pay all of our bills through the fundraising blackout period that runs the duration of session, which is scheduled from Jan. 10 - March 9.
Thank you so much and please be sure to watch the livestream of the swearing in Wednesday at noon on the Virginia General Assembly website. My absolute best to you and yours always. Let’s go!
Warmly,
Danica
