Joseph Yost
Joseph R. Yost is a former Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 12 from 2012 to 2018.
Biography
Yost earned his B.S. and M.A. in criminal justice from Radford University. His professional experience includes working as a jail diversion coordinator at Mental Health Association of the New River Valley.
Committee assignments
2016 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2016 legislative session, Yost served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2016 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • General laws |
| • Health, Welfare and Institutions |
2015 legislative session
In the 2015 legislative session, Yost served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • General laws |
| • Health, Welfare and Institutions |
| • Privileges and Elections |
2014 legislative session
In the 2014 legislative session, Yost served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2014 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • General laws |
| • Health, Welfare and Institutions |
| • Privileges and Elections |
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Yost served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2012 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Health, Welfare and Institutions |
Campaign themes
2011
Yost's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
- Balanced Budget
Excerpt: "As your Delegate, I pledge to take a stand with fiscal responsibility and I will work hard to see that wasteful and frivolous government spending is taken out of the budget. I will also advocate for responsible long-term planning in the form of the building up the rainy day fund to help prevent future budget crises."
- Behavioral Health
Excerpt: "As Delegate, I will work hard to increase the continuity of care within Virginia and strengthen our community-based mental health system."
- Jobs
Excerpt: "As your Delegate, I will work hard to see that unnecessary taxes are lowered or removed all together and intrusive big government is put back in its place to provide an environment for increased job creation."
- Liberty & Freedom
Excerpt: "In an era where government intrusion and regulations are increasing exponentially, nothing is more important than maintaining our personal freedom and liberty. As your Delegate, I will work to ensure that the freedom of the residents of the 12th, the Commonwealth and the Nation are maintained as our Founders envisioned."
- Veterans Issues
Excerpt: "As your Delegate, I will work to see that the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program increases its capacity and services offered through its program. These men and women gave their all for us, we should be able to give something back them."
- The People
Excerpt: "I believe that the residents of the 12th District deserve a real voice in Richmond and someone who understands their values. As your Delegate, I will work my hardest to see that the people of the 12th have a voice comparable to those in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater area. The Commonwealth doesn't end at Roanoke!"
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
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.[1] Chris Hurst (D) defeated incumbent Joseph Yost (R) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 12 general election.[2]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Chris Hurst |
54.44% | 12,495 | |
| Republican | Joseph Yost Incumbent | 45.56% | 10,458 | |
| Total Votes | 22,953 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Races we watched
Ballotpedia identified 13 races to watch in the Virginia House of Delegates 2017 elections: four Democratic seats and nine Republican seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.
This was a district that received media attention. In this race, incumbent Republican Joseph Yost was challenged by Chris Hurst (D). Hurst formerly served as the evening anchor for WDBJ7 Roanoke. In 2015, Hurst's girlfriend, Alison Parker, a correspondent for WDBJ7 Roanoke, was shot and killed while reporting live on television from Moneta, Virginia. Her cameraman Adam Ward was also killed. Hurst cited Parker's death as a reason for his run for office.[3]
Yost won the seat by 16.8 points in 2015. District 12 was one of 51 Virginia House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 12 by 2.9 points. Democrat Barack Obama won the seat in the 2012 presidential election by 4.1 points. As of 2017, District 12 covered Giles County and parts of Montgomery and Pulaski counties.
Democratic primary election
Chris Hurst ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 12 Democratic primary.[4]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Chris Hurst | ||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Joseph Yost ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 12 Republican primary.[5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Joseph Yost Incumbent | ||
2015
Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015.[6] Laurie Buchwald was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Joseph Yost was unopposed in the Republican primary. Yost defeated Buchwald in the general election.[7][8]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 General Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Joseph Yost Incumbent |
58.4% | 9,245 | |
| Democratic | Laurie Buchwald | 41.6% | 6,587 | |
| Total Votes | 15,832 | |||
2013
Yost won re-election in the 2013 election for Virginia House of Delegates District 12. Yost ran unopposed in the June 11th Republican Primary. He defeated James Harder (D) in the general election on November 5, 2013.[9]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Joseph Yost Incumbent |
52.3% | 9,541 | |
| Democratic | James Harder | 47.4% | 8,650 | |
| Other | Write-in | 0.3% | 50 | |
| Total Votes | 18,241 | |||
Race snapshot
Harder was a Ph.D. student and former Congressional staffer who chose to contest a district held by Democrats for years until 2011, when incumbent Joseph Yost (R) won the district with just under 52 percent of the vote. President Barack Obama (D) won 51 percent of the vote within this district's borders in 2012, and Governor Bob McDonnell (R) captured 51 percent of the vote here in 2009, suggesting this was truly a swing district. However, Yost's moderate views and record won him the endorsement of LGBT rights group Equality Virginia PAC, which did not endorse any other Republican House of Delegates candidates during the 2013 election cycle, and won Yost the award "2013 Legislative Champion of the Year" from the Virginia Education Association. Harder's campaign was endorsed by the pro-Democratic group Democracy for America.[10][11][12][13][14]
2011
On November 8, 2011, Yost won election to District 12 of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was uncontested in the August 23 primary and defeated Don Langrehr (D) in the November 8 general election.[15]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 12 General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Joseph Yost |
51.7% | 8,104 | |
| Democratic | Don Langrehr | 48.3% | 7,582 | |
| Total Votes | 15,686 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
In 2020, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 12. A special session was held from August 18 to November 9.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored by the Family Foundation on their votes on bills related to "principles of life, marriage, parental authority, constitutional government and religious liberty."
- Legislators are scored based on their voting record on reproductive issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the Second Amendment.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
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- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental and conservation issues.
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 through February 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 10 through March 10. Special sessions were held from April 11 to May 30 and from August 30 to October 30.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 11 through February 25.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 13 through March 11.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 14 to February 28, 2015.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 8 through March 10.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 to February 25.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Virginia General Assembly was in regular session from January 11 to March 10.
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Endorsements
2013
In 2013, Yost’s endorsements included the following:
- Equality Virginia PAC[16]
- Award: Virginia Education Association "2013 Legislative Champion of the Year"[17]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Yost has a wife, Lisa. They live in Blacksburg, VA.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Joseph + Yost + Virginia + House"
See also
- Virginia State Legislature
- Virginia House of Delegates
- Virginia House of Delegates Committees
- Virginia state legislative districts
External links
- House website
- Campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Joseph Yost on Facebook
Footnotes
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Washington Post, "In a polarized Virginia district, differences between the Republican and the Democrat may surprise you," August 24, 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
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 Primary election results," accessed September 1, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 General election candidates," accessed September 1, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, “Official Results - 2013 General Election," accessed December 2, 2013
- ↑ VPAP, "House of Delegates District 12," accessed October 2, 2013
- ↑ WSLS, "Delegate Joseph Yost dubbed Legislative Champion of the Year," accessed May 28, 2014
- ↑ MetroWeekly, "Equality Virginia PAC releases first wave of state delegate endorsements," September 25, 2013
- ↑ University of Virginia Center for Politics, Sabato's Crystal Ball, "Republicans Certain to Retain Control of Virginia House of Delegates," August 8, 2013
- ↑ Democracy for America, "Harder for the House," accessed October 2, 2013
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "November 2011 General Election Official Results," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ MetroWeekly, "Equality Virginia PAC releases first wave of state delegate endorsements," September 25, 2013
- ↑ WSLS, "Delegate Joseph Yost dubbed Legislative Champion of the Year," accessed May 28, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Shuler |
Virginia House of Delegates District 12 2012–present |
Succeeded by NA |
