Republican incumbent Chad Green will face his first challenger this November in Democrat Mark Downey and independent Valerie Beverley in his bid to retain Virginia’s House District 69 seat.
Green ran unopposed when he won the seat in 2023, which includes parts of Newport News, York and James City counties.
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Valerie Beverley
Age: 62
Employment: Divine Insurance Group, LLC owner
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, Hampton University. Master’s degree in social work, Norfolk State University. Master’s degree in divinity, Virginia Union University School of Theology.
Party affiliation: Independent
Website: valeriebeverley.com
What is your top priority if elected and how would you work across the aisle to accomplish it?
Centralized healthcare for public service workers, city and state employees. (Includes: Teachers, police officers, fire fighters, etc) By increasing the risk pool across the state it would lower health insurance premiums for all city, state, and public service employees. This would allow all the insurance companies to participate in providing benefits. Smaller counties across the state would benefit. It would save localities money too. I would work across the aisle by presenting data to all legislators. It would save all localities funds, which is good for all of Virginia.
What is the best way for Virginia to respond to federal funding cuts to the state?
Virginia legislators, must be willing to work together to review audits of all state agencies. Find where there may be excess spending. Legislators will have to compromise and be creative, and mindful of how Virginia will move forward. Localities may be able to share some state resources by regional share programs. Some programs may have to be funded with grants, rather than within the state budget.
Should billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros be able to contribute unlimited amounts of money to Virginia candidates? If yes, why? If no, what would you do if elected to office to enact campaign finance limits?
It is dangerous for the extremely wealthy to contribute unlimited amounts of money to Virginia candidates. The possibility of catering to special interest is a reality that is already happening across the United States. I would sponsor legislation to address campaign finance reform to limit the amount of funding given by any one source. Money should not replace grassroots campaigning.
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Mark Downey
Age: 58
Employment: Pediatric Associates of Williamsburg, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, University of Virginia. Doctoral degree, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: DowneyforVA.com
What is your top priority if elected and how would you work across the aisle to accomplish it?
In the 69th District, tens of thousands of our neighbors rely on Medicaid to afford a doctor’s visit, refill a prescription, or access life-saving care at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital. I am running for the House of Delegates to protect our healthcare and ensure every child from York to Gloucester can live a healthier, happier, and more successful life. Every day, I look into the eyes of parents doing everything they can to keep their children healthy. For 25 years, I have worked just down the street at CHKD in Williamsburg, where I strive to provide the best possible care to families from all walks of life. Some parents bring cupcakes to my office, and others bring Medicaid paperwork. All are just trying to do right by their kids. As a delegate, I will fight to protect Medicaid coverage for nearly 1 million Virginians and expand access to services in rural parts of the 69th.
What is the best way for Virginia to respond to federal funding cuts to the state?
I grew up in Queens Lake, where my parents moved when I was two years old after my dad retired from the Air Force. Every day, I am reminded why my dad chose to retire here—because Hampton Roads and the 69th District offer affordability, VA access, and the kind of community where families like ours feel at home. Now, I worry for the next generation of military families, as Trump’s chaos in D.C. and Chad Green’s rubber stamp in Richmond strip away the care and dignity our veterans earned. As a delegate, I will fight for permanent state funding for veteran outpatient clinics on the Peninsula and streamline credentialing for veterans transitioning into new state civilian healthcare careers. I am running for the House of Delegates to serve the families who serve us and protect military families from federal funding cuts.
Should billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros be able to contribute unlimited amounts of money to Virginia candidates? If yes, why? If no, what would you do if elected to office to enact campaign finance limits?
As a lifelong pediatrician, I work under a Code of Ethics, so my staff and I ensure honesty, integrity, and transparency in our care. Voters deserve the same level of confidence in their elected leaders. That is why, since first running for delegate in 2019, I publicly refused to accept campaign contributions from any publicly-regulated utility monopoly in Virginia or their lobbyists. We lose the public’s trust when legislators accept contributions from the monopolies they regulate. I was thrilled that legislation introduced this year to ban the personal use of campaign contributions by elected officials and candidates passed the General Assembly. We must continue prioritizing and practicing good governance, including re-considering the unlimited contribution limit in Virginia.
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Chad Green
Age: 56
Employment: Self-employed attorney
Education: Juris Doctor, Samford University
Party affiliation: Republican
Previous elected office: York County Board of Supervisors
Website: greenfordelegate.com
What is your top priority if elected and how would you work across the aisle to accomplish it?
My top priority for Virginia’s Peninsula is affordability. With the inflation crisis over the past several years, a housing shortage, and rising cost of everyday goods, Virginians deserve to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. I praise Governor Youngkin’s actions during his tenure to increase and make permanent the standard deduction and lower the tax burden on working Virginians. Earlier this year, I also filed “no tax on tips” legislation and co-sponsored a bill to eliminate Virginia’s car tax. Virginia has run record surpluses for the past four years because of increased business interest and over-taxation. I think we should return that money to the taxpayers and make it easier to live in the commonwealth.
What is the best way for Virginia to respond to federal funding cuts to the state?
I believe that Virginia needs to diversify our economy and become less dependent on the federal government. Federal workers in Virginia do important tasks to keep our families safe, but we as a commonwealth cannot become solely reliant on the federal government to keep our economy afloat. Here on the Peninsula and throughout Hampton Roads, tourism is a powerful economic driver that brings in billions of tax revenue. Additionally, our proximity to the port creates a real opportunity for us to expand manufacturing and focus on exporting American-made goods. The shipyard and our skilled workforce on the Peninsula also make for an excellent opportunity for growth.
Should billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros be able to contribute unlimited amounts of money to Virginia candidates? If yes, why? If no, what would you do if elected to office to enact campaign finance limits?
Virginia’s campaign finance laws continue to be the most relaxed in the nation. Unlimited contributions are not healthy for public discourse, and this goes beyond billionaire contributors and mega donors alike. Far too often megadonors, many of whom do not live in Virginia, are able to influence and affect our political discussions. However, Virginia’s transparency in who contributes is a model that I believe other states should emulate. Big union bosses that represent out-of-state interests flood Virginia’s state elections every year. I would support a bill that allows union members to ‘opt out’ of political contributions by their union bosses to prevent one sided political discourse from unions.