Hanover County

Virginia’s 1st district includes 15 counties and parts of Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover Counties. With 810,541, this district leans Republican. 

This election will be held on November 8, 2022. A US Army veteran, Herb Jones (D), is running against incumbent Rob Whitman (R), who has been in Congress since 2007.

Democrat Herbert Jones Jr. came to Virginia through an assignment in the Army. After leaving active duty to join the reserves, he was elected County Treasurer of New Kent County in 1999, beginning his journey in elected office. Thanks to his extensive knowledge of the military, Governor Ralph Northam appointed him to the Commonwealth’s Military Advisory Council. In 2019, Jones lost to Senator Tommy Norment in the race for the Virginia State Senate District 3 seat.

Jones considers himself a supporter of the 2nd Amendment but is also in favor of strong gun violence prevention legislation. He points to greedy politicans and funding from gun lobbyists like the NRA as barriers to passing common sense laws. A gun owner himself, he supports mandatory background checks and extreme risk protection laws. Additionally, he believes there must be an end to the gun show loophole. He is on record as being in favor of the Active Shooter Alert Act and promises to fight for immediate and meaningful reform.

Accessible healthcare is a top priority for Jones. He believes that all Americans should have access to high quality and affordable healthcare. Jones emphasizes the need to expand and increase funding for services for veterans. He supports mental health care initiatives and addiction treatment programs, as well as access to reproductive healthcare. Jones considers Planned Parenthood an essential healthcare provider and stands against attacks on abortion access.

Jones promises to protect and preserve the natural environment, and pledged never to accept campaign contributions from Dominion Power and Appalachian Power, believing elected officials should not make decisions about the environment because of monetary influence. He believes that we must invest in clean energy, and points to renewable energy as a source for new jobs. Jones encourages providing tax incentives to clean energy companies. Furthermore, he hopes to revoke the tax breaks that are given to fossil fuel companies. He emphasizes the need to conserve the resources of the Chesapeake Bay by expanding funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Jones supports criminal justice reform in conjunction with police reform. He believes marijuana should be legalized federally to help end the war on drugs, which he notes has disproportionately incarcerated people of color. Jones is pushing for national training requirements for police officers, as well as a ban on chokeholds and no-knock warrants. In 2020, Jones expressed support of police civilian review boards, recalling two instances in which police drew their weapons on him.

The Republican incumbent is Congressman Robb Wittman, who has represented the 1st District since 2007. 93% of Wittman’s votes were in line with President Trump’s position. Wittman voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He also voted against increasing housing assistance and an economic stimulus package to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic. He opposes raising the minimum wage and abortion rights. He voted against the Active Shooter Alert Act.

Due to Wittman’s opposition to raising the minimum wage, expanding abortion access, and his votes on the Affordable Care Act and the Active Shooter Alert Act, Jones is the progressive candidate in this race.

Virginia’s 5th district includes 21 counties and parts of Albemarle County, Bedford County, and Hanover County. With a population of 797,420 this district leans Republican. 

This election will be held on November 8, 2022. Incumbent Bob Good (R), who has held the District 5 seat since 2021, will face John Throneburg (D), an ordained minister.

Josh Throneburg (D), is an ordained minister and small business owner based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Together with his wife, they own Nooks & Crannies, an eco-friendly cleaning buisness. Prior to moving to Charlottesville, he was a minister in Massachusetts. He mentions his role as a father as a driving force behind his desire to serve. Throneburg comes from a farming family and grew up in a small town in Illinois. Dismantling systemic racism, investing in rural areas, and climate change are among his top priorities.

If elected, Throneburg hopes to join the House Committee on Natural Resources. To address climate change, he believes individuals and corporations can be incentivized to switch to renewable energy sources. He also sees this as a way to create jobs and uplift rural communities. He includes salary matches, housing assistance, affordable healthcare, pension support, and priority job placement as part of a just transition for fossil fuel workers. Throneburg is in favor of placing taxes or fines on the country’s largest carbon emitters as a response to the economic costs associated with climate change.

Throneburg supports abortion access and believes protections should be enshrined in federal law to prevent states from interfering with safe and accessible abortion care. He also supports policy that expands resources for families, like paid family and medical leave and Medicaid expansion to cover pregnant people through pregnancy and the first year postpartum, as well as federal adoption subsidies. He supports sustainable funding streams for community-based organizations, noting their positive affects on the maternal mortality rate for people of color. He believes private insurance companies should cover the full range of contraceptive methods at no cost to patients.

As the father of one Black daughter and one biracial daughter, Throneburg emphasizes his commitment to racial justice and equity. One way he aims to address this is through housing justice. He favors zero- or low-interest loans for homebuyers of color to counter effects of redlining. Additionally, he calls for investing in HBCUs through direct granting programs, extending Pell Grants to HBCU students, and free community college for everyone. He also sees racial justice as a need for criminal justice reform. He wants to studythe federal decriminalization of marijuana and would push for accountability and transparency in law enforcement.

Throneburg advocates for LGBTQ+ protections and supports the passage of the Equality Act, which would guarantee equal protection in employment, housing, credit, and education among other areas. It would also prohibit discrimination in public spaces. He also supports passing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which deals with bullying and harassment. He wants to prohibit child welfare agencies that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. He opposes use of the “gay/trans panic” as a defense in trial. He pushes collecting data to research economic well-being of LGBTQ+ Americans.

Throneburg is facing incumbent Bob Good (R), a former fundraiser for Liberty University and Campbell County Supervisor. Good opposes transgender bathroom policies and sanctuary cities. He was criticized for racist comments made regarding Afghan refugees. He considers himself, “unashamedly 100% pro-life,” and introduced legislation to recognize National Pregnancy Center Week. He also believes that classrooms should have cameras.

Due to his commitment to racial and environmental justice, support for abortion access, and his stance on LGBTQ+ rights, Josh Throneburg is the more progressive candidate in this race.