Elizabeth Bennett-Parker: Why you should vote for me in the 45th District

Last week, we invited the two candidates running in the general election for House of Delegates race for the 45th District to write a post about why our readers should vote for them next Tuesday (Nov. 2).

Here is the unedited response from Elizabeth Bennett-Parker:

My name is Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and I’m the Democratic nominee for Delegate in the 45th House District, which includes the precincts of Aurora Hills, Oakridge, Fairlington, Shirlington, and Abingdon, as well as parts of Alexandria and Fairfax.

Both of my parents were in the Navy, and they instilled in me a sense of service to our community and our country. My mom used to always tell me that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. I’ve applied that to my entire career.

I worked at the National Governors Association with Democratic and Republican governors on bipartisan policy solutions to help move our country forward. I also started a small business to fight food waste and now co-lead a nonprofit that serves women returning from the criminal justice system, women experiencing homelessness, women surviving abuse, and more. In turn, that experience inspired me to run for the Alexandria City Council, and I currently serve as the Vice Mayor.

I have a proven record of service and delivering results for our community. Working with my colleagues, we have increased access to early childhood education, which will be one of my top priorities in Richmond. I also led the effort to: invest an additional $1 million for affordable housing this year; declare a climate change emergency; and reform public building standards to reduce emissions and fight climate change. We’ve also banned firearms from public buildings and parks, amended our human rights code to include gender identity as a protected class, and passed collective bargaining for our employees. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve and the ways I engage with our community. I knock doors outside of campaign season to ask for input on upcoming votes or issues, and I started Volunteer with the Vice Mayor events to bring residents together in service at local nonprofits.

As Delegate, I will continue to engage with residents and work to keep Virginia moving forward on these issues and other critical issues for Arlingtonians, such as expanding access to affordable health care, ensuring quality public education for all of our children, protecting reproductive choice and voting rights, advancing criminal justice reform, supporting workers and small businesses, and making sure that our Commonwealth is an equitable and inclusive place for all.

I am the only candidate in this race who will support common-sense gun safety legislation, make sure our local governments have funding to increase pay for teachers and first responders, fight to protect reproductive choice, and vote for paid family and medical leave.

I have been endorsed by:

• The Virginia Firefighters Association
• The Virginia Education Association
• The League of Conservation Voters
• The Sierra Club
• Virginia NOW
• Planned Parenthood
• The AFL-CIO
• Virginia LGBTQ+ Democrats
• The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors
• The Virginia Farm Bureau
• Congressman Don Beyer
• Senator Adam Ebbin
• Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti
• Arlington County Board Vice Chair Katie Cristol
• Arlington County Board Member Libby Garvey
• Christopher Meloni, Actor, Law and Order
• Billy Crudup, Actor, The Morning Show, and more.

My experience as a local elected official, nonprofit leader, and small business creator will ensure I’m an effective advocate and leader in Richmond for this district. Residents should vote for me because I am the only candidate in this race with a record of delivering results for our community and an agenda focused on progress for all.

I hope I can earn your vote now through October 30th or on Election Day. Learn more about me on my website and visit IWillVote.com/VA to find your polling place.