A portion of Suffolk and Chesapeake voters will elect the next representative for the 76th District.
Democrat Clinton Jenkins is the incumbent. Jenkins said in a Facebook post earlier this month that his platform will focus on “healthcare, education, workers’ rights, voting rights, infrastructure, and other important issues” if he is reelected.
Jenkins flipped the seat when he won two years ago against Republican Chris Jones, who had represented the district since 2009.
One of Jenkins’ opponents is Republican Michael Dillender, a retired Navy captain and financial planner. According to his campaign website, Dillender will prioritize issues including the economy, education, healthcare, transportation, public safety and COVID-19.
Independent Craig Warren, a construction business owner, is the third contender. Warren said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot his platform is built around issues in education, the economy and the pandemic’s impact on businesses.
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The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press asked candidates in Virginia’s 76th House districts the following question: If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done? Here are their answers, along with additional information about each candidate:
Clinton Jenkins, Democrat
Age: 59
Current occupation: Property Manager
Previous office held: Member of Virginia House of Delegates, District 79, since 2019
Education: Master of Arts in Apologetics; Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Administration, 2002
Website: ClintonForVA.com
If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done?
During the next session, I plan to work to add aural care for all Medicaid recipients and ensure medical assistance for issues like vertigo and persons in need of hearing aids. I also plan to work toward improving the infrastructure on our highways. We invested billions of dollars for improvements to I-64 and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The improvements need to be extended to highways 58 and 460. I have studied the plan and understand how to get these improvements through the General Assembly. I have met with VDOT and HRTAC representatives. We are ready to go forward with the support of my colleagues in the General Assembly. I have also been endorsed by the Virginia Professional Firefighters, Virginia Realtors Association, Farmer’s Bureau, VA AFL-CIO, LIUNA and the Mid-Atlantic Pipe Traders.
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Michael Dillender, Republican
Age: 49
Current occupation: Financial Advisor
Previous office held: None
Education: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 2006; Master of Business Administration, 2002; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 1994
Website: mikedillenderva.com
If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done?
Once sworn in, my top priority will be with the pandemic recovery efforts. Every one of us has been impacted in some way by the pandemic. First, I will take appropriate actions to ensure a balanced approach with regard regards to economic recovery and growth of small businesses. Second, we have also experienced a gap in educational performances of underprivileged students as a direct result of the COVID lockdowns, so I will work very hard to close this gap as part of the recovery. Finally, there are many who are struggling with health issues that which were exacerbated by the pandemic. I want to modernize the way we deliver health care for Virginians. As far as the continued vaccination rollout, I want to prioritize making the vaccinations available to children, while concurrently providing the booster shots for adults. With the continued rollout, we always need to prioritize the most vulnerable among us.
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Craig Warren, Independent
Age: 51
Current occupation: Business owner
Previous office held, if any: None
Education: High school graduate
Website: CraigWarrenForDelegate.com
If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done?
If elected, my priorities will always be the priorities of those I represent. The legislative agenda published by the Suffolk City Council last December was heavily weighted toward transportation improvements. Of those improvements, I would first choose to tackle the expansion of the Hazelwood and Mills E. Godwin bridges on US-17 and Bridge Road. Daily congestion is not enough to rank this improvement as necessary at the state level, but advocating the importance of this road as part of the hurricane evacuation route would allow it to move up the funding priority list. This road is currently four or six lanes from I-664 to I-64 at Mercury Boulevard, except for these two-lane bridges. With daily evidence of accidents at the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the need to divert large volumes of traffic onto Route 17 during an evacuation is justified, and I believe I can convince the transportation and appropriation committees to agree.
Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com
