WASHINGTON — Democratic candidate Briana Sewell defeated her Republican opponent, keeping HD-51 blue. Briana Sewell’s opponent ran to the far right on an anti-abortion, anti-gun safety platform — and tonight, voters rejected him at the polls. Briana Sewell has spent her entire career serving her country and her community and she will continue this work in Richmond.
“Briana Sewell has spent her entire career serving her country and her community — and now she will continue that service as the 51st district’s representative in the House of Delegates,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Jessica Post. “As the daughter of two U.S. Air Force veterans, Briana’s core values are integrity and service to others. Those values will guide her as she fights for her constituents in Richmond. Congratulations to Delegate-elect Sewell on this enormous victory.”
The DLCC and its affiliated groups invested $3.2 million in Virginia to support candidates like Delegate-elect Briana Sewell and provided critical political guidance, strategic planning, data analysis, and messaging support — all of which proved to be successful with the Democratic victory in this race.
Delegate-elect Briana Sewell knows firsthand how to represent the community, previously serving as a district director for Congressman Gerry Connolly. Taking that experience to the statehouse, Delegate-elect Sewell is ready on day one to fight for affordable health care, increasing pay for teachers, and protecting reproductive rights. She defeated Tim Cox, who compared abortion to slavery, attacked the fitness of transgender military servicemembers, and opposed marriage and adoption rights for LGBTQ couples.
The commonwealth has become a model for passing progressive legislation including making child care more affordable for working families, strengthening voting rights, passing sweeping criminal justice reform measures, creating tuition-free community college programs, raising the minimum wage, ending surprise medical billing, banning LGBTQ discrimination, providing eviction and utility aid, and making Virginia the “Top State for Business” while strengthening workers’ pay, benefits, and working conditions.
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