The PCCC had a clean sweep of victories in four down-ballot Virginia primaries on June 13. PCCC members helped turn these campaigns from long-shots to victories over establishment-backed candidates.

We were proud to support four incredible progressives running for Delegate in Prince William County: Danica Roem (VA-HD13), Jennifer Carroll Foy (VA-HD02), and Elizabeth Guzman (VA-HD31), as well as Justin Fairfax for Lt. Governor.

Justin Fairfax defeated the closest of his two opponents by 10 points statewide. Danica Roem won by 498 votes (a commanding margin of 11 points over the closest of her three opponents). Elizabeth Guzman won by 4 points, or a mere 253 votes. And, in one of the closest races in Virginia history, Jennifer Carroll Foy won by 12 votes (that’s a mere 0.28% of the vote). In these down-ballot races, every vote counts, and the support PCCC members provided to mobilize voters made the difference for these bold progressives.

Each of these candidates have incredible stories. And they are just a few of the unprecedented number of Resistance-inspired candidates running across Virginia. PCCC supported Danica, Elizabeth, Jennifer, and Justin early, as one of the first groups to endorse candidates in competitive primaries, and this gave them early money and an edge against their establishment-backed opponents.

Our big wins in Virginia show where PCCC local and state electoral work is headed next. We are proud to provide difference-making support for a slate of bold progressives that will make an ambitious policy agenda possible in Virginia. Democrats need to retake state houses in Virginia and across the country to pass crucial policies like Medicaid expansion, living wages, and upholding the Paris climate agreement.

Here’s more on why our candidates were so groundbreaking:

Danica Roem (VA-HD13): Danica, a longtime journalist, is running to become the first transgender elected official in Virginia history — and she’s running against one of the worst lawmakers in America. Her opponent sponsored an anti-transgender “bathroom bill” to target women like Danica, has claimed disabled children are a “special punishment” from God on women who have had abortions, compared the Affordable Care Act to “forcible economic rape,” derailed the appointment of an openly gay judge and sponsored the ban on gay marriage in Virginia, and railed against abortion in cases of rape, calling victims “sin-bearers of the crime.”

Elizabeth Guzman (VA-HD31): Elizabeth is a social worker and a proud Peruvian immigrant running to be the first Latina ever elected to the Virginia General Assembly in its 398-year history. A longtime member of AFSCME Local 3001, Elizabeth Guzman will fight for the priorities of the Elizabeth Warren wing of American politics. Her Republican incumbent opponent is the chief architect of a slew of Arizona-style anti-immigrant bills. Donald Trump lost this district by 8 points.

Jennifer Carroll Foy (VA-HD02): Jennifer is a public defender and a trailblazer. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, the last military college to accept women. A foster mother, she has dedicated her life in service to others and her community. This is a winnable open seat most recently held by a Republican — in a district Donald Trump lost by 17 points.

Now, we’re moving on to elect a great slate of down-ballot progressives who won their primaries with our help.