PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Republican Gregory Lee Gorham won the GOP nomination for Virginia’s 21st House District on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, defeating two challengers in a three-way primary and setting up a November contest against incumbent Democrat Josh Thomas.

Gorham won 66.35% of the vote with 970 ballots cast in his favor. Sahar Smith finished second with 395 votes (27.02%), and Xanthe Larsen placed third with 97 votes (6.63%).

The outcome followed a weekend candidate forum hosted by the HOA Roundtable, a civic group focused on land use, transportation, school crowding, and development in western Prince William County. Gorham was the only Republican candidate to attend the June 14 forum.

“Every day in this campaign, miracles happen. I get smarter. I witness it,” Gorham said at the event. “I think I’ve got a lot of courage. I think I can demonstrate that by the things I’ve tried before.”

A Forum as a Job Interview

HOA Roundtable Chair Mac Haddow introduced the session as a “job interview” for the candidates. He criticized Smith and Larsen for not participating and noted the event’s focus on “specific issues that impact our communities,” especially the rapid expansion of data centers in the county.

“We believe that candidates have to be accountable for the decisions they make,” Haddow said. “Citizens have the right to be able to examine the candidates that are here for public office.”

Gorham’s Policy Agenda: Land Use, Ethics, and Utility Reform

Gorham devoted most of his remarks to data center oversight, campaign finance transparency, and how state legislation can support better local governance.

“Controlling data center sprawl” topped his campaign bullet points, Gorham said. “I want to come up with some different solutions.”

Gorham has opposed what he calls “non-disclosures that the county is being forced to sign,” adding that “I don’t see the necessity to keep these things as secret.” He said he would support stronger Freedom of Information Act laws and penalties for excessive secrecy in land use negotiations.

On campaign contributions, Gorham said:

“I would definitely support exploring” a ban on donations from companies with pending business before local or state boards. “There’s such a flexibility in what money can be done with their PACs… and it’s the quickest thing to get crushed.”

He also wants to block local governments from approving large projects like data centers before environmental reviews are completed. He criticized the Board of County Supervisors for approving the Prince William Digital Gateway project before completing a water impact study.

“I almost closed my eyes and saw Nancy Pelosi saying, ‘Let’s pass it and we’ll read the bill later,’” said Gorham.

Gorham also favors noise and air quality regulations targeting backup diesel generators at data centers.

“I’d like to see regular routine measurements of the air, the water, and so on,” he said. “If you tell [data center operators] with certainty what their requirements are, they will meet it.”

On Taxes: Repeal Car Tax, Replace It With Data Center Tax

Asked about repealing the car tax, Gorham said, “I would be in favor of joining my fellow Republicans in Richmond to repeal it… I definitely will go along.”

To replace the revenue, he proposed a new state tax on data centers:

“I’m all for not putting the cost of their folly on our backs,” he said. “They say we’ll get all these taxes, and they never materialize.”

He called the current method of taxing data centers “laughable” and “primitive,” citing depreciation loopholes and tax exemptions based on government tenants.

“They’re laughing themselves silly at these data center corporate offices,” said Gorham. “We have to find a way of being able to tell them no.”

Partisan Independence and Legislative Strategy

Though running as a Republican, Gorham said his campaign is rooted in local problem-solving.

“I’m going to vote with what’s right for the House District 21,” he told one attendee. “I am not looking to make this a forever job. I’m running for one term and we’ll see how that goes.”

Gorham said he planned to file legislation immediately if elected.

“When I win in November, I will have a month to get my legislation… ready to go the first week of December,” he said. “I’m not going to sit around like a typical freshman delegate and get nothing done.”

Thomas, has also made data center regulation a central issue of his term in office. In 2025, he sponsored House Bill 1601, which would have required applicants seeking to build new high-energy use facilities (HEUFs), such as data centers, to submit a site assessment examining impacts on nearby homes and schools, and potentially on water resources, agriculture, historic sites, and forests.

The bill preserved local zoning authority and exempted minor expansions of existing facilities. Though the legislation passed both chambers, Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed the bill.

Gorham described his opponent, Delegate Josh Thomas, as someone who “really doesn’t know the district” and who “sticks to party line issues.” Gorham specifically criticized Thomas’ handling of his bill on data center siting, saying the delegate should have accepted Governor Glenn Youngkin’s amendments instead of turning the bill into a political fight.

“They’re going to try doing the same things over and over again,” he said. “I want to do things that are going to pass and succeed.”

Gorham expressed interest in working across the aisle with Senator Danica Roem, a Democrat whose Senate district overlaps with House District 21.

“I think there’s a lot of things that Senator Roem and I agree on,” he said. “We could be very potent getting things done.”

Campaign Ethics and Conflict of Interest

Gorham pledged to remain independent from data center influence and challenged his former primary opponents to do the same.

“I have not signed a sales contract or any legal agreement that prevents me from fully discussing data centers,” Gorham said. “I have not signed a nondisclosure agreement, and I will not sign any nondisclosure agreement that will prevent me from fully engaging this data center subject in Richmond.”

He said he has no other conflicts of interest:

“I have all the money I need to live the rest of my life in comfort,” he said. “I’m not going to be vulnerable to someone throwing a sack of cash at my table.”

Voters will head to the polls on November 4, 2025, for the General Election. Early voting begins September 19 and continues until November 1, 2025.

Early Voting Starts May 2 for June Democratic Primary

Early voting for the June Democratic Primary Election begins Friday, May 2, 2025, in Stafford County. Voters participating in the primary will choose nominees for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. The election will take place on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. There is no Republican primary this cycle.

Early voting will take place at the General Registrar’s new location:
124 Old Potomac Church Road, Suite 205, Stafford, VA 22554
Note: Early voting will not be available at the George L. Gordon, Jr., Government Center.

Voting Schedule:

• Weekdays: May 2 – June 13, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Saturdays: June 7 and June 14, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Closed: Memorial Day, May 26

Key Dates:

• May 2: Early voting begins
• May 27: Last day to register or update registration
• June 6: Last day to request a mail-in absentee ballot
• June 14: Last day for early in-person voting
• Absentee ballot drop boxes will be available at the Registrar’s Office during early voting hours through June 16, and at all polling places on
• Election Day, June 17, from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Voters can confirm their polling location and district information by visiting:

• staffordcountyva.gov/voter-registration
• Questions? Call the Stafford Voter Registrar’s Office at (540) 658-4000.

Prince William County – Office of Elections Honored with National Award

The Prince William County Office of Elections has been recognized with a prestigious national honor—the 2024 “Clearie” Award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The award celebrates excellence in election administration and was given to PWC for its “Publishing Results Tapes Online” initiative.

Out of over 250 entries from across the U.S., Prince William County was one of 53 recognized programs, marking the first time a Virginia locality has won a Clearie Award. The county also received an Honorable Mention in the “I Voted” Stickers category and submitted several model programs now replicated across Virginia.

“To win an award of this magnitude validates the excellent work of our Board, leadership team, and staff,” said Eric Olsen, Director of the PWC Office of Elections. “This demonstrates our commitment to transparency and providing an excellent voting experience for PWC voters.”
The award follows a 2024 community survey where 94% of residents said they were satisfied with their voting experience, showing the largest improvement among all county services from 2021 to 2024.

“The Prince William County Office of Elections is committed to ideals of fairness, security, and transparency,” added Marcus Moyer, Secretary of the PWC Electoral Board. “It is an honor to see one of our initiatives highlighted on a national stage.”
The EAC is a bipartisan federal agency established under the Help America Vote Act and uses the Clearinghouse Awards to promote innovation and best practices in election management.

• View Prince William County’s award-winning submissions: pwcvotes.org/press
• Learn more about the EAC’s Clearie Awards: eac.gov

Updated 11 a.m. – Less than two months after announcing she would not seek another term, Stafford County Supervisor Monica Gary has reversed her decision. She will run for re-election as an independent candidate.

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Dr. Babur Lateef, Chairman At-Large of the Prince William County School Board, has entered the race for Virginia's Lieutenant Governor, positioning himself as an education-focused candidate in a crowded Democratic primary. With years of experience overseeing Virginia’s second-largest school division, Lateef brings a track record of pushing for increased teacher pay, improved graduation rates, and infrastructure investments—all issues he hopes to prioritize at the state level.

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Elizabeth Guzman, a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates, seeks to reclaim a legislative seat in the 22nd District, currently held by Republican Ian Lovejoy. Guzman, who last ran for office in 2023 in a contentious Democratic Primary for the Virginia State Senate, narrowly lost to State Senator Jeremy McPike (D-29, Prince William, Stafford) by just 50 votes.

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Several Manassas City leaders endorsed State Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-7) for lieutenant governor on Thursday.

Rouse has been a state senator since January 2023, representing the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. He was elected in a special election following the previous holder of the seat, Jen Kiggans' (R), election to the United States House of Representatives.

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Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has announced her candidacy for governor. She aims to continue the work of the Youngkin-Sears administration.

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Fresh off a win for a second term as Prince William County School Board Chairman, Dr. Babur Lateef announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia today.

Lateef, an ophthalmologist in Woodbridge and a Democrat, is seeking his party’s nomination for Lt. Governor, a position now held by Republican Winsome Sears.

Lateef announced his candidacy in a video, highlighted his service as both a doctor and Chairman of the school board, and enumerated the many accomplishments of the Prince William County school system. Dr. Lateef called particular attention to the public’s vital role in shaping policy by celebrating the Public Comments portion of every school board meeting as “one of the few places where citizens are guaranteed the right to speak directly to their elected representatives.”

Since the pandemic, the Board’s public comment policy has been the subject of debate. The board has moved to limit the number of speakers who may address the board and cap the length of time during which residents may speak.

Over the last year, the school board has capped the number of public speakers, and Prince William Education Association members of the teachers union have monopolized the spots, urging the School Board to adopt a collective bargaining agreement for higher pay.

“The challenges we face are now in Richmond,” Dr. Lateef says in the video. Glenn Youngkin has done real harm to the spirit of partnership within our communities.”

Lateef’s dig on Youngkin comes as 53% of Virginians approve of how Youngkin is handling his job as governor, according to a Roanoke College poll.

“I believe the rhetoric he uses when he speaks about schools, school divisions, and school boards are not helpful. His representation that boards don’t listen to parents is completely off base,” Lateef told Potomac Local News. “I am a parent, and I have been Chair for six years. And every move our board and most boards make is responsive to their local families, students, and staff. That has been my record. Parents know I listen to them and know that they matter to me. The evidence is that they have re-elected me with wider margins each time.

Lateef beat Carrie Rest, his Republican-endorsed challenger in 2023, by 10 points, winning 50% of the vote across Prince William County. He won in 2019 by nearly the same margin, beating the Republican-endorsed Allison Satterwhite, who served on the county School Board.

In each race, Lateef handily outspent his opponents. Last year, Lateef spent $263,000 to Rist’s $39,297. In 2019, he spent $131,000 to Satterwhite’s $31,000.

Lateef was appointed School Board chair in 2018 to replace Ryan Sawyers, who resigned. He later won a special election to complete Sawyer’s term, beating Satterwhite and Stanley Bender, who never campaigned for the job.

Lateef took heat from fellow School Board members and other Democrats when, in December 2020, he ordered the return of some students to the classroom when most other public school systems in the Washington, D.C. area were still requiring students to work remotely.

Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam was the first in the nation to shutter public schools in light of the coronavirus in March 2020. Lateef told Potomac Local Northam that it was correct to close schools at the onset of the pandemic but added that schools should have been reopened by the summer of 2020.

Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe endorsed Dr. Lateef today.

“I am honored to be Dr. Babur Lateef’s first endorser for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “I have called upon his counsel many times over the last 15 years. I saw how Babur fought the backward policies of the Prince William County Supervisors in 2011 when few others stood up. Babur helped ensure his County turned blue from top to bottom in 2019,” states McAuliffe in a press release.

McAuliffe lost his re-election bid for a second, nonconsecutive term as governor to Youngkin in 2021 by two percentage points.

Lateef is the first and only person to announce his run for the seat for the 2025 General Election. Meanwhile, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va. 7th), and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, a Democrat, have announced her run for governor to replace Youngkin, who cannot seek a second term.

So far, no Republicans have announced their intentions for statewide office. However, all eyes are on Winsome Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares, both considered potential gubernatorial candidates.

Lateef considered a run for Lt. Governor in 2020; however, decoded to stay out of the race to focus on his school board duties.

As Sarah Romero told you over the weekend, the new Prince William County School Board is sworn in and ready to work. Its term begins Jan. 1, 2024, with the board's first meeting shortly after that.

The Board wrapped up its calendar year at its Dec. 5, 2023 meeting, when it approved a new school naming policy that clarified for whom the county will name new schools, putting stricter guardrails naming facilities after relatives of school board members.

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