CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Election Day in Virginia is less than a month away and 13News Now wants to help you get to know the candidates on your ballot.
Virginia's 2023 general election happens on November 7, and all 140 seats in the state's General Assembly are up for grabs. This is also Virginia’s first election since legislative district maps were redrawn using 2020 census data, so your districts have likely changed since the last election.
Two candidates are facing off for the 91st District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, which represents parts of Chesapeake and Portsmouth. The incumbent is Cliff Hayes, a Democrat, and the challenger is Elijah Colon, a Republican.
13News Now spoke to Hayes on his top campaign issues, including funding public education and curbing gun violence. Colon declined to participate in an interview.
VOTER GUIDE: Virginia's 2023 elections are coming up. Here's a look at races, candidates, voter registration info and more.
Del. Hayes was first elected in 2016 and is running for reelection.
"I was born and raised here in this district in which I’m seeking reelection," he said.
He said during his time in office, he’s proud of the creation of the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center in Chesapeake, helping to secure funds to open the city’s first public pool in Chesapeake and sponsoring a bill for offshore wind development.
"I think that that’s something to be proud of that we have now clean energy as a source," Hayes said.
When it comes to Virginia’s move to leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative earlier this year, Hayes said the Commonwealth needs to join back in.
"We need to do all we can to fight to be a part of that PAC once again," he said. "With the tens of millions of dollars that have come out of our participation in RGGI that have actually provided for funding for flooding mitigation in some of our marginalized communities."
As for his top three priorities while in office, he said first off, that’s making sure public education is fully funded.
"We want to stay laser focused on the fact that our public education system needs to be funded, needs to be supported."
He also wants to ensure voter access.
"I believe that the policy around access to the voting booth and your right to cast your vote should not be obstructed," said Hayes. "There have been attempts to roll back those gains and access to the voting booth and I will do everything in my power to continue the vigorous fight against any of that rolling back."
Thirdly, Hayes said he wants to continue to work to curb gun violence.
"Stop the accessibility to get handguns all in the same day," he said. "It’s going to take comprehensive approaches to roll and dial this thing back."
After the Chesapeake Walmart mass shooting in his district almost a year ago, Hayes introduced a bill to create a 72-hour waiting period to buy a gun. That bill ultimately failed.
"I promise you, in 2024, I’ll be walking right back into the General Assembly with that legislation in hand looking for that change," he said.
Another topic on voters’ minds this election cycle is abortion. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has pushed for a 15-week ban. Hayes says he believes politicians have no say in what goes on between a woman and her doctor.
"I think it’s egregious. I think that’s offensive to try to be in a position that you’re gonna tell another clear-thinking responsible adult what to do with their bodies," Hayes said. "I absolutely do not believe that politicians need to be in the way of a mother’s opportunity to sit down with her healthcare provider and have politicians make decisions on their behalf."
When we reached out to Hayes’ opponent, Republican Elijah Colon, to participate in an interview for this story, we provided several possible dates and times and his staff said via Facebook Messenger that he couldn’t make it.
On his Facebook page, he lists public safety, education, economic development and tax reforms as the focus of his campaign.
According to the latest report from the Virginia Public Access Project, Delegate Cliff Hayes has raised more than $175,000 to fund his campaign. Colon has raised close to $2,000.