Republican Ben Baldwin is hoping to shake things up in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Baldwin, 35, lives in the Hope Hill subdivision in Woodbridge, campaigns to represent the 31st House District, which includes a portion of eastern Prince William County and a portion of Fauquier County.
Since 2018, the District has been represented by Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D), a progressive Democrat who this year fought and won state-funded medical care for undocumented residents in Virginia. Baldwin says that he felt called to serve after seeing hyper-partisan legislation come out of Richmond over these last two years.
“Virginians are pragmatic folks, especially in Northern Virginia. We are looking for workhorses, not show horses. Polarization has amplified things, but people just want the government to work and not be embarrassed by their leaders,” stated Baldwin.
Guzman was part of that shift in political control when she beat Republican Scott Lingamfelter in 2017. Guzman announced this year that she would be running for her party’s nomination for lieutenant governor and then later announced she would run. The initial announcement prompted Democrats Rod Hall, Kara Pitek, and Idris O’Connor to declare their race’s candidacies. A competitive Democratic Primary will occur in June to decide who the Democratic nominee will be.
The Virginia Access Project labels this District as “competitive,” as, in 2019, Republican D.J. Jordan bearly lost to Guzman by 5.4 points.
Last year’s electoral contests show that both counties are miles apart politically, though. In 2020, Prince William County, where 78% of the voters in the 31st District reside, voters overwhelmingly chose President Joe Biden by 24 points. Fauquier County voters chose President Donald Trump by 14 points.
For the past two years, Democrats have had complete control over the state government’s legislature and executive branches. With that change in political power, significant legislation regarding voting procedures, abortion, environmental regulations, and many other areas has marked this direct progressive shift in political philosophy.
“Democrats believe in the power of the state having ultimate authority, and thus they want it to have as much power as possible. Conservatives believe in the individual and that rights come from God,” acknowledged Baldwin.
Baldwin believes the overreach of the one-party rule will help him in November. “Nothing animates Republicans more than the overreaching policies of the left that don’t make sense. It is not who we are as Virginians”.
Baldwin believes voter integrity is one of those issues that Democrats have overreached on. “I want as many people to vote as possible, but the process needs to be open, fair and it needs to be trusted. Not requiring an ID, allowing ballot harvesting, and multiple methods of turning in ballots can leave room for error,” said Baldwin.
Baldwin also wants schools to be open five days a week. He sees parents across the political spectrum united. As a parent, Baldwin knows his son’s difficulties with virtual learning and the stress it puts on parents and teachers.
He cites Catholic schools as an example of institutions being open five days a week safely. Prince William County Public Schools have opened to all grade levels. Students may now attend school in person two days a week while being virtual for the other days.
According to the school division, only 40% of the division’s 89,000 students chose to go back to school in person.
Baldwin is from Centreville. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Baldwin served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 10 years. His primary military occupational specialty was as a F/A-18D Weapons Systems Officer.
For now, Baldwin is the only Republican in the 31st House of Delegates District. If another GOP candidate emerges, a nominee will be chosen in a May convention.
Baldwin lives with his wife, Nikki, and their 7-year-old son. He currently works as a financial advisor helping people plan for their financial futures.
For more information about Ben Baldwin’s campaign, please go to benbaldwinva.com.
Recent Stories
Prince William County is extending its sustainability partnership with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP). VEEP is a program that encourages Virginia businesses “to go beyond…
The Republican Delegation of Spotsylvania issued a joint statement praising Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent announcement of more than $10 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) that will help Spotsylvania families.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors discussing the amendment decision at the July 16 meeting. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors removed the loan limit on the University…
Starting Sunday, July 28, drivers on Route 3 westbound in Fredericksburg will experience brief overnight delays and a temporary rough ride as crews begin resurfacing the road and updating lane markings.
Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious? Our dedicated team of mental health professionals is here to help you navigate life’s challenges and achieve emotional balance from the comfort of your home. We offer a wide range of services tailored to meet your unique needs, including individual therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, and specialized programs for anxiety, depression, addiction and trauma.
At Peaceful Mind Solutions we have a team of therapists ready to help you with your mental health needs. We offer a free 15-minute consultation to ensure our services fit your goals. We used an evidence-based approach to work on the root of your problem so we can help you get the mental clarity you need.
At our practice, we use Cognitive behavioral therapy. (CBT) is a great way to identify negative thought patterns and then change them with the help of a therapist working through them each week. We will give you the tools to make lasting changes in your life so you can get back to living without roadblocks.
On June 22, 2024, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Ball, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, seated in Prince William County, VA, awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students through the chapter’s foundation, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. These scholarships will support their college journeys at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Purdue University, Howard University, Shenandoah University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Cornell University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Norfolk State University. The event highlighted the commitment of the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund to fostering academic excellence and supporting the educational aspirations of young scholars in our community.
