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The District 84 House of Delegates race will have both a Democrat and Republican primary. The district includes parts of Suffolk, Franklin, Chesapeake and Isle of Wight County.
The two Democratic candidates are Nadarius Clark and Michele Joyce. The two Republican candidates are Michael J. Dillender Sr. and Rod Thompson.
Democratic primary
NADARIUS CLARK
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Age: 27
Occupation: Mental health counselor
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Previous elected office: House of Delegates, District 79
Website: www.clarkfordelegate.com/
If elected, what would be your top statewide priority and how would you get it done?
Education: Addressing disparities in education funding, raise teacher pay to the national average, and fight to keep Black history in our history classes.
What is the biggest concern for constituents in your district and how would you address it?
Affordable Housing: Four of the top 10 highest eviction cities in America are found in the Hampton Roads area. Nadarius believes we need stronger investments in public housing and incentives for new housing development. Additionally, Nadarius supports expanding tenants’ rights to ensure no Virginian is taken advantage of by predatory landlords.
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MICHELE JOYCE
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Age: 51
Occupation: Computer scientist
Education: William & Mary ‘93 - physics
Previous Elected Office: N/A
Website: joyce4va.com
If elected, what would be your top statewide priority and how would you get it done?
My top priority will always be affordable, quality health care. Healthcare is a human right, that’s what got me into community organizing 15 years ago. It’s why I’m running for office. We need to reduce prescription costs. House Democrats attempted this in the most recent session, but were not able to get it out of committee. We also need convenient access to quality care. Healthcare deserts exist in rural areas like the 84th, and we need to minimize them. Finally, Virginia can lead by example and provide a public option in the healthcare marketplace. This is admittedly a difficult legislative feat, but the good it would do and lives it could save are worth it. I’ve helped Republicans and Democrats enroll in the healthcare marketplace, so I know from experience it can be a unifying issue.
What is the biggest concern for constituents in your district and how would you address it?
Rural issues are my primary concern, starting with broadband. High-speed internet should be treated like a utility. Access to reliable internet remains a top concern to residents in the 84th. Without it, it can be difficult to keep up in school or work, and folks are less likely to utilize new technologies like telemedicine. Additional areas where I will propose a legislative solution for rural Virginia: reopening the downtown Suffolk Amtrak stop; study and implement long-term sustainable ways to navigate climate change here in Western Tidewater (flooding and septic issues in low-lying areas); and supporting Virginia agriculture, which is the #1 industry in the commonwealth. Rural issues can be unifying, because they are important to the vast majority of the district, regardless of party.
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Republican primary
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MICHAEL J. DILLENDER SR.
Age: 51
Occupation: Retired Naval officer and former financial planner
Education: MBA
Previous elected office: None
Website: mikedillenderva.com/
If elected, what would be your top statewide priority and how would you get it done?
When elected my top priority will be addressing record high inflation that is crippling our economy. I am a businessman who understands the challenges facing our small businesses and Virginia’s middle class. We need sound, conservative solutions that will provide relief to Virginians. By cutting taxes and allowing Virginians to keep more of their hard earned money, we will ensure that our commonwealth is able to adapt and overcome the economic conditions that are plaguing our country.
What is the biggest concern for constituents in your district and how would you address it?
The 84th District, and really voters across Virginia, are concerned about the state of our public schools. It is what ushered in the Republican majority in 2021 and what will help our campaign expand the majority in November. I sit on the Board of Directors for the StoneBridge School in Chesapeake. It is there that I am tasked with the responsibility of protecting our students and the rights of parents. As Delegate, I will make it a priority to expand school choice so that zip codes do not define quality of education, and I will combat radical policies and politicized curriculum that have been creeping into our classrooms.
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ROD THOMPSON
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Age: 42
Occupation: Defense contractor / children’s book author
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Education: AA - Liberal Arts, attended Regent University for cinema/television prior to military deployment interruption
Previous Elected Office: N/A
Website: RodThompsonForVA.com
If elected, what would be your top statewide priority and how would you get it done?
While education is the popular answer, and clearly the most important aspect of our fight for our children, I would like to bring light to prison reform with a focus on ending recidivism. The one thing I continuously hear, that effects every possible avenue of life — from education to law enforcement, from farming to traffic — is over-development. I’m not anti-growth, but development should be executed with tact and adherence to a plan that supports our diverse ways of life.
What is the biggest concern for constituents in your district and how would you address it?
Citizens are watching farmlands fill with solar projects and 800-unit apartment complexes. Our infrastructure is becoming reactive to the growing sprawl of new construction, with localities and citizens simply running to keep up as they watch their communal identity, nutrient-rich farmland, oyster grounds, and our very history being erased or polluted before their eyes. We need state level legislation that realigns with the people - not just more tax dollars.