“We need common-sense gun safety laws to cover the country and universal background checks to make sure those who shouldn’t have guns don’t get guns,” said McEachin, who has been endorsed by Virginia’s three top Democrats: Gov. Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Timothy M. Kaine.

McEachin said the nation needs to accelerate the move to clean energy investment to boost the economy and address climate change. And he said a lot of work needs to be done in the 4th District to address such infrastructure as roads, bridges and waterways, as well as expanding broadband access to rural Southside Virginia to help create jobs.

Ward, 70, is a retired educator who worked for 35 years as a teacher and administrator in Portsmouth. She served on the Chesapeake School Board for six years and the state Board of Education for eight years before being elected in 2006 to the Chesapeake City Council, where she is the only Democrat.

The Chesapeake resident has undergraduate and master’s degrees from Norfolk State University, an additional master’s degree from Old Dominion University, and a doctorate in education from Virginia Tech.