In the upcoming legislative elections in Virginia, a number of candidates with unconventional backgrounds and criminal records are vying for office.
The elections, scheduled for Tuesday, are a battleground for both Republicans and Democrats, who are striving to gain unified control over the currently divided legislature.
The race is neck and neck, as indicated by a University of Mary Washington opinion poll. The roster of candidates includes a convicted felon, a cannabis dispensary owner, and a sexual camera performer who has been abandoned by her Democratic colleagues, as reported by The Daily Wire.
Democratic state Del. Don Scott, representing the 80th District, is the House's minority leader and the head of the Democratic Caucus. Scott is aiming to become the Speaker of the House of Delegates, contingent upon the Democrats securing a majority in the chamber. This would necessitate a gain of five seats, as per The Virginian-Pilot. Scott's past includes a ten-year prison sentence for drug-related offenses in 1994.
Scott served seven years of his sentence before being paroled. His voting rights were reinstated by Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, according to The Daily Wire. Scott has been vocal in his criticism of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration for purging individuals with felony convictions from voter rolls ahead of the election. On October 31, Scott tweeted, "Youngkins admin purged nearly 3,400 legal Virginia voters from the rolls in the middle of a battleground election. Every day they stoop to new levels to block people from voting."
In addition to Scott, Democratic leader of the Virginia Senate, President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, runs a cannabis store in Portsmouth, Virginia. Lucas is fighting to maintain the Democrats' slim majority in the upper chamber. Lucas, who is 78, proudly declared on social media, "Im a 78 year [old] grandma who legalized pot and now has her own cannabis store," as reported by Marijuana Moment. She added, "Im the last thing standing between The GOP and total control of Virginia." However, an investigative report by the Virginia Mercury alleges that Lucas' dispensary sells illegal cannabis products.
While Scott and Lucas are both seasoned politicians leading the Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate, Susanna Gibson is a newcomer seeking a House seat in the 57th District. Gibson made international news in September when The Washington Post disclosed that she had performed sexual acts with her husband on camera and uploaded the videos to a pornographic website, Chaturbate.
Gibson, a registered nurse and mother of two, has stood her ground and refused to withdraw from the race, despite several top Democrats who had previously endorsed her now distancing themselves from her campaign.
Education policy has been the focal point of the campaign for Youngkin and the state Republicans, suggesting they may implement a "school choice" program if they secure a majority.
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