Tonight the Democratic candidates for the Second District House of Delegates met in a virtual forum to discuss the important issues prior to the firehouse primary that will take place on Sunday December 13. Sponsored by the Woodbridge, Potomac and Stafford Democratic Committees and hosted by 31st Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, the forum asked nine questions on issues such as affordable housing, marijuana legalization, to criminal justice reform. Participating in the forum were Rozia Henson Jr., Pamela Montgomery, Candi King, and Nyesha Wilson. The only candidate not to participate was Keshia Francis.

The event began with a 30 second moment of silence for Jamie Beletz, a beloved community leader who passed away earlier this week. Afterwards the four candidates were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the audience who participated either on Zoom or on Facebook. They were not provided the questions in advance.

The first issue of the night discussed what each would do in support of public education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Henson talked about the need to increase funding and training teachers to be prepared in case of a future move to virtual learning only environments. Wilson stated that each student should have access to available wi-fi, and King talked about ensuring that funding should go to at risk students, and mentioned her experience as a mentor. Montgomery stated that she would look into creative ways to increase funding for schools.

Next, Delegate Guzman asked about Virginia’s “Right To Work” status, which has resulted in the state being ranked last for workers’ rights. Each candidate stated that they would work to repeal the status and support collective bargaining. King mentioned how the right to work status was steeped in the roots of Jim Crow laws, and would also fight for paid leave.

Regarding the death of George Floyd at the hands of brutal police tactics, what would the candidates do for criminal justice reform? Each brought a different answer. King, the wife of a law enforcement officer, emphasized the need for training police officers on understanding and eliminating bias in their practices. Montgomery stated that everything from policing to sentencing, including removing mandatory minimums, must be defined and put into legislation. She also called for more oversight of police operations. Henson said that he would sponsor legislation for standardized training, including de-escalation, especially for those with mental illnesses, as well as placing body cameras on all police. Wilson discussed reallocation of funding into training and hiring police officers who are representations of the communities in which they served.

Speaking more on diversity, the next question pertained to a statewide identification policy for undocumented children and adults. Montgomery began speaking first, touting her record with working for Woodbridge Supervisor Margaret Franklin on helping undocumented immigrants obtain driver’s licenses. Both Henson and Wilson support the measure to provide identification as well, and King brought up the economic benefits of statewide identification.

Guzman next went to discuss the question of campaign finance reform, and if the candidates would support receiving finances from companies such as Dominion Energy. Henson mentioned how earlier today he signed the pledge stating that he would not take finances from Dominion or any other company. Montgomery stated that she would sign the pledge as well. Both King and Wilson agreed that they would initiate legislation against companies funding campaigns.

Addressing the issue of affordable housing was the next topic, as King stated she would look into innovative strategies to provide supplements for affordable housing. Montgomery brought up the need to define the exact term of affordable housing and work with developers to support the structure of homes in line with zoning laws. Henson promoted the legalization of marijuana to help fund affordable housing, including that as delegate he would allow for low income families to be able to live in sections of areas such as Potomac Shores. Wilson stated that she would allow developers to create ‘Step Up Programs’ for affordable housing, enabling state funded housing for all families.

Extending eviction moratoriums for both residential families and small businesses were also discussed, as each supported the move to keep families in their homes past the 1/1/2021 deadline.

The legalization of marijuana was the final topic discussed, as each candidate was in favor of making Virginia the first Southern state to pass such a measure. Henson supported legalization of marijuana in both medicinal and recreational use, and Wilson concurred, stating she would also work to decriminalize and expunge the records of those arrested. King, who worked in the state of Washington, mentioned that she has seen the benefits of legalization first hand, and would distribute the revenue to education. Montgomery was the final one to answer, stating that it is a civil rights issue since Black and Brown people are more likely than whites to be arrested. She was also in favor of legalization.

For more information on each Democratic candidate, click here for the primer.

Eligible voters seeking to cast their ballot this Sunday during the firehouse primary can do so from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM at the two polling locations listed below:

Stafford County: Courthouse Community Center (29 Stafford Ave, Stafford, VA 22554)

Prince William County: Freedom High School (15201 Neabsco Mills Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191)