LCDC Nominees and Endorsed Candidates for the November 2023 General Election
From the desk of Loudoun County Democratic Committee Chair Avram Fechter
As you know, Election Day 2023 is rapidly approaching. We have less than three months to go. With Early Voting starting on September 22nd, voters across the Commonwealth and Loudoun County will soon be deciding what the future of Virginia and our County looks like.
Over the coming weeks, I will be introducing you in greater detail to each of our 31 candidates running in the November 2023 General Election, detailing the offices they are seeking and updating you on the status of their campaigns.
This initial email is intended to provide you with an overview of those races, the candidates, and offices. The views, opinions, and analysis contained in these emails are my own, and do not represent the views of any of the candidates, unless explicitly stated.
So here are the races and the stakes as I see them:
State Senate
● Russet Perry, State Senate District 31
This race is widely regarded by both Democrats and Republicans as the most consequential contest anywhere in Virginia this year. This seat will likely determine whether or not Democrats remain in control of the State Senate, and our Democratic Blue Wall holds up against Governor Youngkin’s extremist agenda. If we win this race, we can ensure that Virginia remains the last Southern State in the country to not restrict reproductive freedoms.
The choice could not be clearer.
On one hand we have Russet Perry, a former CIA officer who fought to protect American Democracy and Freedoms, who has worked as a Prosecutor to keep our community safe, and when she is elected will help ensure Virginia remains the last remaining bastion of reproductive freedom in the American South.
On the other hand, Republicans have nominated Juan Pablo Segura, a carpet bagging son of a billionaire, who just moved to Loudoun County from Washington D.C. to run for this office. Segura is so new to Loudoun County that his voter file indicates he has never voted in Virginia.
Half of Loudoun County will be voting in this race, and if you live north of Route 7, or west of Route 15, this race will be on your ballot.
● Suhas Subramanyam, State Senate District 32
For those living south of Route 7 and east of Route 15 you will be voting in the other State Senate race being contested between our incredible Democratic nominee, Delegate Suhas Subramanyam and his Republican opponent Greg Moulthrop.
Delegate Subramanyam is an experienced legislator and proven leader who has already done the important work of representing Loudoun County residents in the General Assembly. Delegate Subramanyam is a proven leader in the House, playing a critical role passing legislation expanding access to healthcare, protecting reproductive freedom, providing gun safety in the Commonwealth, and barring the endless cycle of Greenway toll increases.
Meanwhile his opponent is best known for losing to Delegate Subramanyam by almost 18 points in 2021. Loudoun voters made the correct call then, and I am confident they will once again.
House of Delegates (HoD)
● Kannan Srinivasan, House of Delegates District 26
Running to represent HD-26, centered around South Riding, Kannan Srinivasan has already been putting in the hard work of improving everyday life for Virginians, playing a pivotal role in expanding Medicaid as Chair of the Virginia Medical Board.
● Atoosa Reaser, House of Delegates District 27
This District is mostly centered around the eastern end of Route 7/Dulles Airport. An experienced attorney and the current Algonkian District Representative on the School Board, Atoosa Reaser has dedicated her career to serving her community. She has endured death threats while fighting to uphold the principles of evidence-based decision making and equal access to our educational system for all. Atoosa’s record of public service demonstrates that she will fight for reproductive health care rights, full funding of our public education system, and gun safety legislation in the House of Delegates.
Meanwhile, Atoosa’s Republican opponent served in the Trump Administration (Department of Homeland Security) helping enforce the racist, unconstitutional, Muslim travel ban.
● David Reid, House of Delegates District 28
This Ashburn-based House of Delegates District is represented by David Reid, who is running for-reelection. A Navy veteran and an accomplished legislator who was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2017 (flipping a red seat blue), he is one of the most successful legislators in either chamber in Richmond, with a track record of getting things done, successfully passing over thirty bipartisan bills. Strongly endorsed by a wide range of organizations – from reproductive rights groups to unions, from gun safety advocates to environmental organizations – Delegate Reid will continue to fight for our values and priorities when we send him back to Richmond.
● Marty Martinez, House of Delegates District 29
Former four-term Leesburg Town Council member Marty Martinez is running to represent this Leesburg-centered House of Delegates seat. Another veteran, Martinez served in the United States Air Force. With all of his experience, it is impossible to imagine anyone better prepared to serve this District on day one.
● Rob Banse, House of Delegates 30
HD30 is the only Delegate seat in Loudoun that straddles county lines, essentially being a District running along Route 15 in Loudoun and then having parts of Fauquier County. While the toughest of the five HoD seats in Loudoun, it is winnable! Not because I live in it (though it certainly can't hurt), Tim Kaine carried it in 2018.
Rob Banse is our nominee in this seat. He has served as an Episcopal Minister for over 35 years, 17 of those years serving communities in Western Loudoun and Fauquier counties. Rob has dedicated his life to the pastoral work of helping and healing his congregants. When elected, he will take the same approach with his constituents.
Banse’s Republican opponent organized and spoke at “Stop the Steal” rallies in 2020 alongside the Proud Boys and the founder of the Oath Keepers, convicted seditionist Stewart Rhodes, spreading the “Big Lie”, helping incite the January 6th assault on our capital. He is unfit to serve any elected office in this country.
The Pastor v. the Insurrectionist. I know who I’m knocking doors for.
Countywide Offices – Constitutional Officers
Candidates for Constitutional Officer positions (listed below) in Loudoun County go through a partisan primary process in order to be placed on the ballot. These are races where the Democratic Party has nominated one candidate and the MAGA Republican Party chaired by Scott Pio has nominated their candidate.
However, unlike the State Senate and HoD races, there is no (D) or (R) next to Constitutional Officer candidate’s names on the ballot. That’s why we are emphasizing voter education in our canvassing activities and ensuring every voter is offered a sample ballot at the polls before they vote.
● Craig Buckley, Sheriff
With 30 years of law enforcement experience, and as a widely recognized expert who has written policing policy that has been adopted around the country. Craig Buckley is uniquely equipped to reform the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, which has faced a litany of lawsuits for violating civil rights under a three-term incumbent Republican Sheriff, who has been more concerned with playing politics and attending Stop the Steal rallies, rather than actually focusing on public safety in Loudoun County.
● Buta Biberaj, Commonwealth Attorney
Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberaj has proven over the last four years that you can tackle criminal justice reform in both a smart and compassionate manner. Under her tenure violent crime is down over 30%, while the population of the jail has also decreased almost 50%. Her reelection is crucial for Loudoun to remain on the forefront of common sense, compassionate criminal justice.
Our reproductive health care rights are also at stake in this race. If the Republicans take Richmond and impose statewide restrictions on reproductive health care, CA Biberaj vows to never prosecute a patient or doctor in Loudoun County for seeking or providing basic reproductive health care to those who need it.
● Robin Roopnarine, Treasurer
The Treasurer’s position collects, distributes, and invests billions of our tax dollars on an annual basis. A USMC veteran, a CPA, and an attorney are running for the County Treasurer’s office. This is not the start of a bad joke. We don’t have three Democratic candidates nominated for the office. We have one nominee, Robin Roopnarine. He just happens to be all three of those things. As part of his long and distinguished career, Robin oversaw the mid-Atlantic region of Deloitte, a leading international services and consulting firm, where he specialized in banking, internal and external audits, corporate tax advisory services, management, and technology consulting. He’s got my vote.
● Sri Amudhanar, Commissioner of Revenue
Sri Amudhanar is a long-time resident of Loudoun County, small business owner, and former Chair of the Ashburn Democrats. Endorsed by Senator Kaine, Congresswomen Wexton, and a host of other elected Democrats in Loudoun County, he will take his 25+ years of IT experience in the private and government sectors to dramatically overhaul and streamline the Commissioner of Revenue’s office, which hasn’t had a new Commissioner in over 20 years.
Board of Supervisors
Candidates for Board of Supervisors positions in Loudoun County go through a partisan primary process in order to be placed on the ballot. These are races where the Democratic Party has nominated one candidate and the MAGA Republican Party chaired by Scott Pio has nominated their candidate.
However, unlike the State Senate and HoD races, there is no (D) or (R) next to Board of Supervisor candidate’s names on the ballot (just like the Constitutional Officers).
In the last three years, the Board of Supervisors has had party line votes on issues ranging from gun safety, to the right to collective bargaining, to protecting the rights of our LGBTQ+ residents, to fully funding our Loudoun County Public School system. All of the advances we’ve made on these issues are in danger if Republicans retake the Board of Supervisors.
The Democratic nominees established a common vision for the next four years at a press conference in January of this year. Links to some news stories about it are below.
The six overarching issues discussed were:
Transparent and respectful constituent relations and service.
Providing county services and adequately funding county schools while keeping taxes low.
Maintaining strong infrastructure while increasing affordable housing.
Balancing growth and environmental preservation.
Maintaining good relations with federal and state officials and providing competitive benefits and wages to county employees.
Maintaining voting rights including reinstating early voting on Sunday
● Phyllis Randall, Chair of the Board of Supervisors
Chair Randall has served as Chair of the Board of Supervisors of Loudoun County since 2015, having been overwhelmingly re-elected in 2019. An experienced mental health therapist, with decades of experience working with justice-involved populations, Chair Randall has spent her time on the Board promoting policies and values that have made Loudoun the business friendly, compassionate, culturally rich, and beautiful community we live in.
Her Republican opponent basically said at a recent forum he doesn’t believe that the government should be involved in land use decisions. A data center on every corner!!!!!! Vote Republican!!!!
● Juli Briskman, Algonquin District
Supervisor Briskman was first elected to represent the Algonkian District on the Board of Supervisors in 2019. Since that time, she has led on issues like school funding, infrastructure, and attainable housing. Briskman is a former journalist and U.S. State Department employee, whose unique skills and experience make her an ideal candidate to continue to lead on issues such as LCPS funding, gun safety, and using the powers of the Board of Supervisors to protect reproductive freedoms in Loudoun County.
Her opponent is a former Republican member of the Loudoun County School Board who voted in favor of continuing to allow discrimination against the LGBTQ community while slow walking efforts to bring all-day Kindergarten to Loudoun County Public Schools.
● Mike Turner, Ashburn District
Supervisor Turner, a retired US Air Force Colonel, was first elected to represent the Ashburn District on the Board of Supervisors in 2019. Supervisor Turner has been a leader on land use issues as Chair of the Land Use Committee.
The Republican nominee for this seat has testified at a School Board hearing that, to quote from a Loudoun Times story, “the school board’s policies send a message to her children that ‘they are racist and oppressors because of their outwardly appearance,’ and that, ‘My children will not submit or be distracted or bullied by the diversity inclusion equality lie.’”
● Sylvia Glass, Broad Run District
In addition to her role as Supervisor of the Broad Run District, Supervisor Glass is a card-carrying union member, a teacher, and a community advocate. During her time representing Broad Run, she has led on education issues and LGBTQ+ rights, ensuring that Loudoun County is a place for everyone.
● Puja Khanna, Dulles District
Puja Khanna is an embodiment of the modern Loudoun County we love so much. She immigrated to America, got an education, settled in the Dulles community, started a small business, sends her kids to LCPS, and is running to ensure that our County continues to welcome immigrants like her with open arms.
Her opponent is a 12-year incumbent who consistently votes against collective bargaining rights, fully funding our public school system, gun safety legislation, and protecting our LGBTQ residents. He also is the one of the primary proponents of the unrestrained development of data centers across the County.
● Kristen Umstattd, Leesburg District
Supervisor Umstattd has been such an effective Leesburg representative on the Board, she is unopposed.
● Koran Saines, Sterling District
Supervisor Saines has been such an effective Sterling representative on the Board, he is unopposed.
● Laura Tekrony, Little River District
Laura Tekrony has lived in the Little River community for twenty years, has been working on land use preservation issues for over ten years, and is endorsed by a wide range of groups from the Loudoun Education Association to half a dozen unions, including the Firefighters Union.
Her opponent signed the “Moms For Liberty” pledge. Moms For Liberty has been designated as an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
LCDC-Endorsed School Board Candidates
These races are not nominated by the party primary process. Candidates apply directly to the Board of Elections to get on the ballot. However, each political party does endorse candidates in these races. To pretend that they have not become partisan political elections is to ignore what has happened around education policy in Loudoun County since 2021.
On the one hand, candidates endorsed by the Loudoun County Democratic Committee believe in evidence-based decision making, teaching our entire history in public schools, ensuring all children are safe at school, and believe that LCPS’s diverse mix of students’ backgrounds and experiences is one of LCPS’s greatest strengths.
On the other hand, we have a slate of Republican-endorsed candidates who do not share the values of a majority of the residents of modern-day Loudoun County, and support book bans, picking and choosing what history can and cannot be taught in schools, and do not believe in an evidence based approach to science.
● Anne Donohue, Candidate at-Large
Anne Donohue is a former prosecutor, mother of two LCPS children, and has been a passionate advocate for the public school system for years.
● April Chandler, Algonkian District
As a mom of two LCPS students, an early education professional, and as a PTA leader, April Chandler has been involved with LCPS at every level. She is ready to step into the job on day one and continue to help lead our public schools forward.
● Harris Mahedavi, Ashburn District
Incumbent School Board Member Mahedavi who currently represents the Ashburn District also serves as the Vice-Chairman of the School Board. When reelected, he will continue to serve Loudoun County families and continue to build on the world class education our students already enjoy.
● Linda Deans, Broad Run District
Dr. Linda Deans has worked as a public school teacher, central office administrator, principal, dean of girls, lead educator in a psychiatric hospital, a consultant and presenter for state and federal government training, and as an education consultant. There is no first-time candidate running for school Board anywhere in the Commonwealth this year who can match her qualifications.
● Megan Lockwood, Catoctin District
As an LCPS Teacher and parent of three current and one former LCPS students, Megan Lockwood has seen first-hand how our school system works from several perspectives. Her motivations for running are to promote the physical and mental health of students, encouraging academic excellence, and attracting and retaining the best teachers and staff possible.
● Melinda Mansfield, Dulles District
Since 2016, Melinda Mansfield has worked to improve literacy screening, instruction, intervention, teacher prep, curriculum and data transparency by helping to write, advocate for and pass 10 education laws as a parent-member of Decoding Dyslexia Virginia. Her experience advocating on behalf of, and successfully passing legislation that has directly impacted our public education shows her deep-rooted commitment and knowledge of our public education system, and ability to effect reform.
● Erika Ogedegbe, Leesburg District
Incumbent School Board Member Ogedegbe has stood up to death threats as she has voted for policies on the School Board that reflect our values and protect all our children. She is battle tested and will continue to make the right decisions for Loudoun students and their families.
● Sumera Rashid, Little River District
Dr. Sumera Rashid is the daughter of immigrants, a teacher, and the mother of two LCPS students. Her focus on the School Board will be on transparency and inclusivity, while promoting open lines of communication between school officials, the families of the students, and the teachers. She will also prioritize setting high academic standards and promoting academic excellence.
● Arben Istrefi, Sterling District
Another leader who has been putting in the real day-to-day work before running for public office, Arben Istrefi serves as the Chief Operating Officer at a tech education company with a mission to create tomorrow’s tech workforce by re-skilling those who are looking for a better life. His work focuses on bridging the opportunity gaps for individuals from disadvantaged, underrepresented, and historically marginalized communities and uses IT careers as a medium for upward socio-economic mobility. Today his work serves thousands of students each year in more than 30 countries around the globe.
In Conclusion
Loudoun County voters face a fundamental choice this Fall, on what sort of County and Commonwealth we want to be. One party believes that our strength lies in our diversity, that all people regardless of their background should be embraced and respected, that science and evidence-backed facts should guide us, and wants to see a more equitable, accessible, and fair future for all our residents.
Meanwhile the other side wants to roll back rights, liberties, and freedoms, stoke division, punish those that they see as different or “the other,” and provide tax breaks to their wealthy donors at the detriment to the rest of our community.
Do we want to live somewhere that protects inherent human rights like bodily autonomy? A place that limits access to weapons of war on our streets? A community concerned with the safety of all kids regardless of their identity? Or do we want to allow extreme bigots to push their religious beliefs on everyone, that does not believe the government can be a force for positive change, and believes the best way to protect our children is to install more firearms in our public schools?
I know what vision I want for my family and my community, and I know I share that vision with all of our exceptionally qualified candidates. It is my hope you all will join me in voting to continue on our long and shared trek towards progress this Fall.
Important dates to remember:
Early voting starts September 22nd
The deadline to register to vote online, in person or by mail is October 16th
The last day to request a ballot be mailed to you is October 27th
Early voting closes November 4th
Election Day is November 7th
Thank you for your consideration.
Most Sincerely,
Avram Fechter, Chair LCDC
