Summary
Current Position: State Delegate of District 63 since 2016
Affiliation: Democrat
OnAir Post: Lashrecse Aird
About
Source: Campaign page
Virginia General Assembly Delegate Lashrecse Aird was elected in November 2015 to represent the 63rd District, which includes all of the City of Petersburg, parts of the City of Hopewell, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and Prince George County. She holds the special distinction of being the youngest woman ever elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. During the 2016 General Assembly Session, Delegate Aird was appointed to serve on the General Laws; Health, Welfare and Institutions; and Appropriations committees.
Delegate Aird’s service is guided by her allegiance to the citizens she represents and her devotion to improving their quality of life. In her first legislative session, she successfully sponsored and supported legislation to improve education, health care and workforce and economic development.
Delegate Aird’s professional and civic life reflect her conviction that the struggle for equality begins with political freedom and education. Working side by side with the president and as a member of the executive leadership team at Richard Bland College of William and Mary, she guides policy development that helps today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders.
A tireless and trusted community leader, Delegate Aird is actively engaged in numerous civic boards and organizations. Through her hard work and clarity of vision, she has risen to a leadership position in each organization that she serves. Currently she chairs the 4th Congressional District Committee for the Democratic Party of Virginia. In addition, she is Chair of the Petersburg Democratic Committee; Chair of the Petersburg Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Political Awareness and Involvement Committee; and a former member of the Petersburg Planning Commission and the Governor’s Council on Women.
Delegate Aird earned her undergraduate degree from Virginia State University in 2008. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Political Leadership Program; a graduate of the American Council on Education Virginia Network for Women in Higher Education’s Senior Leadership Seminar; a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Minority Political Leadership Institute. In addition, she has completed coursework at Virginia Commonwealth University toward a Master’s in Public Administration.
Delegate Aird has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including being named to the Virginia Leadership Institute’s Top Ten Leaders under Forty; Virginia Commonwealth University’s Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges; and the recipient of Virginia State University’s Young Trojan Distinguished Alumni Award for two consecutive years.
Delegate Aird is a resident of Petersburg where she and her husband, Blaine, reside and are raising their two young boys, Blaine and Blake.
Experience
Work Experience
- Higher Education Administration
2019 to present
Volunteer Experience
Education
- B.A.
Virginia State University
2008 to present
Awards
Virginia Leadership Institute, Top Ten Leaders Under 40 (2014)
Virginia State University Alumni Association, Young Trojan Distinguished Alumni (2013, 2014)
Virginia State University, Presidential Medallion (2016)
Tri-Cities 40 Under 40 (2017)
Virginia Education Association, Solid as a Rock Award (2017)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award for Political Affairs (2018)
Personal
- Birth Year: 1986
- Place of Birth: Buffalo, NY
- Gender: Female
- Race(s): African American
- Religion: Baptist
- Spouse: Blaine John Paul Aird
- Children: Blaine and Blake
Membership & Affiliation
Tabernacle Baptist Church, Petersburg
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Petersburg Alumnae Chapter
Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society
Virginia State University Alumni Association
Petersburg Democratic Committee (chairman)
Southside Regional Medical Center (board of directors)
Democratic Party of Virginia 4th Congressional District Committee (chairman)
Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership (2015)
Contact
Legislative Assistant: Brianna Menchion
Administrative Assistant During Session: Jennifer Powers
Email:
- Government – DelLAird@house.virginia.gov
Offices
Capitol Office
Pocahontas Building
900 E. Main St,
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 698-1063
District Office
P.O. Box 3943
Petersburg, VA 23805
Phone: (804) 452-7076
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, Facebook
Politics
Source: none
Recent Elections
2019
| Lashrecse D. Aird (D) | 12,796 | 55.04% |
| Lary C. Haake III () | 10,291 | 44.27% |
| Write-In (Write-in) | 160 | 0.69% |
| TOTAL | 23,247 |
2017
| Lashrecse Aird (D) | 15,623 | 95.1% |
| Write In (Write-in) | 805 | 4.9% |
| TOTAL | 16,428 |
Source: Virginia Legislative Information System
Finances
AIRD, LASHRECSE D has run in 3 races for public office, winning 2 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $229,120.
Source: Follow the Money
Committees
Committees
Appropriations
Health, Welfare and Institutions
General Laws
Subcommittees
Appropriations – Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee
Appropriations – Health and Human Resources Subcommittee
General Laws – Subcommittee #2
General Laws – Subcommittee #3
Health, Welfare and Institutions – Subcommittee #2
Appointments
Appropriations – Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee
Geographic Information Network Advisory Board
Higher Education, Joint Subcommittee on the Future Competitiveness of Virginia
House Appropriations
House General Laws
House Health Welfare and Institutions
Local Government Fiscal Stress, Joint Subcommittee on
Mental Health Services in the Twenty-First Century, Joint Subcommittee to Study
Online Virginia Network Authority
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Virginia Legislative Information System
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Lashrecse Aird has been working, living and raising her family with her husband in the 63rd District; now she wants to do her part by representing you at the General Assembly. She understands the challenges of the district because she confronts them on a daily basis. When elected, Lashrecse Aird will continue to ensure Democratic views such as Medicaid expansion, increased k-12 funding, voting rights, women’s right to choose, senior and veteran services, and equality for all remain legislative priorities for the 63rd District. Furthermore, Aird is determined to introduce and support legislation that will specifically address the current and future challenges of the 63rd HOD district.
Civil Rights
Women’s Rights
Aird will actively pursue the cause of making sure that woman get equal pay for equal work. As a mother and wife, she will be an advocate for women’s reproductive access and work to ensure that they have the right to choose. She believes that the decision of family planning should remain at the discretion of a woman.
Economy
Economic development
Economic development resources are critical in this area. Aird wants to ensure that companies are enticed to bring their jobs to the 63rd District so we can increase the number of quality jobs available. We need those to be high-paying jobs, with benefits from companies that have a shared investment in its employees and our district
Education
K-12 Funding & Higher Education
Our children need to have the educational tools to succeed. Aird believes in universal pre-school education so all children are learning through those critical years of their life and begin school on target with their peers. To ensure that, Aird will support initiatives that prevents childhood poverty, homelessness and childhood hunger. Additionally, as an administrator at Richard Bland College, Aird will advocate for resources to ensure the proper preparation for higher- education pathways or access to job-readiness training and credentials.
Safety
Crime Prevention
Having been a resident of the 63rd District for nearly 10 years, Aird understands that violence is a problem that can only be addressed together. Using her influence, Aird will work to initiate projects that will strengthen not only law enforcement departments, but also their outreach into our communities.
Social Security
Senior Care and Veteran Resources
We need to provide services for our seniors and our veterans, both of whom have made critical contributions to our communities and our well-being and now deserve our help and support.
As the daughter of a Veteran, Aird understands the resources that our veterans need; Aird will support legislation that increases veteran care including tax cuts for veterans. Also, Aird will give special attention to focusing on the challenges of female veterans and those veterans under 25 to ensure we are providing all necessary access to services.
