Ed. — The Independent News submitted questions to candidates in the Tuesday, Jan. 10, special election in Virginia State Senate District 7. Responses appear below. Both campaigns responded on a very short timeline, given the rapid nature of this special election to fill the remaining term of state Sen. Jen Kiggans, who will serve in Congress.
I am grateful for the responses. Our newspaper does not make political endorsements. We offer our guides to help citizens make their own decisions. Answers are not edited by us, aside from some minor grammar or style issues. Candidates appear in ballot order.
- Previous news coverage about this race is at this link.
AARON R. ROUSE [D]
- Residence: Virginia Beach
- Age: 38
- Occupation: At-Large Member of Virginia Beach City Council
- Military Service/Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Virginia Tech
- Website: rouseforsenate.com
- Email: aaron@rouseforsenate.com
- Social Media: @aaronrousevb on Facebook, @aar0n_rouse on Instagram and @aaronrousevabch on Twitter
- Endorsements: U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria
What are your specific qualifications to serve in the Virginia Senate? After retiring from the NFL, I returned home to Virginia Beach to begin my career in public service. I started a nonprofit serving young people in need, and in 2018 I ran for Virginia Beach City Council. As a member of City Council, I delivered real results and worked to improve the lives of our community members. I voted to raise the minimum wage to $15, increased pay for teachers, first responders and police officers, and I lowered taxes for small businesses. As a member of the Virginia Senate, I will bring that same level of focus to serving the 7th Senate District.
What, to you, is the most important issue facing your district and how will you address it in office? The most important issue facing our district is building an economy that works for everyone and not just some. Too many families are struggling to make ends meet and put food on their tables. It is our job as leaders to build sustainable pathways to a stronger economy. That has been my priority on City Council, and it will be my priority in the Senate. We need to do everything from investing in education so we can set young people up for success while also building a strong and prepared workforce, to attracting new jobs and industries to the region. Virginia Beach and Norfolk are teeming with opportunities for growth, and I intend to leverage our assets to create new opportunities for families in every community.
What are your three main legislative priorities?
- As Senator, I will be focused on building a stronger economy where every person can thrive. That includes everything from investing in education so our youngest community members are in a position to succeed when they graduate, to ensuring students have access to job training so they can obtain critical skills, to finding new and innovative ways to attract businesses and good-paying jobs to the region.
- As Senator, I will also work to make housing more affordable and build new workforce housing. Too many people cannot afford to live where they work which creates tremendous challenges for workers and their families. We can do more to address this, and I look forward to bringing my ideas to Richmond.
- I will also be focused on lowering the cost of health care, because too many people have to sacrifice their health and wellbeing in order to provide for their families. The cost of prescription drugs has increased dramatically in recent years, placing a tremendous burden on families everywhere. Reproductive health care rights are also under attack and at stake in this election. As Senator, I will work to lower the cost of health care and fiercely protect reproductive rights.
How will you help ensure job creation and economic recovery? I have a record of prioritizing job creation and economic growth as an At-Large member of Virginia Beach City Council, and that commitment will continue as I serve the 7th District in the Senate. During my time on City Council, I was the liaison to the Minority Business Council and the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (HRT), which are key drivers of economic growth. I also attended an international marketing mission and worked to recruit businesses to locate in Virginia Beach, and I worked to bring Pharrell’s “Something in the Water” festival back, which creates jobs and generates revenue.
How will you support local efforts to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding? Climate change and its effects like sea level rise and recurrent flooding are devastating communities across the 7th District and our commonwealth. Communities are depending on leaders in Richmond to lead the way on combating climate change and taking aggressive action to mitigate its effects. If elected, I look forward to leading on this issue. We must move to 100% clean energy generation and protect Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to limit dangerous emissions. We must also continue investing in proven solutions to mitigate against flooding, and ensure our communities are prepared in case of emergencies.
How will you support public education? I am the proud product of Virginia Beach public schools and believe as a member of the Virginia Senate I will fight every single day to improve education in the 7th District and commonwealth. I believe that a high quality education is key to helping our young people thrive as they enter the job market and support themselves and their families. I will work to raise teacher pay above the national average, expand access to early childhood education, prioritize job training in schools, and invest in school infrastructure so students can learn in safe and modern buildings.
Do you support access to sexual and reproductive health care for women, including birth control and legal abortion access? Yes. In Virginia and across our nation, reproductive freedoms are under attack and access to birth control and abortion are at risk. I firmly believe these incredibly important and private decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, not politicians. If elected to the Senate, I will fight back against any effort to restrict reproductive rights, and will work to ensure they are protected. There could not be more at stake in this election, which is why I am running for Senate.
KEVIN H. ADAMS [R]
- Residence: Kempsville in Virginia Beach
- Age: 61
- Occupation: Small business owner
- Military Service/Education: 26 years in the U.S. Navy
- Phone: (757) 296-6625
- Website: kevinadamsforsenate.com
- Email: info@kevinadamsforsenate.com
- Social Media: Kevin Adams on Facebook and @kadamsforsenate on Twitter
- Endorsements: Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle
What are your specific qualifications to serve in the Virginia Senate? I served my country for 26 years in the Navy starting as an enlisted man and retiring as a Lt. Commander. Since then, I have served my community as a small business owner who does everything from fixing leaky pipes to repairing floors. I am also a proud father and husband who is worried about the future of my children and family. I have been privileged to serve our country and live the American Dream, but for so many that’s becoming too distant because of increasing costs and fleeting opportunities.
I am running to help give the opportunities that I have had back to people. I will work to cut the gas tax, put our education system back on track, get tough on violent crime, and get real results for our community. My commitment is to put people before politics and work to lift up our community.
What, to you, is the most important issue facing your district and how will you address it in office?
- Crime: I will oppose dangerous measures to end cash bail, work to reform the parole board, and ensure violent criminals stay in jail. Unfortunately, we have seen our police under attack and crime is on the rise. I will fully fund our law enforcement officers and work to make our neighborhoods safe again.
- Cost of living: It’s time to cut the gas tax and repeal policies that are driving costs to heat our homes, drive our cars, and turn on the lights. It’s time the legislature stepped in and passed laws to lower utility prices and cut the gas tax on working families.
- Supporting our veterans: As a veteran, I believe that we must do better to support those who served. It starts by ending the tax on veterans’ pensions, but we also must make it easier to apply skills our veterans learned in the service in civilian life.
What are your three main legislative priorities?
- Cut Taxes: We must cut the gas tax and continue Governor Youngkin’s tax rebates for hardworking Virginians. Too many families are struggling for us to not do something to put more money back in people’s pockets. I will continue to work to find ways to lower taxes and make government services better, not more expensive.
- Make our Streets Safer: The Parole Board scandal, bad legislation, and prosecutors who release violent criminals have made our neighborhoods and families less safe. The idea that we should end cash bail isn’t just a bad proposal, it is downright dangerous. I will support fully funding our law enforcement and pursue an agenda on criminal justice that rehabilitates those who want to turn their lives around, but that also keeps career criminals in jail where they belong.
- Expand Entrepreneurial Opportunities: As a small business owner, I have seen firsthand how red tape hurts our ability to help folks get to work. We need to cut down on red tape by taking simple measures like allowing veterans to take the skills they learned in the service to immediately transfer to Virginia. Further, we need to expand opportunities for students to pursue trades and other careers that can help them make a good living.
How will you help ensure job creation and economic recovery? Economic recovery begins by putting money back in people’s pockets. I will work to pass legislation that cuts the gas tax, expands Governor Youngkin’s tax rebates, and repeal legislation that has caused utility bills to go through the roof. Families are struggling and higher costs on necessities are hitting families hard.
We should also work to expand trade programs and other opportunities in high schools and community colleges that connect folks with the jobs that need to be filled now. Giving folks a hand up needs to be a top priority.
How will you support local efforts to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding? I will support living shorelines. Part of flood mitigation is ensuring that where possible instead of seawalls and concrete to not only keep erosion at bay, living shorelines grow as sea levels rise and contain floodwaters within them.
I also believe we need to continue to work to reduce roadway flooding with sensible local stormwater projects, but the state also must do their part in funding pumps, gates and other tools to keep roadways clear and the bay clean.
How will you support public education? I will support public education by ensuring we keep standards high, but also ensuring schools have the resources they need to help students catch up. Many kids, especially those in minority communities, fell far behind during the pandemic. We need to make investments to help them catch up. I also believe that we must expand the school curriculum to include more options for kids who aren’t going to college. Whether its by teaching finance management or expanding workforce training programs by connecting employers with students who want to learn a trade early; expanding these opportunities will help kids of all backgrounds get ahead.
Do you support access to sexual and reproductive health care for women, including birth control and legal abortion access? As I am pro-life, I believe this is an issue where we can find common ground.
We need to pass laws that respect the rights of the mom and baby, limit late-term abortion by passing Glenn Youngkin’s 15 week legislation, while providing reasonable exceptions to protect the life of the mother or in the instance of rape or incest.
Virginians want fewer, not more abortions, but it is on us as a Commonwealth to make sure resources are secured to achieve this. I think we have an obligation as a society to do more to help young women facing that decision.
My wife and I have been blessed to volunteer at pregnancy resource centers, where we’ve been able to counsel young women – and young men – on how they can choose life. And I think we have an obligation as a society to do more to help young women facing that decision know there are options beside abortion. And we need to make sure we support life beyond birth, and that means supporting moms and dads who choose life.
We can come together on this. We can build a consensus.
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