Today we are continuing our off-year elections profiles of progressive candidates! This week’s candidate is Heidi Drauschak (she/her), a millennial entrepreneur and brand new mother. During the middle of the campaign only a few weeks ago, Heidi delivered her son Atlas Wolf, 8 lb. 12 oz. on April 26, 2023. As such, most of her campaigning has been done during the late stages of her pregnancy. An alumnus of the Obama White House, Heidi is passionate about campaign finance reform, workers’ rights, gun safety, environmental issues, criminal justice reform and women’s reproductive rights.

Where are you based?
Springfield, Virginia

What is your position/what position are you running for?
I am running for State Senate in Virginia's newly redrawn 35th Senate District.

Why did you choose this seat?
This is the community where I'll be raising my son Atlas, who was born five weeks ago.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I am trying to create a government that is run by the people, for the people. This means that hardworking Virginians should be setting the agenda, not corporations and billionaires. To do this, we need comprehensive campaign finance reform and good governance reforms.

Tell us a little bit about your background and what inspired you to run?
I'm a small business owner, non-profit leader, and new mom. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to empowering regular people by fighting corruption in government. Taking action has always been a defining characteristic of mine, as I believe in moving quickly and boldly to accomplish my goals. I was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, growing up in a family of small business owners. My mother, a German immigrant, came to this country as a young adult. During my college years at American University in Washington, D.C., I had the incredible opportunity to work in the Obama White House. It was there that I witnessed firsthand the transformative power of government to positively impact people's lives. After completing my undergraduate studies, I continued working in federal politics until I made the decision to move to Virginia. At the University of Richmond, I received my law degree and MBA, further honing my skills and knowledge. Throughout my journey, I have collaborated with various non-profit organizations, including one that I founded myself. I was part of the team that founded VaOurWay and was its Executive Director for several years. It is still in operation and has a mission to "champion good governance in Virginia by promoting non-partisan, open, and informed discourse between citizens and legislators, increased public engagement, and practical transparency." Together, we have fought against government corruption, advocated for campaign finance reform in Virginia, and worked to provide everyday people with access to the legislative process. Now, I am prepared to bring that fight to the Virginia State Senate. Alongside my husband, Sam, I reside in Springfield with our two dogs, cat, and our son, Atlas, who was born in April 2023. Sam and I are equal partners, both at home and in our consultancy business, where we help small medium, and enterprise-level companies run smoother, more sustainably, and more profitably. It's called Cavi Consulting and you can read about it here.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district, state, and country?
I am hoping to build a government that works for the people and solves real day-to-day problems.

You released a campaign ad that featured you while heavily pregnant. You look absolutely amazing! Why did you decide to release that ad, and what was your motivation behind filming a campaign ad that features you while so very pregnant?
To be honest, this was largely a practical consideration. We needed to have our ads ready to go live in April, so this required us filming in late March, when I happened to be eight months pregnant. The fact that I'm helping to normalize more pregnant people running for office is an added bonus.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
As I spent the last five years advocating for campaign finance reforms, I kept hearing the phrases “too much,” “too soon,” and “too fast.” I quickly realized that it’s not just campaign finance reforms that were being watered down or killed in our state legislature. It was also bills on workers’ rights, gun safety, environmental issues, criminal justice reform and women’s reproductive rights. What is happening in our legislature has unfortunately become more and more divorced from the wants and needs of everyday people. 2023 is the first year that Virginia is running with new maps since completing the redistricting process. I am running for State Senate to be a new voice for the new 35th District, who will honor the will of the voters who elected me. I believe that people deserve representatives that represent and listen to them, not corporate interests, or lobbyists. I believe I can be that representative. I’ve seen firsthand how corporate and special interests have made it difficult for residents of this district to afford their electric bills, struggle to pay for prescription drugs, lack access to affordable child care (or the paid time off to care for loved ones), or find affordable housing. I’ll make it my job to find solutions to these problems and work with others in the legislature to enact real change.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
When you get down to the issues, a majority of Americans face the same problems. By focusing on problems that we can solve as opposed to partisan mudslinging, there is a lot that we as legislators can do for ALL of our constituents, regardless of political affiliation.

How would you foresee your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
As a young woman and somebody raising a child in this community, I have the ability to legislate on issues that will affect my family and community members directly, such as on Paid Family and Medical Leave.

What is your motto in life?
Question everything and don't be afraid to go against the status quo.

Where can we find out more about you?
Please check out my website at HeidiForVirginia.com.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2023 - Heidi Drauschak, Virginia State Senate District 35