Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC, Farm Bureau’s political action committee, recently announced its endorsement of 32 candidates for the Virginia Senate and 69 candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates. Though the committee did not endorse a candidate in each district’s race, Farm Bureau values many candidates’ open-door policies, and anticipates building strong working relationships with them.
The endorsements are based on recommendations of local committees of farmers.
“Candidates are evaluated through a grassroots process that assesses their understanding of the needs and challenges that we as farmers face in today’s times,” said Wayne F. Pryor, VFBF president and chairman of the VFBF AgPAC board of trustees. “Those who have received the AgPAC endorsement have a history of supporting issues important to agriculture or have demonstrated their commitment through their participation in the evaluation process.”
Throughout the year, the VFBF Women’s Leadership and Young Farmers committees facilitate relationships between agriculturalists and legislators from both rural and urban districts—building partnerships that ensure a sustainable future for the state’s largest industry. Speaking directly with representatives of the General Assembly at farmer-focused summits, in-person visits and legislative roundtables statewide resulted in more opportunities for members to become a voice for agriculture and serve as resources for lawmakers.
Candidates are neither endorsed nor denied endorsements based on policy stances unrelated to farming or forestry.
“We believe these candidates will help protect the agriculture and forestry industries and ensure that they remain the No. 1 industries in the commonwealth,” Pryor continued.
Friendly incumbents have a track record of working with farmers at the local level, said Martha Moore, senior vice president of VFBF governmental relations.
“The newcomers our farmers endorsed for the House and Senate have demonstrated a willingness to listen, seeking to understand the nuances of agricultural issues specific to Virginia’s farmers and foresters,” she added.
The non-partisan VFBF AgPAC was created in 1999 and employs in-kind contributions and endorsements to support candidates who can best support agriculture and Farm Bureau issues.
The following candidates were endorsed (* indicates incumbent candidates):
Endorsed for Virginia Senate
| Senate District | Candidate |
|---|---|
| SD1 | Timmy French (R) |
| SD2 | Mark Obenshain* (R) |
| SD3 | Christopher Head (R) |
| SD4 | Dave Suetterlein* (R) |
| SD5 | Travis Hackworth* (R) |
| SD6 | Todd Pillion* (R) |
| SD7 | Bill Stanley* (R) |
| SD8 | Mark Peake* (R) |
| SD9 | Frank Ruff* (R) |
| SD10 | John McGuire (R) |
| SD11 | Creigh Deeds* (D) |
| SD12 | Glen Sturtevant (R) |
| SD13 | Lashrecse Aird (D) |
| SD15 | Ghazala Hashmi* (D) |
| SD16 | Siobhan Dunnavant* (R) |
| SD17 | Emily Brewer (R) |
| SD18 | Louise Lucas* (D) |
| SD19 | Christie New Craig (R) |
| SD20 | Bill DeSteph* (R) |
| SD21 | Angelia Williams Graves (D) |
| SD23 | Mamie Locke* (D) |
| SD24 | Monty Mason* (D) |
| SD25 | Richard Stuart* (R) |
| SD26 | Ryan McDougle* (R) |
| SD27 | Tara Durant (R) |
| SD28 | Bryce Reeves* (R) |
| SD29 | Jeremy McPike* (D) |
| SD34 | Scott Surovell* (D) |
| SD35 | Dave Marsden* (D) |
| SD38 | Jennifer Boysko* (D) |
| SD39 | Adam Ebbin* (D) |
| SD40 | Barbara Favola* (D) |
Endorsed for Virginia House of Delegates
| House District | Candidate |
|---|---|
| HD1 | Patrick Hope* (D) |
| HD3 | Alfonso Lopez* (D) |
| HD4 | Charniele Herring* (D) |
| HD5 | Elizabeth Bennett-Parker* (D) |
| HD6 | Rip Sullivan* (D) |
| HD8 | Irene Shin* (D) |
| HD9 | Karrie Delaney* (D) |
| HD10 | Dan Helmer* (D) |
| HD11 | David Bulova* (D) |
| HD12 | Holly Seibold* (D) |
| HD14 | Vivian Watts* (D) |
| HD16 | Paul Krizek* (D) |
| HD17 | Mark Sickles* (D) |
| HD18 | Kathy Tran* (D) |
| HD20 | Michelle Maldonado* (D) |
| HD25 | Briana Sewell* (D) |
| HD26 | Kannan Srinivasan (D) |
| HD27 | Atoosa Reaser (D) |
| HD28 | David Reid* (D) |
| HD31 | Delores Oates (R) |
| HD32 | Bill Wiley* (R) |
| HD33 | Todd Gilbert* (R) |
| HD34 | Tony Wilt* (R) |
| HD35 | Chris Runion* (R) |
| HD36 | Ellen Campbell* (R) |
| HD37 | Terry Austin* (R) |
| HD38 | Sam Rasoul* (D) |
| HD39 | Will Davis (R) |
| HD40 | Joe McNamara* (R) |
| HD42 | Jason Ballard* (R) |
| HD43 | Will Morefield* (R) |
| HD44 | Israel O’Quinn* (R) |
| HD45 | Terry Kilgore* (R) |
| HD46 | Jed Arnold (R) |
| HD47 | Wren Williams* (R) |
| HD48 | Les Adams* (R) |
| HD49 | Danny Marshall* (R) |
| HD50 | Tommy Wright* (R) |
| HD52 | Wendell Walker* (R) |
| HD53 | Tim Griffin (R) |
| HD56 | Tom Garrett (R) |
| HD59 | Buddy Fowler* (R) |
| HD60 | Scott Wyatt* (R) |
| HD61 | Michael Webert* (R) |
| HD62 | Nick Freitas* (R) |
| HD63 | Phillip Scott* (R) |
| HD64 | Paul Milde (R) |
| HD66 | Bobby Orrock* (R) |
| HD67 | Hillary Pugh Kent (R) |
| HD68 | Keith Hodges* (R) |
| HD69 | Chad Green (R) |
| HD70 | Shelly Simonds* (D) |
| HD71 | Amanda Batten* (R) |
| HD72 | Lee Ware* (R) |
| HD73 | Mark Earley Jr. (R) |
| HD74 | Mike Cherry* (R) |
| HD75 | Carrie Coyner* (R) |
| HD78 | Betsy Carr* (D) |
| HD81 | Delores McQuinn* (D) |
| HD82 | Kim Taylor* (R) |
| HD83 | Otto Wachsmann* (R) |
| HD86 | A.C. Cordoza* (R) |
| HD88 | Don Scott* (D) |
| HD90 | Jay Leftwich* (R) |
| HD91 | Cliff Hayes* (D) |
| HD97 | Karen Greenhalgh* (R) |
| HD98 | Barry Knight* (R) |
| HD99 | Anne Ferrell Tata* (R) |
| HD100 | Rob Bloxom Jr.* (R) |
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