In February, I announced my re-election in the newly drawn 6th House District. Now we are nearly 100 days from the election, and after six months of campaigning, here is a glimpse of what Team Sullivan has been up to:
This election is about more than making sure I return to Richmond so I can continue fighting for the Democratic values in our community. It is also about building a Democratic movement. We hear every year “this is the most important election,” and in 2023 that could not be more true. There is more at stake than ever before, and we need all hands on deck.
On Primary Day, I was proud to congratulate my friend Jimmy Bierman on winning the Democratic nomination for Dranesville Board of Supervisors. Jimmy worked hard knocking doors, and meeting community members where they were to earn their trust and vote. It was great standing beside him at events around Dranesville, and I am excited to be sharing a ballot with him this Fall. Together, along with Senator Jennifer Boysko and Robyn Lady for School Board, we are working to make sure Democrats are elected up and down the ballot.
This month we began our joint canvassing efforts, and are looking forward to more great conversations with voters in HD6. Sign up here to join us, or check out our Mobilize for upcoming volunteer opportunities.
With your support, my campaign also out- fundraised my opponent in the two reporting periods since her accouncement.
In May, Team Sullivan grew with the onboarding of our Finance Director, Organizing Manager, and Communications Assistant. Together, with my Campaign Manager and consultant team, they are working hard to make sure my campaign is accessible to everyone.
We are out and about in the community, and building up our event calendar so voters have the opportunity to hear directly from their candidate. This Friday, we are launching “Sip with Rip,” a series of conversations with local leaders and community members, hosted monthly. For July, we will be discussing the topic of Democracy, and welcome questions from attendees. Stay tuned to join us in August for our discussion on Education, just in time for back to school season.
In addition to my re-election and local races, I am also focused on supporting races across the Commonwealth. In June, my PAC, Project Blue Dominion, re-launched our weekly “Flip and Defend-A-District” email. This features Democrats– incumbents and challengers– Virginians need to elect to gain the majority in the House of Delegates. You can find our latest volumes here.
The stakes simply could not be higher. Virginia is currently the only state in the South with access to legal, safe abortion care. Governor Youngkin and House Republicans are prepared to change that with proposals for various bans on abortion. This means reproductive freedom is on the ballot, and it is critical that Democrats take back the House and maintain hold of the Senate in November.
I am proud to have received endorsement from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPVA) this cycle, and an “A+” on Repro Rising VA’s Legislative Scorecard. PPVA and Repro Rising are leading the way in expanding access to reproductive healthcare, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure abortion rights are part of the Virginia constitution.
You may also recall, in June, Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Board voted to pull Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)– an action praised by Gov. Youngkin. I stood beside climate activists that morning, advocating for a better outcome, and will continue to fight for a smooth, clean energy transition in the Commonwealth.
Creating a more sustainable Virginia has been a central principle of my career in the General Assembly, and of my campaign. So far this cycle I have been endorsed by Sierra Club VA and received a 100% on the League of Conservation Voters 2023 Scorecard. Additionally, I was awarded as a “Sustainability Champion” by Faith Alliance Climate Solutions. It is an honor to be recognized, and in company with inspiring, clean energy leaders.
You can find more endorsements here.
As the 2023 cycle continues to fly by, you can count on me to continue talking about these issues, and the other priorities of our Democratic community including common sense gun reform, strengthening our public schools, and building a more just criminal justice system.
Thank you for your support so far this cycle. I hope I can count on you to join me in the home stretch as Team Sullivan continues our efforts to mobilize every Democratic voter in our District.
