Shelly Arnoldi
Shelly Arnoldi (independent) ran for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 16. She lost in the general election on November 4, 2025.
Arnoldi completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Shelly Arnoldi was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. She served in the U.S. Navy from 1991 to 2001. She graduated from Sheboygan North High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Marquette University in 1991 and a graduate degree from Old Dominion University in 1998. Her career experience includes working as an engineer, a federal civilian overseas, and a naval officer. Arnoldi has been affiliated with the Waynewood Recreation Association, Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association, the Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance, Weston A. Price Foundation, Children’s Health Defense, the Informed Consent Action Network, and The American Legion Post 24.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2025
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 16
Incumbent Paul Krizek defeated Richard Hayden and Shelly Arnoldi in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 16 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Paul Krizek (D) | 71.5 | 17,993 |
| Richard Hayden (R) | 26.0 | 6,537 | ||
 | Shelly Arnoldi (Independent)  | 2.5 | 634 | |
| Total votes: 25,164 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Paul Krizek advanced from the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 16.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Richard Hayden advanced from the Republican primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 16.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Arnoldi in this election.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Shelly Arnoldi completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Arnoldi's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I was born and raised in Wisconsin and earned my engineering degree at Marquette University on a ROTC scholarship before completing a master’s in environmental engineering at Old Dominion University.
I am also a lifelong runner and triathlete, as well as a proud wife, mom of two college-aged daughters, and stepmom to two sons—one training at Newport News Shipyard and the other pursuing a career as a firefighter.- Strong Schools, Strong Families I will put parents back at the center of their children’s education, defend parental rights, and ensure our schools return to teaching the fundamentals while respecting family values. I will always stand firm in protecting our constitutional freedoms.
- Lower Taxes, More Opportunity I will work to cut taxes and red tape that hurt small businesses, so our local economy can thrive. I will fight to reduce energy costs for families by ending wasteful, taxpayer-funded subsidies for wind and solar projects. Data centers must be responsible for providing their own energy solutions—without jeopardizing power availability and affordability for our tax-paying communities.
- Secure Borders, Fair Elections I will demand enforcement of federal immigration laws and stop taxpayer-funded charities from providing food, housing, and education for illegal immigrants. Our tax dollars should support citizens and legal residents first. I will also pursue policies that protect the integrity and transparency of our elections to include elimination of early voting and drop boxes and requirement of a photo ID to vote.
I am committed to policies that protect families, strengthen communities, and restore trust in government. From empowering parents in education, to lowering taxes and ensuring reliable, affordable energy, to enforcing immigration laws and safeguarding election integrity—my focus is on putting citizens and communities first, not special interests or government overreach.
Without these three traits, leadership falls short. With them, citizens can trust that their elected official is working tirelessly on their behalf, guided by principle rather than politics.
1. Lawmaking and Legislative Duties
Propose and sponsor bills: Introduce new legislation addressing issues in the state.
Debate and vote on legislation: Participate in floor debates, committee hearings, and vote on bills, resolutions, and amendments.
Review and analyze policy proposals: Study the impact, costs, and benefits of proposed laws to make informed decisions.
2. Representing Constituents
Advocate for local interests: Ensure the needs and priorities of their district are represented in state government.
Respond to constituent concerns: Assist citizens with state-related issues, such as navigating government agencies or addressing community problems.
Communicate with the public: Hold town halls, newsletters, or social media updates to keep constituents informed.
3. Oversight and Accountability
Monitor state agencies and programs: Ensure public resources are used efficiently and policies are implemented effectively.
Participate in committees: Review budgets, investigate issues, and provide oversight in specialized policy areas.
Ensure transparency: Promote open government and accountability in decision-making.
4. Budget and Fiscal Responsibility
Review and approve state budgets: Evaluate spending proposals and advocate for funding that benefits the district and state.
Ensure responsible taxation and spending: Balance fiscal priorities while funding essential public services.
5. Community Leadership
Build partnerships: Work with local governments, businesses, nonprofits, and schools to address local needs.
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.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate Virginia House of Delegates District 16 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 2, 2025
