Category: News & Updates

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April Meeting Recap: 3 CD9 Candidates & A Call to Action

Thank you, Joy Powers, Doug Crockett, and Adam Murphy for joining us at our monthly meeting on Friday, April 24. Will these candidates be on your primary ballot on August 4? We will all know soon as the redistricting referendum is in the hands of our state Supreme Court. Take a moment to review how your district is impacted.

Session Report: Sarah Goodman, Political Affairs Chair
Virginia now has officially established a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program. Federal law requires employers with 50 or more workers to allow for up to 12 weeks of leave but does not require that workers who use the leave be paid. With Virginia’s new law, beginning in 2028, workers can tap into a partially-state-funded program for up to 80% of their pay. The law also allows for four weeks of “safe leave” for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or harassment to sort through medical, legal or safety issues.

There are several bills that Governor Spanberger amended and sent back to the General Assembly. The General Assembly has rejected those amendments. The bills are now back on the governor’s desk. She can sign them as is or veto them.

CALL TO ACTION

Please contact Governor Spanberger via email or phone to voice your support of her signing the following bills as they are written:

HB 1263, SB 378 Collective Bargaining (More here.) Allows public employees to collectively bargain for things like workplace conditions, benefits or salaries.

HB 483, SB 271 Prescription Drug Affordability (More here.) Helps curb drug prices by making the Medicare‑negotiated prices for prescription drugs available to hundreds of thousands of Virginians who are not enrolled in Medicare. The updated legislation would also create a Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Panel empowered to report to the General Assembly on prescription drug pricing information and make future policy recommendations to lower consumer costs.

Abigail.Spanberger@governor.virginia.gov
1-804-786-2211

SAVE THE DATE
2026 Annual Wine & Cheese
Fundraiser Event
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
More details soon!

Upcoming Ways & Means Committee and Membership Committee meetings will be posted on our calendar. Complete the Standing Committee Interest Form to join these and other subcommittees or email us at info@roanokevalleydemocaticwomen.com!

RVDW Calendar
Standing Committee Interest Form

CD9 Democratic Primary Candidates Attending
(In order of information received.)

Joy Powers

Joy Powers
Email: joy@joyforva.com
Website: www.JoyforVA.com

Joy Powers is a fourth-generation farmer, small business owner, and community leader from Bedford County running for Congress in Virginia’s 9th District. Raised on her family’s cattle farm and in their farm equipment business, she studied Agriculture at Virginia Tech and brings a lived understanding of rural economies and agriculture.

Joy has served in local leadership roles including the Bedford County Agricultural Economic Development Advisory Board and as Superintendent of the Bedford County Fair. She is the founder of Restore the Harvest, a nonprofit focused on agricultural education, sustainability, and advocacy, including efforts to end child marriage and promote ethical community development.

A mother through foster care and adoption, Joy believes government should be practical, accountable, and rooted in real life. Her HOME Plan focuses on Healthcare, Opportunity, Market affordability, and Education. She is running to ensure Southwest Virginia has a voice in Washington that is honest, grounded, and unafraid to stand up for rural communities.

Joy describes herself as “the rural candidate for a rural district.”

Douglas Crocket
Email: dougcrockett@crockettnow.com
Website: www.Crockettnow.com

Douglas Crockett is a Ninth District native. He was born and raised in Wythe County, Virginia. He was a student athlete at Fort Chiswell High School and Emory and Henry College (1979 B.A. in Business & Economics). He went on to seminary in 1982 and then law school at William & Mary in 1995. He retired in 2023 as a United Methodist pastor after 30 years of active service and retired from the practice of law in Virginia in 2025. From 2014 to 2023 he operated his own law practice and served a United Methodist Church as pastor in the same town. He is married to Rita Crockett, who is also a Ninth District native from Vansant, Virginia in Buchanan County. They met at Emory and Henry. They have a son and daughter and three grandchildren. Douglas lives in Wytheville above Turning Heads Salon, owned by his oldest daughter, who is mother of three and grandmother of one. Rita helps care for her ailing parents in Vansant.

“My campaign tagline is: For American Unity, Maturity, and Prosperity. Start Here! I will explain why American and Ninth District Prosperity will not happen without Unity and Prosperity should not happen without our Maturity.”

Adam Murphy
Email: contact@murphy4va.com
Website: www.Murphy4va.com

Adam Murphy is a software developer from Roanoke County. After doing a nationwide search, Adam & his wife chose SWVA for their forever home & where to raise their family. As a first-time candidate, Adam never aspired to be a politician. After witnessing the atrocities in the early months of the second Trump administration & the destruction of our systems caused by DOGE, Adam felt a calling to bring about meaningful change & he announced his congressional candidacy in June of 2025. Adam’s family lost their century farm due to medical debt & years later their home in the housing crisis. He has lived the pain & frustration of a system that is rigged to keep the poor struggling & the rich flourishing. Adam is a strong proponent of Medicare for All; supporting rural healthcare, which includes incentives to bring medical professionals to SWVA; bringing economic opportunities to the region; building a strong labor force; improving infrastructure; protecting our resources; and, strengthening agriculture where farmers can thrive, not just barely get by. Adam Murphy takes inspiration from FDR & Boucher. His campaign is creating a movement of real change for SWVA. Adam has the passion, the energy & a unique skill set to make sure that our district is seen, is heard & to end the neglect of SWVA.

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Rural Groundgame: The Storyteller Project

At the March 2026 monthly membership meeting of RVDW, Lynlee Thorne, Political Director of Rural GroundGame, challenged attendees to embrace a critical truth: We must support rural Virginians to prevent the further decline of the Democratic image in rural Virginia.

But what does “support” actually look like? Lynlee didn’t leave that unanswered: “We must directly and consistently engage with rural Virginians—listen, ask questions, learn, and work collaboratively on solutions to the challenges rural communities face.”

The Storyteller Project is doing exactly that—literally giving voice to communities that have been silenced or ignored, elevating communities too often left out of the narrative—and sidelined by the policies that follow.

The Storyteller Project

Watch now on YouTube

“When people speak from their lived experiences, they break through propaganda, fear, and disinformation. They humanize the issues. “
Rural GroundGame

Storytellers are real people sharing real, personal experiences. And that matters.

“They aren’t just powerful—it’s a radical act of resistance. Personal stories are not just persuasive—they’re revolutionary.”

“When people speak from their lived experiences, they break through propaganda, fear, and disinformation. They humanize the issues.” They remind us of our shared values. And they reach others in ways no polished, top-down message ever could.

Join the Movement

You can help amplify these voices. Share these videos. Grow the library of videos.

Rural GroundGame trains volunteers to serve as “Storykeepers”—capturing authentic stories using nothing more than a smartphone. Those stories are then turned into short videos and shared across platforms—both free and paid—targeted to audiences who rarely hear messages from people like them.

To learn more about Rural Groundgame, The Storyteller Project, and all of their work, contact Lynlee Thorne at hello@ruralgroundgame.org or lynlee@ruralgroundgame.org

Donate to Rural Groundgame

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Thank you for being a part of Roanoke Valley Democratic Women!

As we begin a new year of work, advocacy, and community, we’re reaching out with a simple but important request: Please take a moment to renew or start your membership in Roanoke Valley Democratic Women for 2026.

Your membership is more than a line on a roster.
It represents your commitment to strengthening our local Democratic community, supporting women candidates and leaders, and standing up for democratic values at a time when they matter more than ever.

Because of members like you, our organization continues to educate voters, engage new voices, and show up—consistently and visibly—for the issues we care about.

Your membership helps ensure that we can continue this work with confidence and momentum. It allows us to plan meaningful programs, support campaigns, and remain a strong, organized presence in the Roanoke Valley.

We invite you to renew or join now and stay connected to a community of women and allies who believe in action, collaboration, and progress. You’ll find the link to pay by credit card online at ActBlue.

To pay by check via USPS, mail membership form and dues to:
Roanoke Valley Democratic Women
Attn: Treasurer
PO Box 4183
Roanoke, VA 24015

We are grateful for your involvement and hopeful for what we can accomplish together in the year ahead. With your membership, Roanoke Valley Democratic Women will remain a place where energy turns into action and values turn into results.

Thank you for being part of this work.

Warm regards,

Wanda Ostrander, Chair
Roanoke Valley Democratic Women

Online
By Mail
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Slide Decks & Support: Relational Organizing

At RVDW’s September 2025 monthly membership meeting, we were introduced to two opportunities to turbocharge our personal “Get Out The Vote” efforts and grow our ability to influence and engage voters. The presentation slide decks from the meeting are provided below.

Rally

Presented by Sarah Goodman, Red Wine & Blue
With Red Wine & Blue’s Rally Tool, you can GOTV from the comfort of your couch! Still need assistance after viewing the slide deck? Contact Sarah at sarahgoodman@redwine.blue.

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDES

Neighbor to Neighbor

Presented by Richard Gooding, Roanoke Social Circle
Neighbor to Neighbor is implemented in collaboration with local Democratic Committees. As a participant in the program, you will receive a list of your likeminded neighbors, training and resources on how to engage them, ongoing calls and resources to support your efforts. RSC plans to continue the Neighbor to Neighbor program through the 2026 mid-term elections. Visit Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program to register. Contact Richard “Doc” Gooding at Doc@drrzg.com if you have any questions.

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDES

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Why Campaigns Canvass

Attendees of RVDW’s August 2025 monthly membership meeting gained valuable understanding of the importance of canvassing, also known as “knocking doors.” Door-to-door canvassing allows campaigns to listen to voter concerns, answer questions, gather voter information, and encourage participation in upcoming elections. It is effective at building trust, increasing voter turnout, and persuading undecided voters by creating direct, human connections. Door-to-door canvassing remains one of the most impactful tools for mobilizing communities and winning elections.

RVDW appreciates our presenter, Emily Kate Stick of Donna Littlepage for Virginia Delegate campaign, for providing her presentation slides to share here:

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDES

About Our Presenter:

Emily Kate Stick is excited to work with the Donna Littlepage for Virginia Delegate campaign, focusing on the local races and candidates she loves most. Raised in Grayson County (Va) among farmers and teachers, she grew up on the lifelong values of community and stewardship.

EK brings statewide and national campaign experience to the table, most notably on Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign and as senior staff on both US Congressional and Senate races. She has seen firsthand how large campaign models leave votes on the table in rural America and is grateful for the opportunity to invest in local solutions and a community led approach to winning elections!

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In Grateful Memory of Joan Baker Washburn

Update: Obituary for Joan Baker Washburn published on Oakey’s.com.

Service Details: Monday, July 21st, 2025 at 12:00pm – 1:45pm at Oakey’s South Chapel, 4257 Brambleton Ave. Roanoke, VA 24018
Graveside Service: Monday, July 21st, 2025 at 2:00pm at Fairview Cemetery, 3300 Melrose Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24017


It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and longtime member, Joan Baker Washburn. Joan was a passionate advocate, a tireless volunteer, and a cornerstone of the Roanoke Valley Democratic Women. Her dedication to progressive values, equity, and the betterment of our community left an indelible mark on RVDW and its members.

Joan’s unwavering commitment to Democratic values and justice inspired generations of women to lead, speak out, and make change. Whether organizing events, mentoring new members, or lending a listening ear, she brought strength to the Democratic Party in Roanoke.

We honor her legacy and celebrate a life well-lived. Joan will be profoundly missed, but her spirit will continue to guide our work and our hearts.

Rest in Power, Joan!

🕊️
💙

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2025 Wine & Cheese Event

Join us August 6, 2025 for RVDW’s Annual Wine & Cheese Fundraiser Event at the Bella Vista Room atop Roanoke’s Berglund Center for a 60th anniversary celebration of the Voting Rights Act. Our keynote speaker is Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Democratic Nominee for Lt. Governor of Virginia.

View Event Photo Gallery

Wednesday, August 6
5:30pm – 7:30pm
The Bella Vista Room at the Berglund Center
710 Williamson Rd NE
Roanoke, Virginia

Sen. Ghazala Hashmi

Sen. Ghazala Hashmi
Keynote Speaker
Democratic Candidate
for Lt. Governor

2025 EVENT SPONSORS

TICKETS
Member Ticket – $50
Ticket PLUS Membership – $70
Non-Member Ticket – $75
Sponsorships starting at $100

RSVP NOW
Continue reading “2025 Wine & Cheese Event”
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Takeaways & Resources: May 2025 Meeting Recap

At RVDW’s May 23rd meeting, guest speaker Donna Littlepage offered her observations of the US House of Representatives’ comprehensive FY2026 federal budget bill. The bill passed on May 22, barely 24 hours before the meeting, in an overnight session with only 215 Republicans voting for it. All 214 House Democrats voting against it.

Littlepage, who recently retired from a long career in healthcare finance, brought the gravity of the impending impact on SWVA into stark focus.

5 TAKEAWAYS

The bill as written could easily prompt the termination of Medicaid Expansion in Virginia impacting 630,000 Virginians by losing their health insurance coverage.

Locally (HOD Districts 38, 39, 40 & 41), 21.8% of the population utilize Medicaid. Of those, over 24,000 via Medicaid Expansion.

Virginia is projected to likely dis-enroll 32% of the current Medicaid recipients if this bill is enacted as written.

This bill adds work requirements for Medicaid recipients between 19 and 64 who do not have a child under 7 years of age.

This bill adds more bureaucratic steps to gaining and retaining Medicaid coverage likely preventing some eligible recipients from receiving coverage.

BONUS ITEM: End result is likely delayed healthcare leading to poorer health outcomes and the closure of some rural hospitals in Virginia.

The bill moves on to the Senate where it is certain to change. Littlepage recommends following the process closely. The following sources for her presentation could prove helpful as resources in that effort.

RESOURCES

Budget reconciliation bill faces a rocky road as Medicaid and ACA cuts draw provider concerns

House Passes Budget Bill, with Huge Medicaid Cuts and Potential Medicare Fallout

House passes budget reconciliation bill that would dramatically affect healthcare coverage

Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing

House GOP lawmakers are proposing nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. Here’s who could be impacted.

5 takeaways from Donna Littlepage presentation on May 23 2025.

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It Starts With States

Nicole Zambrano, Sister District Project, Guest Presenter April 2025 Membership Meeting

Presentation Cover Page linked to pdf of full presentation by Sister District Project Guest Speaker.
Click on image above to download PDF of presentation.

WHAT IS SISTER DISTRICT PROJECT?

Sister District Project, founded after the 2016 election, works to turn states from red to blue by winning state legislative elections. They work directly with campaigns to get out the vote and support the candidates who most need assistance. Sister District pairs volunteers from blue areas of the country with specific and strategic down-ballot races in other areas.

Continue reading “It Starts With States”