Common Defense Champions Eight Trailblazing Candidates for Virginia's 2023 Elections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT
Jacob Thomas, Communications Director
WASHINGTON, DC – Common Defense, the leading grassroots organization of progressive veterans boasting close to 400,000 members across the country, proudly unveils its endorsed candidates for the upcoming 2023 Virginia general elections. The candidates are:
Josh Thomas (HD-21)
Jessica Anderson (HD-71)
Stephen Miller-Pitts (HD-75)
Nadarius Clark (HD-84)
Kelly Fowler (HD-96)
Joel Griffin (SD-27)
Russet Perry (SD-31)
Albert Vega (Springfield, VA Supervisor)
Common Defense stands behind candidates who ardently advocate for a progressive policy framework centered on justice for everyday working individuals. What sets us apart is our commitment to endorsing candidates that resonate with the core values of our grassroots veteran community, rather than just their military service credentials.
Common Defense's Political Director, Naveed Shah, an Army veteran, released the following statement:
“We proudly endorse these candidates for their unwavering commitment to progressive values. Their advocacy for social justice, economic equality, and healthcare accessibility is exactly what our nation and the Commonwealth of Virginia needs. With their leadership, we can continue to strive towards a future where liberty and justice truly are for all.”
The Candidates:
Josh Thomas (House District 21)
Josh Thomas was born and raised in a small town where most folks, including Josh’s family, worked for the airlines. They instilled in him a deep commitment to community service, and his brother, a Marine, showed him the dedication and sacrifice required to serve our nation. When the tragedy of September 11th shook the world, even Josh’s small town felt the impact. His community’s safety and sense of security were shattered. So, he answered the call to make a difference in the world and joined the Marine Corps, training at Officer Candidates School in Quantico, right here in Prince William County. In the Corps, Josh led Marines on tours in Afghanistan and the Middle East. However, his journey wasn’t just about fighting battles but about discovering a passion for service that would shape his life. After five years of serving his country on active duty, Josh traded his combat boots for books and the pursuit of justice. At the College of William and Mary, he learned how to use the law to help small businesses, build homes, and defend those who need it most. As an attorney, Josh set his sights on uplifting communities, ensuring affordable housing, and helping entrepreneurs and small businesses across Virginia thrive. When the COVID-19 pandemic plunged the world into chaos again, Josh refused to stand idly by. He answered the call to serve yet again, joining Virginia’s Medical Reserve Corps to help combat the health and economic impacts of the disease. Josh continues to fight for us every day by advocating for the rights of Veterans and the LGBTA+ community and helping to secure asylum for those fleeing Afghanistan. Josh refuses to back down, relentlessly working to bring about positive change.
Jessica Anderson (HD-71)
Jessica "Jess" Anderson is a lifelong Virginian, wife, mother, community activist, and runner, and has raised her family in the district for the past 21 years. Jess currently works as a front office receptionist at a public elementary school in her district. Jess's priorities include:
Strengthening the public education system.
Protecting reproductive rights.
Enacting family care policies.
Passing common-sense gun safety reforms.
She has personally navigated social safety net programs. She will bring a unique perspective to the House of Delegates on how we can better uplift and support Virginians during their most challenging times. Jess believes all families deserve the same opportunities to thrive as she has had and is ready to work on the issues affecting her community the most.
Stephen Miller-Pitts (HD-75)
As a combat veteran, military spouse, father, educator, service-disabled small business owner, and community activist, Stephen has always been committed to serving his nation, community, and family. Upon returning from his deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, Stephen was awarded President Barack Obama the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service. After being forced to medically retire from the Army in 2015 due to the traumas of war, Stephen faced difficult times during his transition, which led to his advocacy for resources and better services for veterans. This ignited a fire for his political pursuits, leading to a brief stint in law school before he ultimately became the Senior Legislative Assistant for a Virginia House of Delegates member. Stephen is an alumnus of the 2018 cohort of the Minority Political Leadership Institute (MPLI) at the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University, which researched and assessed the Racial Equity Impact of Legislation to Establish a Virginia Grocery Investment Program & Fund to address food insecurity in the Commonwealth. In 2019, Stephen obtained his Master of Public Administration at Regent University after receiving his bachelor's from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Stephen is a first-generation college graduate and understands the importance of access to education and how it can help those who have come from humble beginnings, from being on government assistance to being a homeowner and small business owner. Stephen seeks to provide the best opportunities and access to resources to ALL the constituents of District 75.
Nadarius Clark (HD-84)
Nadarius Clark is a working-class community activist, organizer, and Delegate in the Virginia General Assembly. He comes from a military family with a background in business entrepreneurship. He grew up in a strong faith community and attended Zion Community Church in Northern Suffolk. Nadarius Clark began his activism after a KKK march in 2016 disrupted a class he attended at Virginia Union University, an HBCU in Richmond. Following this, Nadarius co-founded the charter chapter of Generation Now Network, an organization committed to faith-based activism, advocacy, and education. As a student leader at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in 2017, Nadarius rallied with leaders of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike, and he went on to lobby in Washington, D.C., for comprehensive expansion to Medicare and Medicaid. Nadarius further participated as an activist and organizer of the Black Lives Matter protests in Richmond and Hampton Roads following the murder of George Floyd. The experiences of 2016 led Nadarius to become a profoundly engaged advocate for equity, particularly in healthcare, housing, and education. Nadarius went on to organize with the non-profit Virginia For Our Future, The Outreach Team, Freedom VA, Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover, and the Virginia Democratic Party to help elect Congressman Bobby Scott, Senator Tim Kaine, and President Joe Biden. In 2021, Nadarius won a historic primary against a long-time incumbent to become the first African American Delegate to represent the 79th district and the youngest Democrat ever elected to the general assembly in its long, 400-year history. In the general assembly, Delegate Clark has championed causes for equity and justice across a wide policy range. From taking on the debt collection industry to addressing maternal mortality in the Black community and fighting to protect a woman's right to choose, Delegate Clark has, and always will, put the working class families of Hampton Roads first.
Kelly Fowler (HD-96)
Delegate Kelly Fowler is a lifelong Virginia Beach resident and three-time elected representative for the 21st District in the Virginia House of Delegates. The Delegate and her husband, Dave, were raised in military families in the 21st District, where they are now raising their three children. Delegate Fowler attended Tallwood High School, Virginia Wesleyan University, and Old Dominion University and previously taught as a third-grade teacher at Lynnhaven ES in Virginia Beach. Delegate Fowler is an active volunteer in the Hampton Roads region. She is passionate about fairness and ensuring that the government works for everyone, not just the rich and well-connected. Delegate Fowler's top legislative priority, which is rooted in her time as a former teacher and as a mom of three school aged children, is supporting public education and teachers.
Joel Griffin (SD-27)
Before beginning his career as Founder & CEO of Riphean, Joel Griffin served in the United States Marine Corps from 1992 – 2000. Throughout his time in the Marines, he served as an infantry rifleman, a member of the Silent Drill Team, and as part of the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity Command. Following active duty, Joel transitioned to civilian life as a government contractor. While working in his first civilian job at Lockheed Martin, supporting a contract at the Pentagon, he was awarded the Patriotic Civilian Service Award by the U.S. Army for actions taken immediately following 9/11 at the Pentagon in 2001. Joel was recognized for his impact and leadership within the region. He was involved in many economic development, workforce development, educational and non-profit initiatives. He has also led the county’s broadband expansion initiative in collaboration with state and federal elected officials, expanding broadband to the Widewater region.
Russet Perry (SD-31)
Russet Perry has lived in Loudoun County for over a decade. After graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with two degrees from George Washington University, Russet took her first job in Loudoun, working full-time to fund her schooling at the Georgetown University Law Center. At Georgetown, Russet focused on issues related to advocacy, criminal justice, women, and minorities - ultimately securing a spot in the Georgetown Law Domestic Violence Clinic. Russet has continued to dedicate her life to public service. As a Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney's office prosecutor, Russet successfully prosecuted all charges, including domestic assault, rape, child abuse, and murder. Russet also served as a CIA Officer, working alongside people of various ideologies for a higher cause: protecting American citizens and our democracy. As a child, Russet's family struggled financially. Her father was a public school teacher, and her mother returned to school after surviving Stage IV breast cancer. Her struggles made her passionate about the cost of living, working families, access to affordable health care, and fully funding our public schools. Now, Russet is running for State Senate to continue her advocacy for the 31st District and all Virginians. Growing up, Russet had to be an advocate for herself to survive and succeed, and now she has the privilege to advocate for others. She fought for democracy and every citizen of this country at the CIA. She fought for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and gun violence and the safety of our community as a prosecutor. She will fight for our right to an abortion, fight to fund our public schools, and continue to fight against gun violence in our communities.
Albert Vega for Springfield, VA Supervisor
Albert grew up in El Paso, Texas, as the son of educators. He immediately understood the importance of education as he helped grade homework and set up classrooms for the start of the school year at a young age. Albert obtained his Bachelor's of Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso and his Master's of Electrical Engineering and PhD at Purdue University. He then joined an engineering and scientific consulting firm to focus on failure analysis in various areas until an opportunity to help solve problems with US Army soldiers arose. Albert volunteered to help problem-solve in Afghanistan with deployed service members for nearly a year. After deployment, he helped run the program that sent engineers and scientists to battle zones to help solve problems. After seeing the impact of this training on engineers and scientists, Albert decided to co-found a company based on bringing the same type of training to service members, educators, and leaders of various businesses and institutions. Albert has also helped found and is a current board member of Athena Response, a non-profit organization formed to impact the community through a similar style of technology training and through applying technology and training in humanitarian aid/disaster response situations near and abroad. Albert's legislative priorities are rooted in economic equality and labor rights.
###
Common Defense is a grassroots, veteran-led organization founded in 2016. We empower veterans to stand up for our communities against the rising tide of racism, hate, and violence, to organize against the entrenched power of greedy billionaires who have rigged our economy, and to champion an equitable and representative democracy where “liberty and justice” truly is for all. For too long, politicians from both political parties have attempted to use veterans as unwilling political props. Common Defense serves as a home for veterans to organize and speak for themselves and support the candidates who genuinely share our values. The candidates we endorse reflect our values as an organization, and our member-driven endorsement process ensures that the candidates have grassroots support.