Sanders-backed democratic socialist reelected in Virginia

by Zack Budryk - 11/06/19 11:29 AM ET

Virginia Del. Lee Carter (D), a self-identified democratic socialist first elected in 2017, won reelection Tuesday after an endorsement by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Carter, who represents the 50th House District in the Manassas area, defeated Manassas City Councilman Ian Lovejoy by 53 percent to 46 percent, according to the Prince William Times.

{mosads}Sanders traveled to Manassas Monday to stump for Carter and Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D), who was also reelected, as well as state senate candidate Qasim Rashid, who lost to incumbent state Sen. Richard Stuart (R).

“What we are about is exactly the opposite of what Trump is about. Trump wants to divide us up. We bring our people together around an agenda that works for all of us, not just the top 1 percent,” Sanders said Monday, according to the publication.

Carter marked his first term by introducing unsuccessful measures to repeal the state’s “right-to-work” law and legalize recreational marijuana use for adults.

In tweets following his victory, as well as Democrats achieving majorities in the House of Delegates and state Senate, Carter pledged to work toward similar sweeping reforms in his second term.

“We’re going to see a struggle between Democrats who think the way you hold a new majority is by doing very little (in an attempt to avoid GOP attacks), and Democrats who think we hold a majority by delivering change,” he tweeted.

This is the new dynamic in Richmond. We’re going to see a struggle between Democrats who think the way you hold a new majority is by doing very little (in an attempt to avoid GOP attacks), and Democrats who think we hold a majority by delivering change.

I know which side I’m on https://t.co/ynp8GLlcnP

— Lee J. Carter (@carterforva) November 6, 2019

In another tweet, Carter noted that his reelection occurred on the birthday of Eugene V. Debs, the socialist and labor organizer who was imprisoned in 1918 for his opposition to World War I.