Rip Sullivan Seeks Reelection To VA House Of Delegates: Candidate Questionnaire

MCLEAN, VA — The single most pressing issue for Virginia voters is affordability, according to Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6th).

"No matter where you are in Virginia, and certainly here in Northern Virginia, the costs of everyday life continue to rise," he said. "Whether it be housing, food, health care, or energy, we are seeing a troubling trend of costs moving in the wrong direction. We need leaders serving in Richmond who are willing to take these issues head on, ensuring that we are doing everything we can to make meaningful impacts on people’s lives."

Incumbent Sullivan is running against Republican challenger Kristin Hoffman in the Nov. 4 general election for the District 6 seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Early voting begins on Friday, Sept. 19.

As part of its coverage of the 2025 election, Patch has asked both candidates in the District 6 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 Sullivan's responses.

Name

Rip Sullivan

Position Sought

VA House of Delegates - 6th District

Age (as of Election Day)

66

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

I am married to Beth (Coates) Sullivan (Langley High School sweethearts, Class of 19xx!). We have four children, all of whom are FCPS graduates, and six grandchildren.

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

B.A. from Amherst College, J.D. from the University of Virginia

Occupation

Lawyer at Bean Kinney & Korman, P.C.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Political Office

I have served in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2014

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking reelection for the same reason I first ran for the House: to help move Virginia forward and improve the lives of my neighbors in the community I have called home for more than 50 years.

I have been a leader in the General Assembly on a wide variety of issues. I have worked to keep our children and families safe (I am the author of Virginia’s Red Flag law, and voted to increase penalties for suppliers of fentanyl). I have worked to lower our energy bills and transition our electric grid to clean renewable energy (I am the author of the Virginia Clean Economy Act). I have led on protecting voting rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights. I have worked on issues large and small, from addressing affordable housing to trying to rid our neighborhoods of those annoyingly loud modified mufflers (the Governor vetoed that bill last session—but I hope to be back in Richmond to pass it next year!).

And I recognize that the federal government’s disrespect of federal workers, and its dismantling of our federal workforce, are indeed real issues—real issues affecting our community and our economy in unprecedented ways. From my perch as Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee, member of the Labor and Commerce Committee, and Chair of the Health Insurance Reform Commission, I hope to be at the epicenter of addressing the enormous challenges the federal government has forced on Virginia.

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

Affordability. No matter where you are in Virginia, and certainly here in Northern Virginia, the costs of everyday life continue to rise. Whether it be housing, food, health care, or energy, we are seeing a troubling trend of costs moving in the wrong direction. We need leaders serving in Richmond who are willing to take these issues head on, ensuring that we are doing everything we can to make meaningful impacts on people’s lives. Our President and Congress seem to have little appetite to address these issues seriously (in fact are purposely exacerbating the problems), so it is more important than ever to have state leaders focused on recognizing and fixing the problems.

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

I’ll leave it to the voters to glean the clear differences between the candidates in this race.

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.

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

I have passed some of the most consequential recent legislation in the Virginia General Assembly, including the Virginia Clean Economy Act that helps promote renewable, clean, and affordable energy, and the Red Flag law that created a legal process to temporarily take guns out of the hands of individuals who have been found by a judge to pose a threat to themselves or others (which has been used, by the way, numerous times right here in the 6th District). I am Chair of the Energy Subcommittee, with jurisdiction over all issues related to energy and utilities, and sit on the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. I have strong bipartisan relationships in Richmond.

I have spent my career in service to McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, and the broader Fairfax community. Stints on the Consumer Protection Commission, the Transportation Advisory Commission, the Park Authority, the Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Dranesville Budget Task Force, current Co-Chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Council, President of Northern Virginia Legal Services, and President of the McLean Community Foundation have all given me the experience to understand and address the issues facing our community and Virginia.

It has been an honor to serve as your Delegate in the General Assembly and I hope to continue to do so.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Time is something you can’t borrow.

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

Make sure to get out to vote this election. No excuse early voting begins 9/19 with additional early voting locations opening up closer to Election Day. You can request to vote by mail by October 23rd. This year's election is Tuesday November 4th. Visit FairfaxVotes.org for more non-partisan information about voting this year. Thank you for working to become a more informed voter.

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