Last week, we invited the two candidates running in the Democratic primary for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District to write a post about why our readers should vote for them on Tuesday (June 21). Find information on how and where to vote in Arlington here.
Here is the unedited response from Victoria Virasingh:
Our democracy is fragile. The only way we can build our democracy back is by ensuring the right to vote, reaching out to every single voter in our community, and bringing new people into the electorate. My campaign has contacted communities all across Virginia’s 8th district to ensure that their priorities, their hopes, and their struggles, many of which I have lived, are represented in Congress. Using my fluency in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian, and my beginning level Amharic and American Sign Language (ASL), I’ve been able to connect with voters directly who have otherwise never been invited to participate in the political process.
There are seismic shifts occurring in the electorate, some of which we saw in Virginia’s last governor’s race. I’ve met voters of all backgrounds and ages who are apathetic, unimpressed, or sorely disappointed by their current Representative. In order to keep Virginia blue, VA-8 needs a leader who people will vote for enthusiastically. They need a leader who listens and who makes them feel seen. My story as the daughter of immigrants is the story of thousands in our community. I am the second woman to ever make it onto the ballot for this race. If elected, I would be the first Latina, Asian American, and woman to ever represent VA-8 in Congress. At 30 years old, I would also be the youngest to do so. Feeling ready for change, people have come out to vote for me who have never voted before! Isn’t this what we want?
In addition to my diverse personal background, I bring professional experience from Congress, the tech industry, and education nonprofits to inform a robust, progressive, and pragmatic policy platform. My top priorities include passing Medicare for All to improve Americans’ access to outcome-driven healthcare and raising the minimum wage to $18/hour to give people working minimum wage jobs a chance at actually living out their American dreams. I am also eager to take bold action to mitigate and adapt to climate change while ensuring a just transition, as well as finally passing stronger legislation to reduce gun violence. I support creating a modernized immigration system that makes it easier for people to become U.S. citizens and making public college tuition 100% tax deductible to help students access college without worry of economic barriers. Our community has come a long way with accessibility, but we need to do even more to be inclusive of VA-8 residents with disabilities. Housing is another huge issue for us — rent control is needed to keep the district welcoming to those who aren’t ready to buy a home. I support women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and increased attention on dismantling systemic racism to advance racial justice. Because of all these issues that matter to the people of VA-8, we also need to get big money out of politics. I haven’t accepted and will not accept any corporate PAC money — I’m running to serve the people.
I was born and raised in Arlington, and now I am ready to bring true leadership to Congress to represent VA-8 and AND FIGHT HARD to shape a future that works for everyone. My campaign is for our future. My campaign is for all of us. I humbly ask for your vote on Election Day, Tuesday, June 21. To learn more and support my campaign, visit victoriaforcongress.com.