Andrew Breton
2025 - Present
2028
0
Andrew Breton (also known as Gumby) is a member of the Richmond City Council in Virginia, representing West End 1st Voter District. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on December 31, 2028.
Breton ran for election to the Richmond City Council to represent West End 1st Voter District in Virginia. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Breton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Andrew Breton earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 2004 and a graduate degree from Duke University in 2012. His career experience includes working as an engineer. He has been affiliated with Richmond City Democratic Committee, Progressive Massachusetts, and Mary Munford Elementary.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: City elections in Richmond, Virginia (2024)
General election
General election for Richmond City Council 1st Voter District
Andrew Breton defeated Paul Goldman and Zachary Walker in the general election for Richmond City Council 1st Voter District on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Andrew Breton (Nonpartisan)  | 49.1 | 7,201 |
| Paul Goldman (Nonpartisan) | 27.7 | 4,066 | ||
| Zachary Walker (Nonpartisan) | 22.4 | 3,289 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 122 | ||
| Total votes: 14,678 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
To view Breton's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Breton in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released October 27, 2024 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Andrew Breton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Breton's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Recent positions I’ve held include: - Chair of Richmond City Democratic Committee - State Board Member and Chapter Lead of Progressive Massachusetts - Chair of Fundraising for Mary Munford Elementary School PTA
My commitment to policy advocacy began In 2008 with the foreclosure crisis. I was a UVA grad working for BlackRock on a mortgage portfolio team. People were losing their homes and the government was bailing out banks. At the time I believed that we could have kept families in their homes and reduced the damage of the recession. I was so disappointed by the policy response that I quit finance to go to Duke for Economics to try to promote better policies.
Since that time, though my day job is data engineering, I have spent my free time as an organizer - hosting candidate forums, educating voters, mobilizing volunteers, and lobbying for better legislation in Richmond VA and Boston MA. My work is always focused on connecting people to the legislative process and promoting better outcomes- I'm working for safe, green, walkable neighborhoods, strong schools, and better home affordability. To achieve our goals, we need to clean up city management. We have to invest in technology, training, and transparency. We have years of audit reports outlining the needed investments, and with the new administration we must prioritize these basic functions.
- Rents, taxes, and home prices are out of control. We can and must bring down costs via multiple tactics - tax reform, tenant protections, more affordable construction, and a citywide plan for sustainable growth that still respects our city's history and charm.
- You deserve a functioning City Council. I'm bringing vision, experience, and a collaborative spirit that is unique in this race. Check out my website for the breadth of endorsements our campaign has earned.
I quit the finance world after being disillusioned by the 2008 mortgage crisis and the way banks got bailouts while homeowners got foreclosure notices. I then went to Duke University for a graduate degree in economics.
My plan was to become a progressive economist and change the conversation nationally for more working class and bottom up, level-playing-field economics.
Sierra Club, Moms Demand Action (Gun Sense Candidate Distinction),
Good Governance:
Sitting City Councilor Addison, Sitting School Board Rep Liz Doerr, IBEW Electricians Union, Carpenters Union, Pipe Fitters Union, Concerned Citizens RVA (Good Governing)
Affordable Housing:
RVA YIMBY (Housing), Realtors Association, Home Builders Association
School Quality:
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
| Richmond, Virginia | Virginia | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
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Candidate Richmond City Council 1st Voter District |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on November 1, 2024
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Andreas D. Addison |
Richmond City Council 1st Voter District 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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