Jamaal Johnston
Jamaal Johnston was a 2017 Democratic candidate for District 60 of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Biography
Johnston's professional experience includes owning a small business and working in the Prince Edward County Public School system.[1]
Campaign themes
2017
Johnston’s campaign website highlighted the following issues:[1]
| “ |
Health Care I am committed to protecting and expanding access to quality, affordable health care. My number one agenda for Virginians will be to expand Medicaid for the Commonwealth. This will impact approximately 400,000 Virginians by securing their health care and allow them to seek treatment, avoid emergency visits, and afford other essentials. Medicaid has been shown to grow the economy, fuel the creation of new jobs in health care and social assistance. States with Medicaid expansion have experienced higher job growth in the health care sector than states that have not expanded their Medicaid programs. Because Virginia legislator's did not historically support Medicaid expansion, each year billions of dollars in our federal taxes leave Virginia to support expanded Medicaid programs in other states. I believe that Virginians should benefit as well. Cuts to Medicaid will reduce valuable services in our hospitals. We also need to expand rural health clinics, adding programs for addiction and prevention and give incentives to good doctors to work in our underserved communities. I will fight to protect these rights as your state house delegate. Education Prince Edward County has a unique legacy in fighting for quality, public education. Our community was the site of one of the five cases that constituted Brown. v. Board of Education (1954). As part of this legal battle, people in our community fought for equality and a right to public education. As your house delegate, I promise to uphold these tenants and fight for quality education for all. Here are some of the ways I will advocate for a strong educational system. In today's economy a STEAM based curriculum is a must. In the past schools relied heavily on preparing our students for the Standards of Learning Assessments (SOLs) this is no longer enough. Currently we're not where we should be implementing STEAM-based learning. And for those who want to practice a trade, we must have vocational programs. We still need electricians, plumbers, builders, mechanics, and masons. Community colleges can supply these programs at no cost to the student. Then, after a two year program, the student can hit the ground running. We also must attract and keep well-qualified teachers. We must give incentives to local students interested in becoming educators to come back to the district to teach, as opposed to their leaving our community to teach elsewhere. And then, the best incentive is higher wages. We can't attract quality without paying for it. We could have scholarship programs for students who will return and become part of our local school system. We must also reduce the interest on student loans so students starting a future won't have to start with thousands of dollars of debt. Job Creation/Economic Development First we improve our education programs for critical thinking, problem solving, and the new technical industries that will need our students, and then, we have to attract the companies that will provide the tech jobs that our students are prepared for. If we have the workforce, the companies will find us. But, let's give tax incentives to regional manufacturers and other businesses that will commit to long-term local employment, rather than supporting corporations that offshore jobs. Why not give regulatory relief to community banks, support for credit unions and other financial institutions? With an eye to tomorrow's industries, we could give investment and tax credits for community wind energy, solar gardens and other renewable energy that would also provide revenue to our local communities. [2] |
” |
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.[3] Incumbent James Edmunds II (R) defeated Jamaal Johnston (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 60 general election.[4]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 60 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  James Edmunds II Incumbent |
61.98% | 13,330 | |
| Democratic | Jamaal Johnston | 38.02% | 8,177 | |
| Total Votes | 21,507 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Democratic primary election
Jamaal Johnston ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 60 Democratic primary.[5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 60 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Jamaal Johnston | ||
Republican primary election
Incumbent James Edmunds II ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 60 Republican primary.[6]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 60 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| James Edmunds II Incumbent | ||
Endorsements
2017
In 2017, Johnston’s endorsements included the following:
- People for the American Way[7]
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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 johnstonfordelegate.org, "About me," accessed August 22, 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
- ↑ People for the American Way, "Next Up Victory Fund Endorses in Virginia," August 29, 2017
