Democratic Senate candidate Danica Roem talks wins and favorite campaign moments

In the northern Virginia sub/exurbs, state Senate District 30 sees Democrat and current Del. Danica Roem facing Republican political newcomer Bill Woolf.

Roem has championed a number of bipartisan efforts as a lawmaker, including providing free school lunches for students in her district, as well as improvements to the region’s transportation infrastructure. If elected to the state Senate, she will make history as the first transgender lawmaker to serve in the chamber. She plans to push for an amendment to the state’s constitution protecting reproductive rights and has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia and Repro Rising Virginia.

Woolf has spent most of his career in law enforcement and, while publicly appearing to support Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed 15-week abortion ban “consensus,” he was recently caught on tape confessing that he believes Republicans should “talk about” restricting it even further.

SD-30 went for Terry McAuliffe 51.5%-47.8% in 2021.

Dogwood recently connected with Roem about what motivates her on and off the campaign trail and what’s on her mind in the final days of the 2023 election.

What’s your closing pitch as to why folks should vote for you?

The people of western Prince William and greater Manassas should vote for me because, as a lifelong resident of the region, I have delivered on taking care of the people I have called my neighbors my whole life by passing 41 bipartisan bills into law. These include 12 to feed hungry kids, securing 33 million dollars to fix our roads, and leading the fight in Richmond against data center sprawl at home.

What’s been your favorite part of running for office this year? Least favorite?

My favorite part about running for office this year is kids at the door telling me while standing next to their parents telling me “thank you” for passing my bill into law to feed them free breakfast and lunch at school. My least favorite part about this campaign has been watching the other side reprise my predecessor’s transphobic campaign of 2017, just with more money this time, while expecting a different outcome. You can’t serve the very people you’re running to represent by singling them out and stigmatizing them.

What’s something most folks don’t know about you?

Most people don’t know that I am the 1995-1996 All Saints Catholic School 6th grade Geography Bee Champion!

If you could change one thing about Virginia, what would it be?

If I could change one thing, I would have innovative intersection designs along the Route 28 corridor between Manassas Park and Yorkshire… which we have now funded! Coming soon!

What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in Virginia when you need a break from the campaign trail?

My favorite place to go in Virginia when I need a break from the campaign trail is the Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, the same venue where I saw my first concert in 1999 and still go to this day! (It will *always* be Nissan Pavilion to me!)