Del. Joshua Cole Seeks District 65 House Of Delegates Seat: Questionnaire

FAIRFAX, VA — Incumbent Del. Joshua Cole (D-65th) hopes voters will return him to the Virginia House of Delegates so he can address one of his top priorities in the next session.

"Last session, my colleagues and I passed a $10,000 first-time homebuyers grant in the state budget that the Governor vetoed," he said. "If re-elected, I intend to reintroduce this when we have a new Governor."

Cole faces Republican challenger Sean Steinway in the Nov. 4 general election to represent District 65 in the House of Delegates. Early voting begins on Friday, Sept. 19.

As part of its coverage of the 2025 election, Patch has asked each of the candidates in the District 65 race to fill out a questionnaire to describe why they think they're the best person to fill the job for which they're running. The following are Cole's responses.

Name

Joshua Cole

Position Sought

Delegate

Age (as of Election Day)

35

Family: Names, ages and any pertinent details you wish to share.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're a candidate in.

No

Education

I am a recent graduate of the University of Mary Washington.

Occupation

Pastor

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Political Office

I currently represent the 65th District in the VA House of Delegates.

Why are you seeking elective office?

My story is similar to many working-class families – my mother raised me as a single mom and I watched as she worked multiple jobs just to make ends meet. In a system that is against working families, I knew that I had to do more to help my community. I often tell folks, when I was elected to the 28th District in 2019, I was the poorest Delegate in the General Assembly. As a pastor, I hear a lot about the challenges facing the community – bills piling up, prescription drugs becoming more expensive, and jobs being lost. I am proud to represent House District 65, but I know there’s more work to do, and I am running for re-election to continue to deliver results.

The single most pressing issue facing voters is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Last session, my colleagues and I passed a $10,000 first-time homebuyers grant in the state budget that the Governor vetoed. If re-elected, I intend to reintroduce this when we have a new Governor.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

When I talk to voters on their doorsteps, I hear consistently about how expensive the cost of living has become. I have been leading on this issue in the General Assembly, from introducing legislation to make it easier for first-time homebuyers to join the housing ladder. I also voted to establish a prescription drug affordability board to lower the costs of lifesaving medication in the Commonwealth. I also introduced budget amendments to provide rent relief for the 65th District. I also introduced legislation to make it easier for renters to qualify for rental properties. If reelected, I will continue to advocate for commonsense measures that make it affordable to live in HD-65.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As someone who was raised in the district I represent, I am running for re-election to continue fighting for my community and everyday Virginians in Richmond. My top three accomplishments from the last legislative session include protecting reproductive freedom, fighting against federal job cuts, and securing funding for public education and teacher support. House Democrats delivered on our promise to protect reproductive freedom by passing HJ1 – bringing Virginia one step closer to permanently enshrining these rights in our Constitution. I introduced legislation calling on Virginia’s Congressional Delegation and President Trump to protect the Commonwealth’s federal workers, and was chosen to serve on the bipartisan Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce & Funding Reductions to protect Virginia families against harmful federal polices. I believe in fully funding public schools, so our children and teachers have the resources they need to succeed, which is why I helped champion a historic $784.7 million increase for K-12 education funding. I am also pleased that I managed to pass the Virginia STEP-UP Program into law which makes it easier for high-school students in Virginia to graduate and immediately take up government procurement jobs in the private sector.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

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

I am very proud that as a legislator I have worked across the aisle to deliver for the 65th District. In this year's session, over 60% of my legislation passed the House of Delegates, with more than half of my Republican colleagues supporting it. In 2021, I was elected Chairman of the State Autism Advisory Council unanimously by my colleagues. I intend to continue this working relationship with my Republican colleagues to ensure our district is well-served.

Also See ...

• Matt Rowe Seeking Ward One Seat On Fredericksburg City Council
• Jesse Dominguez Running For Fredericksburg City Council: Questionnaire
• Fredericksburg Police Chief To Step Down In January
• David Cropper Running For Fredericksburg City Council: Questionnaire