2023 Candidate Profile: Alfonso Lopez Running For House District 3

ARLINGTON/ALEXANDRIA, VA — Del. Alfonso Lopez, who has represented the 49th District in the Virginia House of Delegates for almost 12 years, is running for re-election in the newly drawn 3rd District in the Nov. 7 general election.

Lopez served as the majority and minority whip of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus from 2016 to 2022. In 2018, he created the Virginia Latino Caucus, the first legislative caucus representing the state's Latinos in the General Assembly's history.

Lopez, who is seeking his seventh term in office, is running against Major Mike Webb, an independent, in the general election for the House seat.

Because of mandated redistricting that happened after the 2020 Census, 78 percent of the residents in the new 3rd District live in Arlington and 22 percent live in the City of Alexandria.

Early voting for the general election began on Friday, Sept. 22. More information on how to vote is available from the Arlington County Elections Office and the City of Alexandria Office of Voter Registrations and Elections.

Patch asked the two candidates running for the new 3rd House district to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Lopez's responses:

Name

Alfonso H. Lopez

Campaign website

www.alfonsolopez.org

Family

Wife, Sarah and two sons, Aaron and Gabe

Education

Robinson Secondary School (FFX County), Vassar College (BA), Tulane University (JD), Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at UVA (2003 Fellow)

Occupation

Senior Corporate and Government Relations at Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Current Delegate for the 49th House District in the Virginia House of Delegates – 12 years

My top priority in the next session of the General Assembly is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Making it easier and more affordable to live and raise a family in Virginia. This is a goal I have fought for relentlessly over the years. To achieve it, I will continue my work to fully fund the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which I created several years ago. I will fight for the rights of workers, so they can have good working conditions and livable wages. I will also fight to remove barriers to prosperity that keep families from thriving. For example, I will continue my efforts from last year to subsidize Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test fees for outstanding students from families eligible for free and reduced lunches. These costs can be as much as $700 in one year for students. Poverty should never be a barrier to success for students.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate?

While I know we have countless differences on policy, I would say the crucial difference between myself, and my opponent is experience. I have spent the last 12 years in the General Assembly advocating for the values of Arlington and Northern Virginia Voters and the issues that matter most to them. In these critically important times for Virginia and our community, the residents of the 3rd District deserve an experienced advocate with a nuanced understanding of how to be successful in the General Assembly. They deserve someone who is ready to fight and win for them on day one. If I am lucky enough to be reelected, I hope to continue being a champion for our values in Richmond.

What makes representing Arlington in the House of Delegates unique compared to delegates who represent other parts of Virginia?

I think what makes representing Arlington, and especially, South Arlington, different from representing any other place in Virginia is that it is a microcosm of our Commonwealth and our country. It is one of the most, if not the most diverse districts in Virginia. Countless languages are spoken by its residents and people have come from all over the country and the world to live here. But, despite everyone's different points of origin, the residents of Arlington have come together to build an inclusive community that affords everyone a chance to thrive. That is why I have been honored to represent Arlington over the last 12 years and would be doubly honored if the residents of the new 3rd District put their trust in me to represent them.

What are some of the concerns and ideas that you've heard from Arlingtonians that have resonated with you as you have campaigned that you will bring to Richmond if elected in November?

As a parent of two children in Arlington Public Schools and the child of an educator, Arlingtonians want the General Assembly to truly support public education. The residents of Arlington want us to focus on creating an inclusive environment where all students can succeed. Parents want us to focus on fully funding our public schools and paying our teachers a professional wage. Moreover, they are tired of the fake culture wars pushed by extreme Republicans to ban “divisive” topics and whitewash the history that is taught to our students. They are especially tired of ugly and misguided efforts by extremists to ban books in schools and public libraries. Beyond that, I’ve discussed numerous local issues, including some innovative ideas to address transportation/transit, historic preservation, environmental protection, and improve renewable energy systems.

Describe other issues that define your campaign platform for the House of Delegates.

Sensible Gun Violence Prevention: We are not doing nearly enough to address this issue and it is costing us dearly. I will continue to push for large scale changes like, safe storage requirements and a ban on assault weapons. I will also continue to look for creative solutions like the Virginia Gun Safe Storage Act, which I passed last year that incentivizes the purchase of safe storage devices.

Making Housing More Affordable: As I have for many years, I will continue to fight for increased funding and accountability to address the housing shortage in our community.

Protecting the Right of Virginians to Make Their Own Reproductive Health Care Decisions: Virginia is the last state in the South where someone can still largely exercise their reproductive freedom and get an abortion if that is the right choice for them. Virginians, as well as residents of the entire region, are counting on us to protect the progress we have made in recent years.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

• Always try to see things from another person's perspective.
• Fighting for workers and families struggling to get by is always a Good fight.
• If you can be anything … Be Kind.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

First and foremost, I want voters to know that they can always reach out to my office on issues of policy or if they need assistance. Secondly, I want to let voters know that it has been the honor of my life to represent them in Richmond over the last 12 years and, if they continue to put their trust in me, I will fight for the values that we all share and that make Arlington and Alexandria, such an excellent place to live, work, and raise a family. Finally, please know that I'm always working to build a Virginia where we lift everyone up and leave no one behind.