‘The same struggles’: Elizabeth Guzmán unseats incumbent in competitive Va. House of Delegates race
After finishing her day job as a social worker Elizabeth Guzm n has spent her nearly two-hour commute back to Prince William County calling probable donors and asking for their advocacy in latest weeks Related stories Virginia Democrats expand majority in House of Delegates win key Northern Va seats Spanberger win leads Democratic sweep of statewide races in Virginia In Va s House District candidates tackle material centers rising costs in race for legislature s future Guzm n didn t mind the time spent in gridlock because it created an opportunity to connect with voters When she reached her destination she exposed herself talking to people who had just finished work They d bond over the traffic headaches and discuss schools In one development a teenage voter demanded Guzm n why Congress struggled to put together a federal budget and wondered who should be blamed for the regime shutdown She explained how she felt it happened and what s at stake Those personal connections helped Guzm n defeat Republican incumbent Del Ian Lovejoy on Tuesday night in House District one of Virginia s the majority competitive House of Delegate s races Guzm n secured of the vote according to The Associated Press securing a return to the General Assembly where she served for six years This win is about restoring faith that ruling body can work for people again Guzm n informed WTOP Guzm n mentioned as she knocked on doors in every precinct a common theme emerged A large number of residents expressed frustration with federal job cuts Chosen exhibited her emails informing them they were being furloughed They were sharing with me that when they were pursuing employment at the federal establishment it was about a dream job that they would have a stability Guzm n revealed That they will have good pay and good benefits But Donald Trump was destroying all of it Selected public members expressed frustration with Department of Training cuts Guzm n explained worrying about what will happen to services for special tuition students Others who were originally proud of the mentoring their kids were getting at Virginia s society universities became frustrated and felt that everything was under attack Guzm n mentioned Locally she noted lawmakers need to follow recommendations from a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission or JLARC research to increase society school funding and find a way to increase instructor pay The president we don t know how he s going to act with Virginia Guzm n disclosed We have seen his direct attacks to those states that have a trifecta We don t know how he is going to punish us for having a trifecta and having the majority in every level of the state governing body Guzm n declared she spoke to Gov -elect Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday morning and the two congratulated each other on fruitful vote nights Guzm n is eager to work with the state s first female governor and aid the communities she bonded with over traffic jams We face the same struggles she explained Source