Democratic Party of Virginia

Democratic Party of Virginia
Chairman	Lamont Bagby
Senate President Pro Tempore	Louise Lucas
Senate Majority Leader	Scott Surovell
Speaker of the House of Delegates	Don Scott
Founded	1924 (1924)
Headquarters	919 East Main Street [1] Richmond, Virginia 23223
Student wing	Virginia College Democrats
Youth wing	Virginia Young Democrats
Women's wing	Virginia Democratic Women’s Caucus
Overseas wing	Democrats Abroad
LGBT wing	LGBT Democrats of Virginia
Ideology	Modern liberalism [2]
Political position	Center-left [2]
National affiliation	Democratic Party
Colors	Blue
Statewide Executive Offices	0 / 3
Senate	21 / 40
House of Delegates	51 / 100
U.S. Senate	2 / 2
U.S. House of Representatives	6 / 11
Election symbol
Website
www.vademocrats.org
Politics of Virginia Elections

The Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA/VA Dems) is the Virginia affiliate of the Democratic Party based in Richmond, Virginia. ^[3]

Historically, the Democratic Party has dominated Virginia politics. Since the 1851 Virginia gubernatorial election, the first gubernatorial election in Virginia in which the governor was elected by direct popular vote, 34 Virginia Governors have been Democrats. Since the 1851 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, the first lieutenant gubernatorial election in Virginia in which the lieutenant governor was elected by direct popular vote, 29 Virginia Lieutenant Governors have been Democrats. Since the 1851 Virginia Attorney General election, the first Attorney General election in Virginia in which the Attorney General was elected by direct popular vote, 25 Attorneys General have been Democrats.

As of 2025, Democrats hold a 21–19 majority in the Virginia Senate, and a 51–48 majority in the Virginia House of Delegates. ^[4] At the federal level, Virginia has voted for every Democratic presidential candidate since 2008. Democrats hold six of the Commonwealth's 11 U.S. House seats and both of the Commonwealth's U.S. Senate seats.

Organization

Staff

• Executive Director: Shyam Raman
• Deputy Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer: Brenner Tobe
• Data Director: Katie O'Grady
• Political Director: Emily Hamm

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee makes decisions about the Party in-between meetings of the Central Committee, and also has an exclusive role of overseeing staff.

• Chair: Lamont Bagby
• 1st Vice Chair for Organization: Gaylene Kanoyton
• 2nd Vice Chair for Rules and Resolutions: Marc Broklawsk
• Vice Chair for Technology and Communications: Ricardo Alfaro
• Vice Chair for Outreach: Sen. L. Louise Lucas
• Vice Chair for Finance: Clarence Tong
• Secretary: Isaac Sarver
• Treasurer: Abbi Easter
• DNC Member: Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy
• DNC Member: Doris Crouse-Mays
• DNC Member: Bryan Graham
• DNC Member: Harry Khanna
• DNC Member: Tram Nguyen
• DNC Member: Elaine Kamarck
• 1st Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Dianne Carter de Mayo
• 2nd Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Sandra Brandt
• 3rd Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Charles Stanton
• 4th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Alexsis Rodgers
• 5th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Patricia Harper Tunley
• 6th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Kym Crump
• 7th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Matt Rowe
• 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Margo Horner
• 9th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Rebecca Daly
• 10th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Zach Pruckowski
• 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair: Manisha Singh
• Labor Caucus Chair: Julie Hunter
• Associations of Local Chairs Chair: Tina Winkler
• Democratic Black Caucus Chair: EJ Scott
• Women's Caucus Chair: Hala Ayala
• LGBT Democrats of Virginia Chair: Joel McDonald
• Veterans and Military Families Caucus Chair: Charley Conrad
• Virginia Young Democrats President: Malena Llanos
• DisAbility Caucus Chair: Cyliene Montgomery
• Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia Chair: Shyamali Hauth
• Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia President: Carla Bustillos
• Rural Caucus Chair: Roberta Thacker-Oliver
• Small Business Caucus Chair: Mark Cannady
• Immediate Past Chair: Susan Swecker

Central Committee

The Central Committee has full control over all matters of the Party, including the adoption of an annual budget, the method of nomination for statewide candidates such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General; the adoption of resolutions and policy statements. In addition, the Central Committee can veto any decision of the Steering Committee.

The Central Committee meets at least four times a year, usually in Richmond, although by tradition, the September meeting is in Fredericksburg. Central Committee meetings are accompanied by meetings of the Steering Committee the night before, and Caucus meetings over the weekend.

The Central Committee is composed of 20 members from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. Each district apportions the central committee seats to localities in the district based on population. Additionally, each district committee can elect three more members from local committees and one member of the Virginia General Assembly. The Central Committee is "reorganized" every four years following the election for Governor. The last reorganization was held in March 2022. ^[5]

In addition, the following people are ex-officio members of the Central Committee and their District Committees:

• Members of the steering committee
• Democratic Virginia members of the United States Congress
• Democratic statewide elected officials, such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General
• the President Pro Tempore of the Virginia Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, provided they are Democrats
• the Democratic Leaders of the Virginia House and Senate
• the Chairs of the Democratic Caucuses in Virginia the House and Senate
• the president, national committeeman, and national committeewoman of the Virginia Young Democrats
• the president and first vice president of the Women's Caucus
• the chair of the Association of Democratic Elected Officials
• the chair of the Virginia Young Democrats Teen Caucus
• the chair of the Virginia Young Democrats College Caucus
• and the chair of the Virginia Young Democrats City/County Caucus ^[6]

Local Democratic Committees

Local Democratic Committees serve to promote the Democratic Party in their specific locality. Some committees may contain several localities. Local committees may endorse candidates for nonpartisan office (such as school board) and assist in campaigning for their candidate.

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

Democrats have controlled both of Virginia's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2008:

• 
  Junior U.S. Senator Tim Kaine
• 
  Senior U.S. Senator Mark Warner

U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the 11 seats Virginia is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, six are held by Democrats:

District	Member	Photo
3rd	Bobby Scott
4th	Jennifer McClellan
7th	Eugene Vindman
8th	Don Beyer
10th	Suhas Subramanyam
11th	James Walkinshaw

Legislative leadership

• President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia: Louise Lucas
• Senate Majority Leader: Scott Surovell
• Senate Caucus Chair: Mamie Locke
• Speaker of the House of Delegates: Don Scott
• House Majority Leader: Charniele Herring
• House Caucus Chair: Kathy Tran

Mayors

• Norfolk: Kenny Alexander (3)
• Richmond: Danny Avula (4)
• Newport News: Phillip Jones (5)
• Alexandria: Alyia Gaskins (6)

List of chairs

• John S. Barbour Jr. (1883–1889)
• Basil B. Gordon (1889–1890)
• J. Taylor Ellyson (1890–1916)
• Rorer A. James (1916–1921)
• Henry D. Flood (1921)
• Harry F. Byrd (1922–1924)
• J. Murray Hooker (1925–1940)
• Horace H. Edwards (1940–1948)
• G. Alvin Massenburg (1948–1952)
• William M. Tuck (July 1952–August 1952)
• T. Nelson Parker (August 1952–December 1952)
• Thomas H. Blanton (1952–1964)
• Watkins Abbitt Sr. (1964–1970)
• William G. Thomas (1970–1972)
• Joseph T. Fitzpatrick (1972–1979)
• Richard J. Davis (1979–1980)
• Owen B. Pickett (1980–1982)
• Alan Diamonstein (1982–1985)
• Richard J. Davis (1985–1986)
• Lawrence H. Framme III (1986–1990)
• Paul Goldman (1990–1993)
• Mark Warner (1993–1995)
• Suzie Wrenn (1995–1998)
• Kenneth R. Plum (1998–2000)
• Emily Couric (Co-chair, 2000–2001)
• Lawrence H. Framme III (Co-chair, 2000–2001; 2001–2003)
• Kerry J. Donley (2003–2005)
• Richard Cranwell (2005–2010)
• Brian Moran (2010–2012)
• Charniele Herring (2012–2014)
• Dwight C. Jones (2014 – March 27, 2015)
• Susan Swecker (March 27, 2015 – March 22, 2025)
• Lamont Bagby (since March 22, 2025)

Controversies

2019 Virginia political crisis

In 2019, all three of Virginia's statewide executive office holders, all Democrats, were embroiled in various controversies. Governor Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook page had featured an individual in blackface and an individual in a Ku Klux Klan hood, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax was accused of having sexually assaulted a professor in 2004, and Attorney General Mark Herring was revealed to have worn blackface at a college party. Most Democrats urged Northam to resign from the governorship, but he refused. Ultimately, none of the three accused resigned. ^[7]

Historical firsts

African Americans

• First African American Governor of Virginia and Lieutenant Governor of Virginia: Douglas Wilder

Arab Americans

• First Lebanese-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Hala Ayala
• First Palestinian-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Sam Rasoul

Asian Americans

• First Korean-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Mark Keam
• First Vietnamese-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kathy Tran
• First Filipino-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kelly Fowler

Jewish Americans

• First Jewish American to represent Virginia in the United States House of Representatives: Norman Sisisky
• First Jewish American Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates: Eileen Filler-Corn

Latino Americans

• First Peruvian-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Elizabeth Guzmán
• First Salvadoran-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Hala Ayala
• First Mexican-American member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Kelly Fowler

LGBT

• First openly gay member of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia: Adam Paul Ebbin
• First openly lesbian member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Dawn M. Adams
• First openly transgender member of the Virginia House of Delegates: Danica Roem

Women

• First female Attorney General of Virginia: Mary Sue Terry
• First female Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates: Eileen Filler-Corn

See also

• Virginia portal

• Politics of Virginia
• Republican Party of Virginia

References

1. "Democratic Party of Virginia". Vademocrats.org. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
2. Arnold, N. Scott (2009). Imposing values: an essay on liberalism and regulation. Florence: Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN   978-0-495-50112-1. Modern liberalism occupies the left-of-center in the traditional political spectrum and is represented by the Democratic Party in the United States.
3. "Contact Archived 2010-04-30 at the Wayback Machine ." Democratic Party of Virginia. Retrieved on May 13, 2010.
4. "Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings". virginiageneralassembly.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
5. "DPVA Central Committee Reorganization". Democratic Party of Virginia. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
6. Swecker, Susan (September 8, 2018). "Democratic Party of Virginia Party Plan" (PDF). Democratic Party of Virginia.
7. Schwartzman, Paul. "On a political roll, Virginia Democrats now awash in scandal". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 February 2021.

External links

• Democratic Party of Virginia Party Website
• Virginia Young Democrats
• Arlington Democrats
• Senate Caucus
• House Caucus