Virginia elections are held this year. The goal, I might remind certain people, is to win elections. Anyone who doesn’t know that shouldn’t be in politics, much less serving in a party leadership role.
District 49 is competitive, and 40% Black. Black women are the top voting block for Democratic candidates, and a Black mother with an honorable military record is a great candidate we’d be lucky to have. Jasmine Lipscomb, however, is being kept off the ballot by her own party. Her crime? Apparently she hurt somebody’s ego.
As was already covered in a story by ZenTrainer, Lipscomb was the only one to volunteer to run for this district. She was asked to pay a ridiculous $500 filing fee and have 100 signatures. Every county is different, but most ask for a refundable amount between 0 and $250 with no signatures required. As a single mother of four, Jasmine struggled to come up the $500 filing fee before the deadline.
However, Jasmine served as a paralegal for the Marines, and read the rules of the Party Plan for the DPV. She noticed that she could be nominated by acclamation—which 100% should have happened since this district had no other contenders. She pointed this, and was snubbed by local party officials.
She has since been able to obtain 10x the original amount and has more than enough signatures, but since she didn’t make the arbitrary deadline, it didn’t count. The local party still could have put her on the ballot, but in what I can only describe as pure pettiness, this was the message she got.
That’s a Democratic Chair, folks, saying that she would rather let the GOP win this race than put former Marine Jasmine Lipscomb on the ballot and give the voters of that district a Democratic choice. She is literally surrendering this district to the GOP, apparently out of spite.
Two Democratic candidates, who happen to both be retired Lieutenant Colonels in their respective branches, are pretty peeved. They said as much in a joint statement:
Re: Jasmine Lipscomb Democratic Nominee for HD49
We write to express our deep concern regarding the recent incident involving Jasmine Lipscomb and the discriminatory treatment she is facing with the Democratic Caucus. As retired Lieutenant Colonels, we feel compelled to address this issue, as it is a matter of upholding the core principles of fairness, equality, and inclusivity that we have sworn to protect and defend.
It has come to our attention that, during the call to caucus, Jasmine Lipscomb was subjected to disproportionate requirements that were not imposed on other candidates. While the Democratic committees in other counties typically request a range of $0 to $250 and do not require signatures, Jasmine was unexpectedly asked to pay a nonrefundable $500 fee and gather 100 signatures to be considered as a candidate. This disparity is not only unjust, but also goes against the established Party Plan of the Democratic Party of Virginia.
As per our understanding, the Virginia Department of Elections Candidate bulletin explicitly states that no financial or signature requirements are required by the State after the close of the primary deadline. Such guidelines are in place to ensure a level playing field and foster an environment that encourages participation from all individuals who wish to represent the Democratic Party. The actions taken against Jasmine Lipscomb not only undermine the integrity of the caucus but also contradict the principles of inclusivity and equal opportunity that our party upholds.
We firmly believe that this incident warrants immediate attention to rectify the injustice faced by Jasmine Lipscomb. The remedy we are offering is that the Virginia Democratic Party execute section10.6 of the Party Plan and declare Jasmine the Democratic Nominee. It is our request that you take appropriate measures to ensure that the Party Plan is adhered to consistently and without bias in future caucus proceedings. Additionally, we urge you to extend a formal apology to Ms. Lipscomb for the distress and discrimination she has endured.
As retired Lieutenant Colonels who have dedicated our careers to upholding the values of fairness, integrity, and equal opportunity, we strongly believe in the importance of transparent and unbiased democratic processes. Our democracy thrives when individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives have an equal chance to participate and make a positive impact on our society. Any actions that deter or discriminate against potential candidates erode the very foundation on which our democracy stands.
We trust that you will take these concerns seriously and work towards rectifying the situation promptly by invoking Section10.6 of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan and immediately filing form 511 with the Virginia Department of Elections. By addressing this issue, we can reinforce the principles upon which the Democratic Party was founded and ensure that our party continues to be a beacon of fairness and justice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We eagerly await your response and actions on this important issue.
//signed//
Pam Garner
Lt. Col US Air Force (Ret)
Democratic Nominee SD26
Myra Payne
LTC US Army (Ret)
Democratic Nominee SD19
Other VA candidates and incumbents have spoken out on this as well:
Herb Jones, Congressional District 1
Cat Porterfield, House District 99
Karen Keys-Gamarra, House District 7
Trudy Berry, Senate District 9
Sam Rasoul, House District 11
There’s more, but you get the point.
Look, I have my hands full trying to help Democratic Virginia candidates take back Virginia. I just did a heavily researched story on the most competitive races for the state legislature this year.
What I should not have to do is waste time fighting petty and self-destructive people in my own damn party. I don’t know what District 5 Democratic Chair Patricia Tunley’s problem is, but I suggest she find a better line of work more in line with her apparent values of helping Republicans get elected.
Maybe try the VA GOP? I’m sure they’d love to have you. You’ve so far done more to help them this year than Glenn Youngkin has.