Right-wing Republicans have dominated politics in Virginia’s 91st district, covering Hampton and Poquoson, since 1997. However, there is a good chance that voters will change that this year by sending an unapologetic progressive Democrat to Richmond. Michael Wade is counting on a combination of his compelling personal story and boldly progressive economic policies to become the first Democrat in over two decades to represent the district. Highlights of his plan include a $15 minimum wage, policies to create high paying green jobs, non-discrimination measures to help the most vulnerable in our communities, the Equal Rights Amendment, universal health care, well-funded schools, and workers rights. His unique background, dedication to serving his constituents, and progressive policies make him a great candidate for the district.

Michael Wade

Michael’s life experiences allow him to understand what working class people need to have a fair shot at success. He comes from a working class family himself — his relatives have worked in heavy industry and on oil wells, his Dad was a machinist, and his parents met in the Army. Michael dealt with serious financial strain himself in his early 20s, and had to work hard to get his career on track. Despite these challenges, Michael has a successful career in IT due to a lot of perseverance and hard work. He always makes sure to credit his wife, Stacy, for inspiring him and helping him get his life and career on track.

He currently works helping small businesses and non-profits successfully make use of the latest technology to maximize their effectiveness. A resident of Hampton Roads for over 30 years, Michael now focuses on his family, including raising his two young daughters. Now he wants to make sure that everybody else has the same shot at success he had.

His background and experiences give him a unique perspective that will be valuable in a General Assembly that is often out of touch with working class people. Michael would also be one of the younger members of the House of Delegates and help represent a more technologically inclined generation. He would be a great voice to represent young and working class people.

Wade isn’t just a great candidate — he also has a great chance of winning this crucial swing district. The 91st House of Delegates district was recently redrawn because a federal court found it to be racially gerrymandered. (Michael supports redistricting reform to prevent this problem in the future). The 91st has gone from leaning 11 points Republican to leaning over 8 points Democratic. Republicans currently hold a 51–49 majority in the House of Delegates, and the road to a Democratic takeover of the House goes right through the 91st.

A Democratic majority in the General Assembly would be huge news for the Equal Rights Amendment, which just failed on a 50–50 vote in the House of Delegates after Helsel voted against it. Let’s replace Helsel with a strong ERA supporter in Michael Wade and finally get it passed!

Michael already has valuable campaign experience, since he ran in the 91st in 2017. This made him the first person to ever challenge Republican incumbent Gordon Helsel (elected in 2011). This experience has allowed Wade to hit the ground running this time around. Helsel just announced his retirement, giving Wade an even better chance of winning as Republicans scramble to find a candidate.

Wade’s campaign has already attracted significant attention and support. A number of local leaders attended his campaign launch, including Sheila Elliot, the President of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2328, who thanked Wade for being a strong advocate for workers’ rights. Wade has done a great deal of volunteer work for union causes in the past, and will fight to protect workers rights and make sure they have a say in how their companies are run.

His campaign and message will resonate with voters beyond the traditional Democratic base. He is prepared to go out and talk to more conservative and rural voters about his plans because he knows corporatism hurts all working class people. For example, fishermen who rely on a clean river for their livelihood stand to lose if nobody steps up to prevent corporations from polluting the rivers. Poquoson might be largely rural and conservative, but the people there are hurt by Republican pro-corporate policies too. On top of that, the Republican budget slashed stormwater assistance as their homes in Poquoson were being flooded. Democrats have given up on bringing their message to people in more rural areas for too long. Wade’s message of economic opportunity, fairness, and representation for working class people will resonate throughout the district.

The Issues

Wade’s campaign is centered around making sure that every Virginian has a fair shot at success, and fighting a system that is often skewed in favor of the rich and powerful. To this end, Michael refuses to take any corporate or SuperPAC donations. He recognizes that corporations have frequently been able to use campaign contributions to get politicians to vote for their interests — at times over the interests of their own constituents. Michael believes that his job would be to represent the people of his district, not corporations.

Michael will also fight to make sure that Virginians get fair wages for our work. Despite the fact that there are people working multiple jobs to make ends meet, and workers are more productive than ever, wages for the 99% have stayed stagnant for the past decade while the top 1% have seen massive income growth. A system where full time employees in a minimum wage job live in poverty is not only unjust, but unsustainable. It has been almost exactly 10 years since the last minimum wage increase. Wade would join other Democrats in Richmond in advocating for $15 an hour minimum wage that would be instituted with graduated increases over several years. Wade believes that a higher minimum wage and making sure the rich pay their fair share will go a long way towards fixing this situation.

In addition to low wages, many Virginians struggle with healthcare costs. Michael understands that healthcare is a human right and supports a Universal Healthcare system so that everyone can access the care they need without worrying about falling into crippling debt. Right now many Virginians go without care simply because they can not afford it. This leads to more severe and expensive problems down the road, including premature deaths. This is an unjust and immoral state of affairs that Wade will tirelessly work to fix.

In regards to the environment and job creation, Wade supports a Green New Deal for Virginia. Wade’s plan would aggressively curtail pollution to protect our environment and wildlife, create long-term high-paying jobs in the area, and address flooding. In particular, he wants to restore the $50 million the state cut from the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund. Climate scientists overwhelmingly agree, to the tune of about 97%, that human activity leads to global warming and sea level rise, which will only get worse until serious environmental protections are put in place. Put simply, we do not have time to wait, and Michael Wade is the only candidate who supports a plan to aggressively address these problems.

Wade also takes strong stances on social issues. To start with, he is a firm supporter of women’s, LGBT, and minority rights. He is staunchly pro-choice and believes a woman’s body is her own business. Michael supports non-discrimination measures to prevent employers or landlords from discriminating against the LGBT community. He believes that it is unacceptable and unjust that in Virginia it is still legal for a landlord to kick somebody out of their home, or for a business to fire somebody, just for being gay. On that same note, he supports stronger legal protections for tenants in general.

Finally, Michael stands firmly against racism and hate (which is especially relevant given recent events in Virginia and the country as a whole). Wade would be a leader our Commonwealth can be proud of. He has taken part in NAACP rallies and protests in the past, as well as those of other Civil Rights organizations. He has volunteered for campaigns get people of color elected to local and state offices and believes that there should be more people of color in leadership positions.

Michael Wade is proposing a uniquely bold, comprehensive, and progressive plan that will give all Virginians a fair shot at success. His economic reforms will create a fundamentally more fair Virginia, with far more opportunity for working class people.

If you want to support a progressive campaign dedicated to representing everyday people check out the donation link below (his campaign relies on donations from everyday people, not corporations), and his website. The primary election will be held on June 11th.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/wade2019

https://www.michaelwadefordelegate.com/