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Flourette Ketner
Flourette Ketner (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Virginia State Senate to represent District 19. Ketner lost in the general election on November 5, 2019.
Ketner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Ketner was a 2017 Democratic candidate for District 7 of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Biography
Flourette Ketner was born in Vineland, New Jersey.[1] Ketner attended Floyd County High School. She received her bachelor's degree in English from Radford University in 2005.[1][2] Ketner's career experience includes working as an administrative assistant and as a homemaker.[1]
Ketner has served as a chairperson for New River Indivisible, and as a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee, Mom's Demand Action, and the local parent-teacher association.[1]
Elections
2019
See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2019
General election
General election for Virginia State Senate District 19
Incumbent David Suetterlein defeated Flourette Ketner in the general election for Virginia State Senate District 19 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David Suetterlein (R) | 71.4 | 41,290 |
 | Flourette Ketner (D)  | 28.5 | 16,484 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 47 | ||
| Total votes: 57,821 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
To see a list of endorsements for Flourette Ketner, click here.
2017
General election
Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2017. All 100 house seats were up for election. The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017.[3] Incumbent Larry Rush (R) defeated Flourette Ketner (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 7 general election.[4]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 7 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Larry Rush Incumbent |
66.42% | 17,560 | |
| Democratic | Flourette Ketner | 33.58% | 8,878 | |
| Total Votes | 26,438 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Democratic primary election
Flourette Ketner ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 7 Democratic primary.[5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 7 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Flourette Ketner | ||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Larry Rush ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 7 Republican primary.[6]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 7 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Larry Rush Incumbent | ||
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Flourette Ketner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ketner's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My concerns for others started early in life, while being raised in poverty by my disabled grandmother after my mother lost her battle with drug abuse. I know how important it is for all of our citizens to have secure housing, food on the table, and help when we need it.
I'm involved in my children's school and see so many in need. One morning a week, I sponsor LEGO club where we have children come before school to build with LEGO and craft their creations throughout the school year.
- Raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour.
- Focusing our priorities on Transportation Infrastructure.
- Small business growth and prioritizing the abilities to stimulate the local economies.
Campaign Finance Reform. I want to see contribution limits and limits on who can donate to a campaign with stronger disclosures.
We must find a balance between the individuals and the businesses. They are symbiotic. Without maintaining one, you can't maintain the other.
I am college educated but worked in the blue collar sector. I understand what it takes to make due with little income. I also understand what the difference in income can do for an individual, couple, and family. Take away the slightest bit and you can have disastrous effects. Same vice versa where a small amount more can raise someone's standing and capability to progress.
They need to make themselves available via posted office hours and town halls.
I want they to trust that someone is there to listen and problem solve. That we will hear their questions, comments, concerns, and praises and can take this to session when among other representatives. Knowing that they are equal to the person they have voted for and they can be a part of the process that goes into building the community for everyone.
This doesn't sound like much of a struggle but it I will keep myself up at night for weeks until I either find a solution or come to terms. When I can't help, it will eat me away for years until I come up with a solution for the next person I meet who needs the same help.
They are working and still struggling to survive. They are both highschool graduates and went into solid, stable jobs only for them to be laid off due to a recession kicking in. We are told we are not in a recession but exactly who isn't in recession because our hard working blue collar workers are struggling to stay above water if they can.
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.
2017
Ballotpedia candidate survey
Ketner participated in a survey created by Ballotpedia. The survey was designed to let our readers know more about the candidates and feel confident that they are voting for the best person to represent them. The survey questions appear bolded, and Ketner's responses follow below.
| “ | The community I live and engage with around me. Primarily, those who can vote for me, but also those who need to share a voice so I can work together with their representative to unite the needs of the shared communities.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | To be a member of the community, understand the community needs in the district, and to propose and vote on laws accordingly. When a proposal or a law doesn't affect a district, it is incumbent upon the representative to understand how their vote is important to others or how their own community may be affected in the long-run.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | I feel that, as a member of the community, the best way to build relationships is the good old-fashioned way. I want to meet them. Being a member of our community is personal. It is sharing experiences, struggles, and good times. We shop at the same stores. We go to the same events. Being a member of my local party events is crucial to understanding how these likeminded neighbors feel. Going to the local music events is crucial to feeling the music that moves us. Attending the local public forums and town halls is the best way to experience what our community is struggling with. Most importantly, as a mother, neighbor, and local citizen, I already experience the same life I had before politics. The life I lead today. The life of the average citizen of the 7th District. I don't want to single out particular groups. Only building relationships with key demographics does not help when understanding the greater community. I currently enjoy a variety of events throughout my district from festivals to local meetings, just as I did before. It is truly inspiring, eye-opening, and honest.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | I believe we need to have standard early childhood enrollment availability in our schools. Our children benefit from the communal environment when it comes to shared learning. We have many benefits to our society when we set the stage for our early childhood development. Structured learning environments that are not tested with standards similar to our K-12 grades but are to enhance the ability to learn basic skills. We are building a solid foundation by providing our children with early exposure to working together and having a positive environment to develop these forms of relationships together. Pre K provides more learning tools for all of our children at a very pivotal age and excels their abilities to learn as they enter their highly structured education from Kindergarten on. We should make it available for younger children to have this when their home may not have the best learning environment. This, additionally, gives many parents the ability to avoid excessive childcare bills while keeping a comfortable home life for the children that has significantly less stress. High stress home environments set the stage for learning blocks before they have a chance to enter the schools. A fantastic example of the benefits to early childhood development is Head Start. This opens up the opportunity to have children as young as three in the communal learning environment. Many public daycare facilities provide the same but many families can't afford them or are turned down due lack of capacity.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | We need to pay close attention to the condition of our natural resources. Our coastlines are affected by trash and we have states that have implemented rules regarding stores using plastic bags to avoid having them blow out into the ocean. The idea that we may begin drilling off our coastlines only reinforces the incorrect idea that we don't need to protect them. We have many natural resources to protect across our commonwealth. Virginia is the home of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains include sections of the Appalachian Trail and preserved forests. We have the Blue Ridge Parkway that passes through our state through these mountains. Our tourist community is vast every year. We will see dramatic losses in this if we neglect our resources and open them up for continuous damages. Our mountains are filled with water sources and caverns. These waters feed into rivers and streams across the commonwealth that supply water to vast amounts of our communities. With so many mountain communities across the state, many are dependent on these waters and we cannot ignore them and allow contamination and pollution. We are also home to many varying endangers species in both plant and animal kingdoms. Neglecting the nature we take for granted will only speed up the loss of these species. With these in mind, we need to scrutinize legislation that affects our natural resources for both the positive and the negative.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | Campaign financing has gotten out of control. We should only have people investing in campaigns because they believe in the candidate. Unfortunately, we are experiencing people and companies investing in campaigns for the sake of kickbacks and influence. PACs are being created with the purpose to push an agenda that has nothing to do with supporting candidates they believe in. We even have members of our country who are throwing money in to the arena with the strict intent to kick out other candidates simply because of the political party they align with. If you feel the candidate is supporting the people they will be representing, this is great. If you feel the candidate is supporting personal agendas or those of the people who are financing their campaigns, this is a problem. The point of our offices is to represent people and not the people who are donating money to the cause. The other effects we are experiencing are the companies who provide services becoming more and more expensive. Campaigns are so driven to utilize services to reach their communities and constituents that they are focusing on raising money in order to afford other methods of outreach instead of directly going out and introducing themselves to the community they are a part of. My mailbox is often filled with advertisements for services and products that are intended to help me in my campaign and their prices are going up routinely. These companies are preying on campaigns and many even offer services to aid in further fundraising which seems antiproductive. Campaigns should be raised by the people who truly believe in them and their message. Funding sources should either be from the party they represent or the people they represent. State level campaigns should be restricted to financing from within their own state. This is the best way to keep them focused on the communities they represent and getting out to meet the people they are working for.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | The opioid epidemic is a serious issue and we have to approach it delicately. People become addicted to illegal and prescription drugs for various reasons and that is where we need to focus. Stopping the problem before it begins is the next step we need to take. We have wonderful practices put in place to take care of those who are already addicted and now we need to prevent more from ending up that way. Not everyone who is addicted is doing so illegally. Doctors have found themselves in a conundrum where they have patients that are suffering from pain but are now addicted to the medications that are supposed to be helping them. These medications come with side effects, higher tolerances, and minimal alternatives. Abusers are those doing so willingly regardless of illness or lack thereof. Many who become addicted to medications that are not under the supervision of a doctor are doing so to solve an underlying issue. Many abusers are suffering from mental illness that began as the underlying cause. Mental illness often begins in childhood and manifests itself as they grow. We need to have better early identification for mental health issues amongst our youth so we can provide them with the best therapy and catch these issues early. By doing so, we will greatly reduce the amount of people living with addiction. Some of the worst offenders for opioid addiction and distribution are often involved in the medical industry. An example is the fact that we don't have enough doctors and nurses in hospitals. They are working too many consecutive hours and are in a high stress environment. They have direct access to these medications and begin to abuse them due to their stressful profession.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | I am vehemently against the proposed pipelines to cross through our mountains. We are not talking about crossing through continuous flatlands, we are talking about our mountains. Our mountains are fold mountains which is where the tectonic plates are pushing against or towards each other causing them to push upwards to create mountains. These mountains have a precarious balance that keeps them relatively stable, however, altering their topography to strip-mine or lay pipelines destabilizes them tremendously. We are looking at broad damage that will, in many instances, take a few years before the settlement begins to show. By that point, the ecological damage will be up to VA to clean up and we just can't afford it so it will either be difficult or impossible to accomplish for such a finite resource.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | I feel the lines have be highly focused. The districts have been altered too many times over that past years and, as census changes, we need to readdress this with independent commissions who have no idea about the party affiliations with voting and simply understand the amount of people in the district and attempts at keeping communities as whole as possible. We have communities that are divided up amongst many candidates in too many places. This weakens the voice of a joint community that experiences problems together. They are then left with attempts to reach out to multiple delegates to hear their story and represent them. This is difficult and relatively unnecessary.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | I believe in stronger background checks and a thorough reassessment of which guns should be available to the general public. Guns are allowed in areas where they should not be, such as libraries, and this is a problem. We have enough trouble with Conceal and Carry Permits across the state, we don't need these people to be carrying them into a library during children's story or study times. We have too many avenues for gun purchase including trade shows, flea markets, and Craig's List. This makes it too easy to buy, sell, and trade guns to people with no idea if they are of age, legally allowed to own a weapon, or mentally stable enough to own a firearm. Routine mental health checks should be mandatory to maintain a gun license. Too many people are given the right to have a gun but are too unstable to properly handle one. We have to keep the Reciprocity Law out of our state and pay strict attention to homes where guns are kept. They should not be kept in homes where Felons or other unlawful gun access may be an issue. This is not to discriminate against safe owners but to protect against those who aren't. Homes with children in them should be required to have a qualified gun safe in order to provide additional insurance for the children's safety.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
| “ | Rural communities have a very strong difference from urban communities which is mainly access. Urban communities have more access to things such as; public transportation, quick access to medical facilities, quicker access to stores and shops, and quicker access to jobs. Rural communities find it much more difficult to reach public transportation which makes it harder for large portions of its workforce to reach quality jobs. Rural communities often find themselves in a catch 22 where they qualify for tax breaks yet the community members don't earn or have enough money to pay taxes in order to benefit from a tax break. We need to do a more calculated measure of the income of the community in regards to the population, and the needs of the community based on the population. We should be considering the number of children that are recorded in the census since it can skew the amount of people recognized in a region. With the financial struggles that affect the rural communities, we should be taking into account how the schools are being paid in order for them to be properly staffed, kept in safe conditions, and paying their bills.[7] | ” |
| —Flourette Ketner | ||
Candidate website
Ketner’s campaign website highlighted the following issues:[8]
| “ |
Broadband Internet: |
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See also
2019 Elections
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Virginia Legislature website
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- Campaign Twitter page
- Campaign Instagram page
- Campaign Facebook page (2017 state legislative election)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on October 22, 2019
- ↑ floketner.com, "About Flo," accessed August 8, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Candidacy Requirements for the November 7, 2017 General Election," accessed March 21, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 November General Unofficial Results," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Democratic Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Republican Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ floketner.com, "Flo on the Issues," accessed August 8, 2017
