Candidate Profile: Victoria Luevanos (Va. Senate District 20)

Victoria Luevanos is the Democratic candidate for Virginia Senate, District 20. Her name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

Luevanos is running against William DeSteph.

10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.

Name: Victoria Luevanos

Age: 32

Race: Virginia Senate, District 20

Party: Democrat

Website: https://victorialuevanos.com/

Biography: Victoria is a mom of two, a disabled Navy Veteran, and a lifelong community volunteer. She grew up in a rural farming community in Ventura County, California to a single mom of six. Growing up Victoria’s childhood was one of generational poverty, unstable housing, food insecurity, family addiction, domestic violence, incarceration, and circumstances children shouldn’t be in. Victoria and her siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother who immigrated to the United States from Durango, Mexico when she was 18 years old, worked as a packer for Sunkist until she retired, and was also a single mother of six. Determined to change the trajectory of her life she became the first in her family to graduate high school, serve in the military, attend and graduate college, as well as becoming a homeowner. Her military service brought her to Virginia where she worked as an ABH on a carrier and amphib. After serving her country in the Navy, Victoria settled in Virginia Beach where she worked as a DOD Contractor at NAS Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s degree and is her niece’s caregiver. She’s an active volunteer in the Hampton Roads communities including Moms Demand Action.

At a young age, Victoria realized that people in low-income areas don’t have the privilege to make mistakes and learn from them or have the security to take chances in life, she saw friends and family around her make one bad decision that either took their lives or pushed them into more bad decisions. Victoria’s experience facing homelessness and food insecurity at a young age led her to have a deep appreciation for the stability and support that government programs can provide, as well as a strong desire to help ease the struggle of others who face challenges receiving the help they need not only to survive but to thrive. She uses her life experiences to fuel her campaign, letting voters know that there is a candidate who is fighting for their safety and success, and her desire to help working families who are doing everything right but don’t have the support from their representatives.

Why are you running for this office?

I decided to run for office to give working families representation in the General Assembly that wasn’t influenced by corporate donations, personal greed, or culture wars. We need public servants who want to protect the rights and liberties of Virginians no matter their sex, gender, financial background, religion, status in this country, or political party; and we are not getting that here in District 20. My only interest is to create fairness and affordability in the economy, connect overlooked communities to better opportunities, protect the hard work that people have accomplished, and protect minority communities.

What is the most important issue facing Virginia, and what is your position on it?

In Virginia and across our nation, reproductive freedoms and abortion care are under attack, and access to birth control and emergency contraceptives is at risk. I firmly believe these incredibly important, sometimes life-threatening, and private decisions should be made between a woman, and her doctor, not politicians, not the government, not a stranger. If elected to the Senate, I will fight back against Governor Youngkin and conservative’s efforts to restrict reproductive rights and will work to ensure they are protected and available. Across the country in states with complete or partial bans, women are losing their lives, women are forced to develop sepsis before physicians can provide them with lifesaving abortion care, contradictory laws and policies are getting medical staff arrested, medical centers are closing, and there could not be more at stake in this election, which is why I am running for Senate.

What it the top challenge facing your district, and how would you address it?

Voters have brought up affordability one way or another. I see the issue first hand in my neighborhood, homes going up for sale because our retirees and working families can’t afford housing. Some of my active-duty friends have moved out of Virginia Beach to Moyock North Carolina, my children’s classmates are moving out of Virginia Beach to Portsmouth, and a lot of families here and on the Eastern Shore can’t afford to stay or move. I’m seeing a growing number of unhoused Virginians living in their car at grocery store parking lots, sleeping under overpasses, and wooded areas.

My first initiative would be to create, expand, and fund social services to keep Virginians in their homes before it comes down to losing their housing. Supporting rent control initiatives, expanding housing vouchers, and streamlining or eliminating regulatory reviews to allow for “by-right” construction. Next, bring public land to the table, one of the most effective things that local governments can do is take a closer look at their publicly owned land. Very often government agencies find that vacant, underutilized, surplus, and otherwise non-essential properties can be made available for housing development. Consolidating multiple government buildings or relocating municipal uses to less-prime properties can also free up land housing. Update zoning that creates barriers to housing development, help move the needle with local and state government grants, partner with property owners and developers in the adaptive reuse of vacant and underutilized properties that have the potential for housing and provide initiatives for employers who participate in some form of employer-assisted housing programs. There are a lot of organizations that are experts in this area and with the support from Legislators can lead the initiative in areas they lack.

What is your view on Governor Glen Youngkin’s proposal for a 15-week abortion ban with restrictions?

I don’t believe anyone should have their freedoms and liberties stripped from them because a religion they do or do not follow doesn’t like it, or because some voters don’t understand the female reproductive system. It’s government overreach, it’s overnight criminalization of your family, friends, neighbors, and our medical community. I aim to protect Reproductive & Abortion Rights here in Virginia not only for us but for neighboring states, as we are their last hope in the South.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

It’s a frustrating issue for a parent with two kids in public education to see the dismantling of education over non-education-related issues. Many parents understand that public education is supposed to be a neutral space that serves students of all religions, all backgrounds, and all walks of life; but now school boards are battlegrounds for political parties and do not represent children or their educational needs. We have an ESL teacher shortage but our school board is wasting time and city resources determining how they can allow the discrimination and harassment of transgender students. It’s weird that adults are spending so much time looking for a loophole to discriminate against children over issues that don’t contribute to the improvement of students in science, math, reading, or writing.

What legislation would you plan to sponsor in your first year?

The biggest issue Virginia faces in November is Reproductive Rights. Will we be another chess piece knocked down by lobbyists who are stripping women’s rights away across the country or will we strengthen our support for Virginians and neighboring states to access reproductive healthcare? I plan to strengthen women’s rights in my first year, and protecting the right to choose is our first obstacle.

What is your view on unlimited campaign contributions? Should that change?

I support campaign finance reform, Virginia has earned the reputation as a “pay-to-play” state where the influence of special interests has historically held sway over our public policies more than voters’ priorities. The very first thing I did after I filed to run for office was sign the BigMoneyOut Pledge from BigMoneyOut VA. I want transparency and accountability in public office and to be represented by a candidate that is influenced by huge donations, and provides themselves with opportunities for financial gain because their position of power doesn’t provide voters with that.

How will you still value constituents with whom you disagree with?

I will value constituents who don’t agree with me by ensuring decisions I make or support will NOT strip away their freedoms or liberties. As long as your choice and access to opportunity are protected and provided to you, my desire to provide all Virginians with the same choice and access to opportunities will not and should not interfere with your way of life. Public service is just that, service to the public regardless if they voted for you or not.

Will you establish an office and presence on the Eastern Shore of Virginia if you win?

Yes, Eastern Shore needs an active presence in the General Assembly to ensure their needs are at the forefront. Locals should be able to reach their representatives without obstacles, and representatives should be involved in the everyday issues their constituents have, guide them in the right direction, and take their concerns to Richmond.