NORFOLK, Va. — They may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but get to know Jackie Glass and Giovanni Dolmo and voters might find they have more in common than they realize.
For starters, they both want to make the City of Norfolk a better place.
“I'm not a politician," Dolmo said. "I have a home church, I’m a pastor, but this is something dear to my heart."
“Maybe my role was to be a policymaker to support all these things I support locally," Glass said.
Glass and Dolmo are vying for the city’s 89th House of Delegates district seat after Del. Jay Jones announced that he'll be resigning from the position, just weeks after the incumbent won re-election. He and his wife are expecting a baby.
Glass and Dolmo spoke to 13News Now Thursday afternoon about what they would do if they got the job.
Jackie Glass
Glass, a Democrat, initially lost a November race to represent Norfolk City Council's Superward 7 position. However, she lost to winner Danica Royster by fewer than 500 votes, garnering nearly 26% of the total votes cast for that election.
After winning the Democratic nomination through a “firehouse caucus” conducted this week, she said maybe it was a sign that this race is the one she was meant to win.
“I’d consider myself an independent Democrat," she explained.
Identifying as a "women and families" candidate, here are the key policies Glass identified when asked about what issues she most strongly supports in the event she's elected:
- Paid family medical leave
- Access to affordable healthcare
- Affordable housing, and low-income tax credits
- Energy efficiency
- Small business and labor relations
- Equitable state-funding allocation
Glass served 11 years in the Navy as a cryptologist, serving on two deployments.
Giovanni Dolmo
According to the 39-year-old pastor and community tutor, this is his first time truly entering the political landscape.
The Republican Party of Norfolk selected Dolmo as the party nominee on Tuesday.
"A little 'All of the sudden,' but I'm here to do it," he said.
Dolmo immigrated from Honduras at the age of five, and said he aligns himself with the policies of Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin.
Here are the key policies Dolmo identified when asked about what issues he most strongly supports in the event he's elected:
- Eliminating grocery taxes
- "Freezing" gas taxes
- Education reform
- Supporting law enforcement (specifically against defunding police departments)
- Lowering the cost of living
Dolmo served ten years in the Navy and spent time at Little Creek Naval base.
The special election will take place on January 11, days before the General Assembly convenes and Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin is sworn into office.
Republicans control the House of Delegates majority after picking up seven seats in the November elections.