HSLDA Action’s mission is to advance homeschooling in the political arena. One of the major ways we do this is though identifying and supporting candidates in elections.
As you might imagine, we have been very busy with the Virginia elections for the last several months. (It is our home state, after all.) We wanted to let you know how your support as members and donors to HSLDA Action has made a difference for educational freedom, both in Virginia across the nation.
HSLDA Action Endorsed Candidates:
HSLDA Action endorsed eight candidates in this Virginia election cycle. We specifically target the closest races, so our endorsement and our grassroots support go where it is needed most. This year, we endorsed eight candidates and were able to deploy volunteers on behalf of six of them.
Glenn Youngkin: Governor
- Won by ~2.4%
- Supported by HSLDA Action deployment
Gina Ciarcia: VA-2
- Lost by ~14.4%
Tara Durant: VA-28
- Won by ~2.1%
- Supported by HSLDA Action deployment
Harold Pyon: VA-40
- Lost by ~8.2%
- Supported by HSLDA Action Deployment
Tim Cox: VA-51
- Lost by ~6.6%
Mark Earley: VA-68
- Lost by ~6.0%
- Supported by HSLDA Action Deployment
Glenn Davis: VA-84
- Won by ~11.6%
- Supported by HSLDA Action Deployment
Karen Greenhalgh: VA-85
- Won by ~0.72%
- Supported by HSLDA Action Deployment
HSLDA Action’s Impact:
By targeting close races, we ensure that we spend our time and effort as efficiently as possible. This means that we don’t waste resources on guaranteed wins. It also means that we don’t come out of election cycles with an inflated sense of effectiveness by only taking the sure bets. We win some and we lose some. That’s what it means to be in the trenches. What follows is our post-mortem showing the real impact of our efforts, so you can know exactly what you helped us accomplish. (Data may change as election results are not yet certified.)
HSLDA Action deployed volunteers to six races through our youth civics education division, Generation Joshua. Generation Joshua teaches high school students how to be active and engaged citizens through hands-on, real-world training.
After analyzing our total voter contacts, and the margin between the candidates, we have determined that without our support, two of these candidates would have lost their races. Here is the data:
Tara Durant won by 697 votes. Our team made over 21,704 voter contacts on her behalf, and data suggests that without our team she would have lost by a minimum of 1,600 votes.
Karen Greenhalgh won by a mere 202 votes. Our team made 15,164 voter contacts on her behalf. Without your support, she would have also lost by more than 1,200 votes.
What do two delegate seats do for the homeschool community? Keep reading.
Post-Election Analysis:
Numbers are great… if you are political junkies like we are. But what if you just care about homeschooling and educational freedom a lot? What does all this stuff mean?
Good question.
First, it means that instead of an explicitly “anti–parents in education” governor, we have an explicitly pro-parent governor. The importance of this office cannot be overstated, since the governor oversees the state department of education and needs to sign any bill in order to make it law. This is a major protection for homeschool freedom.
Second, unlike those running for Senate, the delegate candidates were forced to grapple with the issues of state vs. parental roles in education. They received a strong and resounding message. Parents control the education and upbringing of their children. Not the state. There was a seven-seat swing in the House of Delegates, resulting in a pro-homeschooling, pro-family majority of two seats. That is why HSLDA Action’s work is so critical. That two-seat majority now exists because of the work that your membership, donations, and prayers enabled.
Furthermore, these elections sent an unmistakable message to the country: perhaps for the first time ever, the two positions on educational freedom were clearly showcased. Candidates around the country have been watching these elections. The results left little question on what parents demand.
This election was a clear referendum on educational freedom. The message was sent. Future candidates will receive it.