RICHMOND, Va. β Two Democratic delegates have officially announced their intentions to run for Virginia Lt. Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi's senate seat once she resigns to focus on her new role.
Delegates Mike Jones of Richmond and Debra Gardner of Chesterfield made their announcements Thursday, setting up what could be a competitive race for the 15th District Senate seat.
"I am eager to continue to provide strong, progressive, compassionate, energetic leadership to Chesterfield County and Richmond in the State Senate," Jones said in a statement. "As State Senator, I will be laser focused on reducing the ever-increasing cost of living, and increasing the stock of truly affordable housing, ensuring our families can thrive. I will fight to fully fund all our public schools so no matter a child's skin color or zip code they can get a top-notch education."
Gardner echoed similar priorities in her announcement.
"I'll keep fighting for everyone to have the opportunity for a better future," Gardner said. "I'm proud to have the support of small business owners, teachers, parents, faith leaders, and community advocates who want a voice in Richmond and a future that works for everyone."
The 15th District Senate seat covers neighborhoods in South Richmond and Chesterfield County. Once Hashmi officially resigns her senate position, a special election will be held to fill the vacancy.
If either Jones or Gardner wins the special election, another election would be required to fill their current delegate seat.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
