HD-27
Debra Gardner
Debra is running for Delegate in HD-27 in 2021. The previous Democratic candidate lost by less than 1% in 2017 and 2019.
Debra Gardner has thirty plus years of public service, providing leadership in the areas of human services, public safety, and criminal justice services.
Debra has career-long success in government agency administration serving at the helm or the chief deputy level of three state agencies.
She holds a Master of Public Administration from VCU and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work from North Carolina Central University. She served as an adjunct Professor teaching graduate courses in Executive Leadership at VCU.
Debra, on the issues:
In our current health and economic crisis, thousands of Virginians are without work and without healthcare. Debra is committed to working to:
Create more accessible and affordable health care options.
Ensure we have affordable mental health care and legitimate recovery support.
Drive down prescription medication costs for our hardworking families.
Investment in education develops new pathways to economic mobility. We need to get our education system back on track by:
Making sure all children have access to a well-rounded public education.
Paying teachers for the full value of their work.
Fighting for a strong COVID-19 recovery plan that protects our students and teachers so they can safely return to school.
The health of our environment is connected to the wellbeing of us all. It's a moral issue, a health issue, a lifestyle issue, and an economic issue. Virginia's environmental policy must:
Be based on data and science, not denial and ignorance.
Advance public health and economic opportunity for all inhabitants.
Require economic growth to be planned and responsible, so our natural resources and environment are sustainable.
Our justice system should protect our most vulnerable citizens. It is critical that people trust that it will support and uplift our communities. With her background in public safety, Debra knows that to build that trust, we need to:
Train police officers and foster genuine bonds with the community.
Make our streets safer and our criminal justice system fairer.
Invest in evidence-based and community-based programs that reduce crime and help build safe and healthy communities.
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