Summary
District Description: County of Prince William (part)
Current Delegate Hala Ayala since 2018 (D)
According to Ned Oliver of Virginia Mercury:
“Huge turnout in 2017 handed this district to Democrats by a healthy 14 point margin, with Ayala, a computer security specialist, toppling Anderson, a former Air Force officer who had represented the area in the General Assembly since 2010. Republicans say they’re going to lean on Anderson’s name recognition as a longtime officeholder, but Democrats say they think that might be to his detriment, noting mail he sent out during the last campaign criticized as racist.”
OnAir Post: VA House District 51 – 2019
VA House District 51
Hala Ayala
Current Position: State Delegate for VA House District 51 since 2018
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2019 State Delegate VA House District 51
For more information, see Hala Ayala’s post.
As a member of Prince William County community for over 35 years and elected as Delegate in 2017, Hala Ayala gives a new, needed voice for the 51st House District of Virginia.
AN ADVOCATE FOR WORKING FAMILIES
Hala has personally experienced the challenges of single motherhood and lack of access to affordable health insurance. She understands the concerns of working families today. She has fought for raising the minimum wage, equal pay and affordable access to health care as the founder and former president of the Prince William County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT
Hala worked her way up from a service job without health insurance to become a cybersecurity specialist with the Department of Homeland Security. For over 17 years, she worked to protect our nation’s information systems, enforce security measures, and prevent attacks by safeguarding computers, networks and data from criminal intrusion and security breaches. She’s ready to use that same determination and work ethic to ensure that Prince William County families can flourish.
A CHAMPION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN VIRGINIA
Hala helped organize Virginia for the Women’s March on Washington in January. She helped organize buses to transport people to DC and raised money to help with the expenses for those who would not otherwise be able to participate. As former president of the Prince William County chapter of NOW, she fought for equal pay for equal work so that women get paid equally for the same work. Hala also served on Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Council on Women.
Only 17 of Virginia’s 100 state delegates are women. Hala believes that the number should be higher to make sure that all voices are heard, in order to create a better future for all Virginians.
Richard Anderson
Current Position: Retired Air Force
Former: State Delegate for VA House District 51 from 2010 – 2018
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2019 State Delegate VA House District 51
For more information, see Richard Anderson’s post.
“I’m a born-and-bred Virginian, and I’ll be a Virginian for the rest of my days. I’m a husband, father, grandfather, and your neighbor, and my #1 priority is looking out for you and your family. After 30 years as an Air Force officer and eight years in the Virginia House of Delegates, I’m totally committed to making life better for working families in Prince William County and across Virginia.”
Rich Anderson is a native Virginian who retired from the Pentagon in 2009 as a highly-decorated 30-year Air Force colonel. That same year, he was elected to represent the 51st House District in the Virginia General Assembly for eight years (2010-2018). While there, he chaired the House Science and Technology Committee and the General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus. He also sat as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, House Finance Committee, House General Laws Committee, and House Transportation Committee. Over the course of his legislative service, his fingerprints were on almost all groundbreaking legislation for military veterans and Virginia’s science and technology community. Rich is a graduate of Virginia Tech and is married to Occoquan District Supervisor (Prince William County) Ruth Anderson, also a retired Air Force officer. They are the parents of three children, have seven grandchildren, and have lived in Woodbridge for nearly 20 years
