Still with his Santa pants on after a previous appearance as Saint Nick greeting children at a diner in Leeburg, Republican State Senate candidate Joe May kicked off his campaign this Saturday. He is vying for the seat in the 33rd district against challenger Delegate Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) to replace Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton (VA-10).
The 81-year-old inventor, businessman, and former delegate said to a crowd of supporters that he would like to work on legislation to bolster Virginia’s higher education system, healthcare, and one of the top issues in the Northern Virginia legislative district – transportation. May chaired the House Transportation Committee during his tenure as a state lawmaker from 1994 to 2014, also serving on the Appropriations Committee, and the Technology Committee, which he chaired for 12 years.
He said that he will help create a solution to the Dulles Greenway’s “out of control tolls” and fight for a better funding source for the Washington, D.C. area Metro system. As one of the top architects of the General Assembly’s multi-billion dollar 2013 transportation funding bill, he is still known for his contributions to alleviating congestion in Northern Virginia.
During the 2018 session in Richmond, Governor Ralph Northam (D) was set to amend the Republican-led Metro legislation and take more funding from taxpayers, but House Republicans stood strong against the increases. House Bill 1539 altered the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) compact of 1966 to create a three-person interim advisory commission that is required to advise on recommendations, “to the signatories on reforms to the National Capital Interest Arbitration Standards Act,” according to the bill.
Moreover, $100 million will be appropriated from the General Fund to assist in maintenance and improvements on the Metro rail lines and its facilities. The GOP did this without raising taxes.
In a report from Loudoun Now, a few local elected officials were in attendance to support May’s candidacy. Delegate Dave LaRock (R-Loudoun) said that May’s “record of accomplishments…is twenty years of significant service to the people of the commonwealth.”
Former 10th District Republican Delegate Randy Minchew, who served with May in the General Assembly, said May’s experience, both in politics and in his own business ventures will lead him to be the best candidate for the job.
“He’ll know the rules. He’ll know the people. He’ll know the bills. Talk about hitting the ground running,” Minchew said.
Constituents in the district that includes portions of Loudoun and Fairfax counties, including the cities of Sterling, Leesburg, and Herndon will vote in the special election on Tuesday, January 8. Although the 33rd district has voted for a Democratic legislator since 2007, the GOP caucus will be looking to expand a one-member majority in the General Assembly’s upper chamber.
