PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – A political action committee tied to Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega (R-Coles) reported a second large-dollar contribution in its latest filing with the Virginia Department of Elections. The committee, YES PAC, launched less than six months ago, has already raised more than $200,000 from just three donors.
Vega, now in her second term on the Board of County Supervisors, has frequently been seen as a rising star in Virginia Republican politics. The formation of YES PAC has reignited speculation that she may be eyeing another run for higher office.
In 2022, Vega emerged from a crowded GOP primary to win the Republican nomination for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. She lost the general election to Democrat Abigail Spanberger by fewer than five percentage points. Spanberger is now running for governor, and Democrat Eugene Vindman holds the 7th District seat through at least 2026.
When asked if the new PAC signals a return to the campaign trail, Vega dismissed the notion: “I am laser focused on my work for the people of Prince William County,” she said.
YES PAC’s three reported contributions include:
- Alejandra Duarte, wife of developer Jeff Mulhausen. Duarte declined to comment for this story, but political insiders suggest her support reflects confidence in Vega’s appeal to a broad cross-section of county residents, not just development interests.
- Cheryl Kenny, a Manassas-based real estate broker.
- William Cooley, a developer behind the proposed Lexora Park data center project in Dumfries.
Cooley is a prolific political donor in Prince William County, having given to nearly every current Board of Supervisors member except Deshundra Jefferson (D-At Large), Bob Weir (R-Gainesville), and Tom Gordy (R-Brentsville).
Asked about accepting contributions from data center developers, Vega defended her land use record. “My record speaks for itself. I have never voted for a data center outside of the overlay district,” she said. “Nothing has changed. My land use decisions continue to be guided by clear standards, community input, and by the facts of each case.”
Overlay districts are designated areas in the county’s comprehensive plan where data centers are deemed most compatible with surrounding land uses. Projects outside those zones face greater scrutiny and often public resistance.
Data centers have been a flashpoint in local politics. Since 2019, developers have spent heavily in Prince William County, lobbying for land use approvals. Under then-Chair Ann Wheeler (D), the previous board approved millions of square feet of new data center space, often during meetings that stretched into the early morning hours.
In the 2023 election cycle, Democrats in Prince William received sizable donations from data center developers. Campaign finance records indicate some of those funds were routed through other Democratic committees or lawmakers before being passed to local candidates—an apparent effort to obscure the industry’s financial influence.
Looking ahead, Vega said YES PAC is just getting started. “I intend to raise as much money as I can to help elect common sense Republicans across the Commonwealth,” she said.
The PAC recently launched a small-dollar fundraising campaign to build broader grassroots support. Vega indicated additional contributions will appear in the committee’s next report, due in September.
