Following Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Prince William) resignation from the legislature, Northern Virginia resident Heather Mitchell is running as a Republican candidate in the upcoming special election for the House of Delegates 2nd District.
After Rich Anderson, Republican Party of Virginia Chairman, said multiple people were considering runs for the seat, Mitchell confirmed her bid in an interview with The Virginia Star.
“I am running for the second district because I feel that the second district has been ignored,” Mitchell said. “We have not had adequate representation, especially down here in Stafford.”
She added: “I have a keen understanding of the district. I have knocked on thousands of doors up and down the entire second district.”
Mitchell, who is the proud spouse of an active-duty Marine, moved to Stafford, Virginia with her family in 2014, and has since then become politically active and involved with the community, she said.
She has worked on several political campaigns as a volunteer and staff member, including for U.S. Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) as well as Delegates Margaret Ransone (R-Caroline County) and Emily Brewer (R-Suffolk), and as a senior aide to the former chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, she said.
“What I bring is almost a layman’s point of view. I am the mother of three children and I am your everyday person,” Mitchell told The Star. “Political power has never been high on my list of achievements. I am interested in giving back to my community that has been so gracious in accepting me and my family when we moved here.”
Mitchell ran against Carroll Foy and lost the 2nd District election in 2019, receiving 39 percent of the vote, according to Ballotpedia.
The 2nd District House seat only became available after Carroll Foy announced Tuesday morning that she was stepping down to focus on her run for Virginia governor in 2021. Carroll Foy’s resignation takes effect on Saturday and allows her to fundraise, something lawmakers are barred from doing during regular sessions under state law.
Carroll Foy’s decision means that someone will need to fill the vacancy before the General Assembly begins its session in mid-January.
Hours later on Tuesday, Governor Ralph Northam announced that he had called for a special election to take place on January 5, 2021, less than a month away.
Virginia Democrats are working on plans to select their nominee for the election by Saturday or Sunday, likely through a party primary, according to the Washington Post.
In terms of Democratic candidates, Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico) told The Star that he’s heard Candi King, a former small business owner and community leader, is looking to run and, according to the PW Perspective, activist Rozia Henson has also announced a bid.
So far, Mitchell is the only Republican candidate to acknowledge a run, but the last day for hopefuls to file for the special election is December 14.
Mitchell said she has not put out an official press release yet and is still in the process of finishing up the necessary paperwork to file.
“I will be the conduit for the constituents of the 2nd House District,” Mitchell said. “I am open to have a conversation with anybody regardless of political affiliation and I’m looking forward to it.”
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Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Follow Jacob on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
