Democratic Candidate Touts Experience As Alexandria Vice-Mayor In Delegate Race

ALEXANDRIA, VA —Former Alexandria City Vice-Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker defeated incumbent Del. Mark Levine in the June Democratic Primary.

During the Nov. 2 general election, voters in living in the 45th District, which covers parts of the City of Alexandria, Arlington County and Fairfax County, will have a chance to decide whether Bennett-Parker or Republican candidate Justin "J.D." Maddox will succeed Levine. Early voting is already underway.

Patch asked each of the candidates running in the Nov. 2 general election to fill out the following profile:

Name

Elizabeth Bennett-Parker

Position sought

Delegate for the 45th District

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband: Stephen, Grandmother: Grummy, and rescue cat and dog: Julep and Nori

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell University, earned a Master's from the University of London, and served as a Fulbright Fellow.

Occupation

I currently co-lead Together We Bake, a nonprofit job training and personal development program for under-served women. I am also the founder of Fruitcycle, a business fighting the tragic paradox that, while one in six Americans experience food-insecurity on a daily basis, 40% of our food is thrown into landfills. Before launching Fruitcycle, I worked for the National Governors Association, where I served as governors' liaison to Congress, federal agencies, and the White House on issues related to transportation, economic development, and health.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Vice Mayor of Alexandria (2019 - 2021)

Why are you seeking elective office?

Both of my parents were in the Navy, and instilled in me a sense of service to our community and our country. My mom in particular used to always tell me that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. I’ve applied that to my entire career - I started a small business to fight food waste and now co-lead a non-profit that works with women returning from the criminal justice system, women experiencing homelessness, women surviving abuse and more. In turn, that experience inspired me to run for the Alexandria City Council and I now serve as the Vice Mayor. I’m running for Delegate to continue serving my community and to bring my experience as a local elected official, nonprofit leader, and small business creator to the House of Delegates.

There are only 18 Delegates with city or county government experience, and none of them are from Northern Virginia. Obviously we face some different issues here than in other parts of the Commonwealth and this is a really important perspective given the role that local government plays in people’s lives and that local authority in Virginia is limited to what we are allowed to do by Richmond.

What is the single most pressing issue facing our district and what do you intend to do about it.

Our district has a number of challenges. Some of our top issues are ensuring all students are able to receive a quality education, economic recovery from COVID, and the effects of climate change. I will work to revise the inequitable state funding formula for our educational system and work to expand access to early childhood education, quality K-12 schools, and world class post-secondary opportunities. I will work every day to ensure our economy is fair and works for small businesses, families, and individual workers through paid leave policies, tax reform and support for small business. I will also treat the climate crisis like the emergency it is and help push Virginia to our 100% clean energy future.

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

My experience as a local elected official, nonprofit leader, and small business creator will ensure I’m an effective advocate and leader in Richmond for this district. Additionally, I have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, the Virginia Firefighters Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, the Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia NOW, Planned Parenthood, Emily’s List, NARAL Virginia, the AFL-CIO, Virginia LGBTQ+ Democrats. Congressman Don Beyer, and more.

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

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

In addition to many other priorities I will be pursuing in Richmond, there are a few of the issues I feel strongly about:

Education: As Delegate, I will work to ensure a high-quality education for all our children, including expanding access to early childhood education starting at birth. I will also work to ensure all of our schools have the resources necessary to educate our children, including safe buildings, new books, small classroom sizes and expanding school meal programs. I also firmly believe a quality education starts with our teachers. It is unacceptable that Virginia ranks last in average teacher pay compared to the average pay of citizens. We must invest in teacher training and ensure our teachers are paid good salaries.

Economic Opportunity for All: In Richmond, I will work every day to ensure our economy is fair and works for small businesses, families, and individual workers. I believe every worker deserves paid family and medical leave to care for themselves, a loved one, or a new family member. I will also work to build a tax code that helps our families and that big corporations pay their fair share. Virginia should be a welcoming place to start and grow a small business, and I will work to ensure better outreach and opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned businesses.

Creating a Virginia that Works for All: I want to make sure our Commonwealth is welcoming and inclusive to all, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ability, or income. I believe our Commonwealth’s legacy of racial oppression and inequitable practices and policies have created unjust disparities for Black and Brown members of our community across all measures of well-being, including health and wealth. This is why we need to make sure our government is providing equitable opportunities and access to healthcare, education, housing, transportation, and economic opportunity for all Virginians, and that our work to fight climate change is environmentally just.

Resilient Infrastructure: I will work to modernize and expand our infrastructure, including transportation, sewers, and housing as well as improving transportation options and mobility for all Northern Virginians. As Delegate, I will work to provide localities additional authority, tools, and funding to preserve and expand affordable housing.

Climate Crisis: Climate change is not only a national emergency, but is also a state and local emergency. As your Delegate, I will treat climate change like the emergency it is and work to ensure a just transition towards 100% renewable energy. As Vice Mayor, I have accelerated stormwater capacity projects to reduce flooding and advocated for increased federal funding. As your Delegate, I will partner with local governments to ameliorate our flooding issues

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

Serving as Vice Mayor, regionally as the Chair of the Virginia Railway Express and as a member of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has given me a unique perspective into the issues affecting our community and how the state can help us make our area an even better place to live, work, and play.

My experience as a local elected official, nonprofit leader, and small business creator will ensure I’m an effective advocate and leader in Richmond for this district. Additionally, I have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, the Virginia Firefighters Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, the Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia NOW, Planned Parenthood, Emily’s List, NARAL Virginia, the AFL-CIO, Virginia LGBTQ+ Democrats. Congressman Don Beyer, and more.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My mom used to always tell me that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. I’ve applied that to my entire career and will take that mantra with me to Richmond if elected.

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

As a small business creator, nonprofit leader, and local elected official, I have the unique experience and perspective to deliver results for our community in Richmond.

Additionally, I have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, the Virginia Firefighters Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, the Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia NOW, Planned Parenthood, Emily’s List, NARAL Virginia, the AFL-CIO, Virginia LGBTQ+ Democrats. Congressman Don Beyer, and more. I can be contacted at elizabethfordelegate@gmail.com.

Related:

Candidate Profile: Justin 'JD' Maddox For VA House Of Delegates

2021 Voter Guide