All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are on the ballot this year, although most of the money and attention are going to a dozen or so competitive races.
For Democrats in ruby red, rural Virginia, the odds are against them. But that does not mean they should give up and concede. Fergie Reid Jr. is an activist whose father was in the House of Delegates, and he's behind an effort called Value Pack 27 aimed at directing money to the 27 most difficult races for Democrats.
"No basketball team every played the Michael Jordan Bulls and said, 'Why waste any energy guarding Michael Jordan? He's just too good. Nobody is going to stop him. Let's just play four guys and let Michael do whatever he wants to do.' That's a recipe to lose, and the same thing is true in politics," Reid Jr. says. "But people don't think about it that way."
One of the candidates receiving money from the effort is challenging Republican incumbent Israel O'Quinn in Southwest Virginia – Cindy Green.
"It's allowed my campaign to buy billboards, radio ads, yard signs, cards that we can hand out when we’re canvassing," says Green. "Without the support of the Value Pack, my campaign wouldn't have the funds that it needs to run a campaign."
Democrats are running in all 100 House of Delegates seats. Republicans are running in 83.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
