Former Delegate Lashrecse Aird announced her candidacy for the 2023 Democratic nomination in the new Senate District 13, setting up a primary battle with State Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), who intends to move into the district and run for the seat.
“In just one month, I’ve watched our Commonwealth torn apart due to hateful and divisive politics,” Aird said in an announcement video. “But the truth is, I know Virginians are more alike than different. Alike in wanting schools they can be proud to send their children to. Alike in wanting a livable wage and good-paying jobs so have their share and shot at a strong quality of life. And alike in wanting access to quality health care, especially at times like these when it’s needed the most.”
As a delegate, Aird sponsored bills that became law, including a ban on no-knock search warrants that became law and a broad ban on law enforcement using facial recognition technology, although that ban was ended in the 2022 session. In her role on the House Appropriations Committee said she would prioritize the financial problems facing the city of Petersburg. She also co-authored an op-ed citing a need to lower energy costs as a way to help address Virginia’s high cost of living.
In 2021, Aird lost her seat to Republican challenger Kim Taylor, 51.05 percent to 48.81 percent. Redistricting reshaped several Senate districts in the Richmond and Petersburg area, including created SD 13. The Virginia Public Access Project estimates that the district leans Democratic, +13.7 D. Redistricting also reshaped Morrissey’s district, removing Petersburg from his area, and placed Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) in a Republican-leaning district. Hashmi has announced that she will run in SD 15, Morrissey’s current district, which VPAP estimates at plus 19 Democratic.
Morrissey said that he told Hashmi to move into his district, and he would move into SD 13.
“I hope you focus on this,” he told The Virginia Star. “What D, what R, would ever show his loyalty to the party by giving up his seat, moving his kids, their school district and all that to help out somebody else, and at the same time, find himself a primary challenge?”
He wants to help Petersburg financially, most notably with an ongoing legislative effort to bring a casino to Petersburg.
Morrissey votes with Republicans on some issues, and in the current 21-Democrat, 19-Republican Senate, Morrissey’s vote can give Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears a chance to break ties. Some voices within the Democratic Party have called for progressive challengers to moderates like Morrissey, who also has an embarrassing scandal in his background.
He said, “Listen, I don’t care about the party activists, and by party activists I’m talking about the people like the central party headquarters that are like the Wizard of Oz, pulling all the levers, you know what I mean?”
“But the regular folks, regular Democrats rank-and-file, I think they fully support and endorse me,” he said.
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Lashrecse Aird” by Lashrecse Aird. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Martin Kraft. CC BY-SA 3.0.
