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Francis Stevens
Francis Stevens was a 2017 Democratic candidate for District 65 of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Biography
Stevens grew up in the Philippines. He received his bachelor's degree from Sonoma State University in 1986. His professional experience includes working as a police officer and working in retail management. He has served on the Petersburg City Council. He has been a member of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board and The Fair Housing Board.[1]
Campaign themes
2017
Stevens' campaign website highlighted the following issues:[2]
| “ |
Progressive Environmentalism Virginia is a beautiful state, offering visitors and residents access to beaches, mountains, riverfronts and many state parks. Protecting our environment creates state revenue by bringing tourists into our state, while also providing residents a unique way to enjoy their communities with their families. Ensuring that we have clean water to drink, clean air, clean oceans and lakes to fish in is both a right and a responsibility that we share. We need to support legislation that will preserve our environment and reduce Virginia's contribution to the phenomenon of global warming. I will fight to maintain Governor McAuliffe's executive order 57, to reduce carbon emissions across Virginia, and to work with the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the Chesapeake Bay foundation and our state park leadership to promote responsible environmental policy. I support creating a statewide task force to advise the legislature and Governor on policies that respect both business and environmental concerns and provide workable solutions. Businesses, industries, and the environment should not be at odds. Healthcare Like other states, Virginia is facing challenging issues that require the judicious use of every tax dollar. Medicaid expansion is needed in the 65th district to respond to those that need health care and that is nearly 10 percent of our population. Last year I was hospitalized and required aftercare services that resulted in medical expenses of approximately $80,000. Luckily, I had insurance, but many in our district do not. Such expenses could easily bankrupt a family and add to the homeless populations in our communities. It is for this reason that I support a single-payer system.
Additionally, the heroin and opioid epidemics have not skipped District 65. Funding for treatment services, vocational rehabilitation programs, and vouchers for transportation are all vital to reduce the number of people addicted to legal and illegal drugs. Economic Development As a Commonwealth, we must adopt policies that will make companies want to anchor businesses in District 65, while at the same time assuring that existing businesses receive commensurate benefits. I will work to promote small businesses, green businesses, and the expansion of agri-tourism, the combination of agriculture and tourism for both education and pleasure. Public Safety As a police officer, I am committed to making sure that a law enforcement badge stands for professionalism. We live in a time when we are asking our law enforcement officers and other first responders to do more in increasingly complex and difficult situations, yet they are not compensated appropriately for the level of professionalism that is required and expected. To do this, I will make budgetary and other recommendations to provide officers with the training and tools necessary to do their jobs well.
I will explore the role that public private partnerships might play in funding or sustaining public safety initiatives.
I understand that with the threats we face today, more and more people are determining that entails personal gun ownership. I am a gun owner and believe in the right to bear arms. However, we also need to be practical and honest about who should have guns available to them. For this reason, I fully support universal background checks. Social Justice |
” |
Elections
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.[4] Incumbent Lee Ware (R) defeated Francis Stevens (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 65 general election.[5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 65 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Lee Ware Incumbent |
64.12% | 22,394 | |
| Democratic | Francis Stevens | 35.88% | 12,530 | |
| Total Votes | 34,924 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Democratic primary election
Francis Stevens ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 65 Democratic primary.[6]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 65 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Francis Stevens | ||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Lee Ware ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 65 Republican primary.[7]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 65 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Lee Ware Incumbent | ||
Endorsements
2017
In 2017, Stevens' endorsements included the following:
- NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia[8]
See also
- State legislative elections, 2017
- Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2017
- State legislative special elections, 2017
- Virginia House of Delegates
- Virginia State Legislature
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ stevens4delegate.com, "Meet Francis," accessed August 23, 2017
- ↑ stevens4delegate.com, "Platform," accessed August 23, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ NARAL, "2017 Endorsed House Candidates," accessed August 31, 2017
