Democratic Party of Virginia
The Democratic Party of Virginia is based in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party of the United States. The organization is governed by a State Party Plan, which guarantees an open and fair candidate selection process. Although the party has members and elected officials throughout the state, it draws its highest number of votes from the Tidewater area, Metropolitan Richmond, and suburban Washington, D.C.
Historically, the Democratic Party has dominated Virginia politics. At the federal level, since the 2008 United States presidential election, Virginia has always voted for the Democratic United States presidential candidate. Since the 2012 Virginia elections, Virginia has always voted for the Democratic statewide candidate. Since the 116th United States Congress, Democrats in the United States House of Representatives have been in the majority in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
At the state level, since the 2013 Virginia elections, Virginia has always voted for the Democratic gubernational, lieutenant gubernational, and attorney general candidates. Since the 1851 Virginia gubernational election, the first gubernatorial election in Virginia in which the governor was elected by direct popular vote, 34 Virginia Governors have been Democrats. Since the 1851 Virginia lieutenant gubernational election, the first lieutenant gubernatorial election in Virginia in which the lieutenant governor was elected by direct popular vote, 29 Virginia Lieutenant Governors have been Democrats. Since the 1851 Virginia Attorney General election, the first Attorney General election in Virginia in which the Attorney General was elected by direct popular vote, 25 Attorneys General have been Democrats. After the 2019 Virginia House of Delegates election, Democrats expanded to a majority of 55 seats, with Republicans holding 45. They additionally regained control of the Virginia Senate, with 21 seats to the Republican's 19.
Party platform
The party follows the platform of the Democratic National Committee.Current elected officials
Members of Congress
U.S. Senate
Democrats have controlled both of Virginia's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2008:- Class I: Tim Kaine
- Class II: Mark Warner
U.S. House of Representatives
- VA-02: Elaine Luria
- VA-03: Bobby Scott
- VA-04: Donald McEachin
- VA-07: Abigail Spanberger
- VA-08: Don Beyer
- VA-10: Jennifer Wexton
- VA-11: Gerry Connolly
Statewide offices
- Governor: Ralph Northam
- Lieutenant Governor: Justin Fairfax
- Attorney General: Mark Herring
Historical firsts
- First male African American Governor of Virginia: Douglas Wilder
- First male African American Lieutenant Governor of Virginia: Douglas Wilder
;;Lebanese Americans
- First female Lebanese American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Hala Ayala
- First male Palestinian American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Sam Rasoul
;;Korean Americans
- First male Korean American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Mark Keam
- First female Vietnamese American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kathy Tran
- First female Filipino American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kelly Fowler
- First Democratic Socialists of America member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Lee Carter
- First female Attorney General of Virginia: Mary Sue Terry
- First female Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates: Eileen Filler-Corn
- First male Jewish American United States House Representative: Norman Sisisky
- First female Jewish American Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates: Eileen Filler-Corn
;;Peruvian Americans
- First female Peruvian American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Elizabeth Guzmán
- First female Salvadoran American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Hala Ayala
- First female Mexican American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kelly Fowler
- First openly gay Virginia State Senator: Adam Paul Ebbin
- First openly gay member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Adam Paul Ebbin
- First openly lesbian member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Dawn M. Adams
- First openly trans member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Danica Roem
- First male Muslim American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Sam Rasoul
Leadership
State Steering Committee
Chairperson
;Former- Watkins Abbitt Sr.
- William G. Thomas
- Joseph T. Fitzpatrick
- Richard J. Davis
- Owen B. Pickett
- Alan Diamonstein
- Richard J. Davis
- Lawrence H. Framme III
- Paul Goldman
- Mark Warner
- Suzie Wrenn
- Kenneth R. Plum
- Emily Couric
- Lawrence H. Framme III
- Kerry J. Donley
- Richard Cranwell
- Brian Moran
- Charniele Herring
- Dwight C. Jones
- Susan Swecker
Organization 1st Vice Chair
- Gaylene Kanoyton
DNC
- Gaylene Kanoyton
- Marc K. Broklawski
DNC Member
- Steve Cochran
- Doris Crouse-May
- Frank Leone
- Jennifer McClellan
- Ms. Atima Omara
- Yasmine Taeb
2nd Vice Chair of Rules
- Gaylene Kanoyton
- Marc K. Broklawski
Technology & Communications Vice Chair
- Dave Leichtman
Outreach Vice Chair
- L. Louise Lucas
Finance Vice Chair
- Tyler Bishop
Secretary
- Isaac Sarver
Treasurer
- Barbara Klear
1st CD Chair – Fredericksburg
- Matt Rowe
2nd CD Chair – Virginia Beach
- Sandra Brandt
3rd CD Chair – Portsmouth
- Clint Jenkins
4th CD Chair – Petersburg
- Lashrecse Aird
5th CD Chair – Leon
- Suzanne Long
6th CD Chair – Lynchburg
- Maria Childress
7th CD Chair – Chesterfield
- Abbi Easter
8th CD Chair – Arlington
- Margo Horner
9th CD Chair – Floyd
- Deb Baum
10th CD Chair – Leesburg
- Zach Pruckowski
11th CD Chair – Fairfax
- Robert Haley
Labor Caucus Chair
- Julie Hunter
VA Association of Democratic Chairs Chair
- Gene Magruder
Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia Chair
- Evelyn Morris-Harris
Women’s Caucus Chair
- Linda Brooks
Latino Caucus President
- Marvin Figueroa
LGBT Caucus Chair
- Maggie Sacra
Veterans and Military Families Caucus Chair
- Terron Sims II
Virginia Young Democrats President
- Alexsis Rodgers
Disability Caucus Chair
- Cyliene Montgomery
Asian-American Caucus Chair
- Dewita Soeharjono
Rural Caucus Chair
- Vee Frye
Small Business Caucus Chair
- Tom Greeson
Immediate Past Chair
- Dwight Jones
Party Staff
Executive Director
- Andrew Whitley
Deputy Executive Director / CTO
- Brenner Tobe
Deputy Data Director
- Katie O'Grady
Communications Director
- Grant Fox
Operations Director
- Elise Vess
Finance Director
- Justin Jones
Deputy Finance Director
- Colleen Grady
Political Director
- Shyam Raman
Deputy Political Director
- Khalid Naji
Digital Director
- Nick Scott
Voter Protection Director
- Alyssa Pooler
Voter Protection Coordinator
- Ja’Scotta Jefferson