Meet the candidates: Twelve Democrats run to succeed Rep. Jennifer Wexton

WASHINGTON (7News) — Twelve Democratic candidates are running in a primary to represent Virginia's 10th Congressional District, which includes Loudoun County, Fauquier County, Manassas, Rappahannock, and parts of Prince William and Fairfax counties.

Early voting for Virginia's June 18 primary begins on May 3, 2024.

Democratic Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton announced she is not running for reelection in Virginia's 10th Congressional District due to health reasons.

READ | Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton to not seek re-election following recent health diagnosis

7News interviewed eleven of the twelve candidates running in the Democratic primary.

7News asked each candidate about their positions on abortion, the economy, gun violence, the Israel-Hamas war, how would they address the fentanyl crisis and whether they would support additional U.S. financial assistance to Ukraine.

You can watch 7News's full interviews with the candidates below:

The eleven candidates all support a woman's right to choose.

"I have been a leader on this issue from day one and always will be," former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn told 7News. "When I think back to when I became speaker, I had the opportunity to roll back draconian anti-choice measures that were imposed by the Republicans and the MAGA extremists."

“I want legislation in Congress to protect reproductive rights across the country," State Senator Suhas Subramanyam told 7News.

“I have a proven track record in supporting access to abortion care, paid family and medical leave," State Senator Jennifer Boysko told 7News. "I have carried more protective measures for abortion care than anybody else. In fact, this year and last year I carried the constitutional amendment that would enshrine the right to abortion care in our [State] Constitution. This is an issue that affects not only women but all families."

"We need to codify a woman's reproductive rights to abortion," former Virginia Education Secretary Atif Qarni told 7News. "I do believe that the Supreme Court didn't act in good faith. I believe we need to expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices to have more diverse perspectives and also have term limits on the Supreme Court."

“The reason I'm running is because we are experiencing an unprecedented moment in our history with fires all over the world all over the globe, whether it's the Middle East, whether it's Sudan, whether it's Haiti or other places," said Del. Michelle Maldonado. "We need people who are strong in international relations and foreign policy, and we're also having to face domestic issues at home, from housing to border to the environment to all of these things that matter; protecting women's reproductive rights and contraceptive care and protecting against gun violence while also honoring our Second Amendment rights.”

As mortgage rates hover around seven percent and Americans are facing high costs at grocery stores, and at times gas pumps, 7News Reporter Nick Minock asked the candidates how they would improve affordability for residents of Virginia's 10th Congressional District.

“I hear those concerns all the time," Del. Dan Helmer told 7News. "We ought to be deeply concerned that the American dream still is there. It's why in the House [of Delegates], I fought on a bipartisan basis for the first law of its kind in the country that ensures hospital price transparency to lower the cost of health care and is why I fought to cap the price of insulin.”

"I'm a small business owner, myself, and as a fiscally responsible and socially liberal national security Democrat, my position on economic issues really emphasizes this notion of an inclusive and robust economy that will benefit everyone, not just those at the top," Krystle Kaul told 7News. "So this involves supporting policies that will foster job creation. improve infrastructure, promote clean energy technologies, all while ensuring that corporations, the wealthy on Wall Street, contribute their fair share to the nation's economic health."

“My oldest daughter still lives at home," Del. David Reid told 7News. "She works for the federal government, but she's having trouble being able to find affordable housing here in Loudoun County. I'm very proud of the fact that we've been here for 24 years and both of the girls still call this home, but it's very difficult for her to be able to find affordable housing. And it's something that we've got to be able to address, not only at the state level, but also at the federal level.”

"Rising costs is one of my top issues," Subramanyam told 7News. "I brought transparency to the pricing of our prescription drugs and healthcare costs generally. I also fought and won on trying to keep tolls in check. I fought and won on making sure that our utility bills were such that we weren't being overcharged. I've continually addressed rising costs, and I've won those fights and they were tough fights against monopolies, against really tough special interests that have a lot of money. But in Congress, I'm going to be doing the same thing. I'm going to be working on lowering health care costs, lowering the cost of housing, and making sure that our future is not such that the young folks are priced out of buying a home."

"I was the chief patron of the bill that eliminated the state's portion of the grocery tax in Virginia," Boysko told 7News. "I believe that getting food on people's table, that is what people are worried about at the end of the day around here. And so [I'm] fighting to make sure that living expenses are reasonable.”

"When I was Speaker, I had the opportunity to make a difference and to help everyday Virginians and to help working Virginians by raising the minimum wage and providing affordable health care," Filler-Corn told 7News. "All of that makes a difference."

7News also asked the candidates where they stand on the war between Israel and Hamas.

"I was horrified just like everyone else was on October [7] when this happened when Hamas attacked Israel and I grieve for the victims," said Boysko. "What I would be very supportive of is to really focus on a diplomatic solution to stop Hamas from further harming anyone else, but also stopping Israel from attacking the innocent people in Gaza.”

"It's painful and really, really difficult for everybody," Filler-Corn told 7News. "I believe Israel has a right to exist, has a right to defend themselves. And they are doing exactly that. We need to provide more aid right now. There are people dying in Gaza. Hamas is a concern. Hamas is not out for the best interest of the Palestinian people. And their goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. And part of my concern, too, is where are the hostages? So this is a really, really tough personal issue. Also, as the first Jewish speaker and somebody who has spent time in Israel, I want a two-state solution."

Subramanyam told 7News he thinks a ceasefire would be ideal as long as hostages are returned and it doesn’t allow Hamas to regroup and continue the war indefinitely.

“I'm probably going to be a little bit different than my colleagues who are going to be on one end or the other," Reid told 7News. "I believe that we need to work towards a genuine long-term two-state solution.”

"My dad is an immigrant from Israel," said Helmer. "Hamas is a terrible terrorist group that has no place in our society in the Middle East or anywhere."

"I have taken a position of an unconditional permanent, immediate ceasefire," Qarni told 7News. "Because I believe that Bibi Netanyahu, who is currently in charge is not acting in good faith. I believe that he is hell-bent on exterminating the Palestinian people. The other thing where I'm very different from other candidates in this primary is the military aid. I am opposed to sending any form of more military aid to Israel, because I believe that Bibi Netanyahu is not acting in good faith."

"I absolutely condemn the October attacks that occurred,” Kaul told 7News. “I am the only congressional candidate in this race who has actually lived in Israel and Palestine. I did fieldwork and research on the ground. I really do understand the conflict, which I think is critical."

All eleven of the candidates 7News interviewed support addressing gun violence if elected to Congress.

"I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, I've seen what weapons can do," Helmer told 7News. "And I think it's unacceptable. The number one killer of kids in our country is bullets."

"Some of the things that we've done in 2020 with gun safety issues, one handgun a month, universal background checks, extreme risk protective orders, all of these things were done to be able to address very specific issues and are items that we need to be addressing also at the federal level," Reid told 7News.

"That's a very, very important issue for me," Filler-Corner told 7News. "I actually started getting involved in advocacy as a result of an incident. I was carjacked with my babies in the car. It was horrifying. It turned out OK, but I knew at that point, we needed to do more. I then ended up leading and organizing the Virginia Million Mom March which at the time was the largest gun violence prevention movement of its time, and I knew I had to do more and get involved. This has been an issue that's near and dear to my heart. We passed under my leadership universal background checks, one handgun a month, lost and stolen firearms, red flag laws, we really made a difference."

The five other candidates running in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 10th Congressional District are Marion Devoe, Mark Leighton, Michelle Maldonado, Travis Nembhard, and Adrian Pokharel.

"I'm running for Congress because I'm sick of politicians talking about the same problems over and over but never addressing them in a substantive way without gimmicks or slogans." Leighton told 7News. "College is too expensive, so I'm running to cut off federal loans to any school that raises tuition too much. Health care is too expensive, so I'm running to let people shop around for their own health plan instead of getting it from their employer. On abortion, we need a stable legislative solution instead of letting the Supreme Court decide it. For gun violence, I'd require a gun safety class similar to driver's ed before you can purchase a weapon. With the Israel-Hamas conflict, I would require Israel to protect civilians, but Hamas must be eradicated so the Palestinians can finally have free elections."

"While they prioritize their own political careers, I'm focused on addressing the urgent challenges our nation faces: affordable housing, women's reproductive rights, gun violence, and safeguarding our democracy," Devoe, a Vietnam combat veteran, told 7News. "Unlike the entrenched political class, I'm not a career politician. I've dedicated myself to serving all Americans as a proud public servant. As your congressman, I pledge to continue this service in Washington, fighting for you and your interests every step of the way. Supporting women's reproductive rights is one of my campaign-platform commitments to supporting women's health and right to make informed choices regarding reproduction. My commitment includes supporting contraception, prenatal care, and safe, legal access to abortion services. As a congressional candidate, I am advocating for a multifaceted approach that balances Second Amendment rights with public safety measures. This will include supporting universal background checks, closing loopholes in gun sale regulations, implementing red flag laws, and investing in mental health resources. Additionally, promoting community-based violence prevention programs and addressing the root causes of gun violence, such as poverty and systemic inequities in America. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States, Israel, the European Union, and others. I am a combat Vietnam veteran and I know what the horrors of war are and can do to families. As a candidate for Congress, I support Israel in their fight against terrorist organizations. I do not support bombing civilians and killing children. In Congress, I will work to establish a consensus for peace in the Middle East between countries to prevent further conflicts between countries and a major Middle East war."

"As a father of two young kids and as the youngest candidate in this race, I'm running to build the pipeline for the next generation," Nembhard told 7News. "As a former judge, legislative counsel, assistant attorney general, and financial and tech regulator, I would be uniquely qualified to deal with many of our most complex issues and would be the first member of Congress with experience regulating emerging technologies. Regarding reproductive freedom, it is my unequivocal position that abortion decisions are between a woman and her doctor. I will fight to codify Roe and protect women's rights. Regarding gun violence, I will push for strengthened background checks, a ban on ghost guns, high-capacity magazines, and assault rifles, and require safe storage of legal firearms while also creating more opportunities for gun buy-backs. Regarding the Gaza conflict, we - as a nation - can both remain a steadfast ally of Israel in the face of the tragic October 7th attack, while having empathy for the suffering of innocent Palestinians. Hamas is united by ideology, no different than communism or fascism, and, like those other ideologies, you cannot defeat ideas with bombs. We must work towards a two-state solution with the help of neighboring Arab states, some of whom have condemned Hamas, and where the Palestinian people can have an independent, standalone nation of their own while brokering safeguards that will ensure the secure existence of Israel free from threat of attack."

On Monday, May 13, 2024, Rep. Wexton endorsed Subramanyam to succeed her in Congress.