Former Prince William County delegate turned lieutenant governor candidate Hala Ayala announced a bid for Virginia Senate today.
Ayala will run for the newly created 33rd District seat representing portions of south Fairfax, Lake Ridge, and Woodbridge. Currently, there is no incumbent in the district.
Voters will head to the polls in 19 months to choose their next round of state senators on November 7, 2023.
The Democrat posted to Twitter, “Too many Virginia families are feeling squeezed right now. That’s a worry I know first hand, and it’s why I ran for office in the first place — to fight for families without a voice. I’m running for State Senate to get us moving forward once again.”
Too many Virginia families are feeling squeezed right now.
That’s a worry I know first hand, and it’s why I ran for office in the first place — to fight for families without a voice.
I’m running for State Senate to get us moving forward once again.https://t.co/yu5LA4wgwA
— Hala Ayala ? (@HalaAyala) March 23, 2022
Ayala rose to the top of a crowded field of lieutenant governor candidates in 2021 to become Terry McAuliffe’s running mate, along with Mark Herring for attorney general. The ticket lost the November 2021 General Election to Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares.
In 2019, Ayala won the 51st District House of Delegates seat against Republican Rich Anderson by 10 points. Anderson held the seat from 2010 to 2017 and is now the Virginia Republican Party Chairman.
Today, Delegate Briana Sewell (D) holds the 51st District seat, a position she won in November 2021. In December, the Virginia Supreme Court redrew political districts as part of the state’s redistricting process completed every 10 years.
Despite being fresh off a November 2021 election, a lawsuit filed by the former Virginia Democratic Party Chairman asserts Delegates should run for re-election this November because, with newly drawn districts, residents are not being properly represented.
Political pundits say neither Democrats nor Republicans want to run again this year, as some don’t want to risk losing their seats. At the same time, Republicans are satisfied with their new majority House.
Ayala’s announcement follows Republican Ian Lovejoy, who announced his bid for the newly-created 30th Senate District in Manassas, Manassas Park, and western Prince William County. There’s no incumbent in that district, either. And, so far, no Democrat is seeking the seat.
