NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The battle for Virginia's 24th State Senate district has become one of the Commonwealth's most highly anticipated and watched races for the November election, proving to be a pivotal seat in the battle for party control of the Virginia General Assembly.
Virginia's 2023 general elections are on November 7, and all 140 seats in the state's General Assembly are up for grabs. This is also Virginia’s first election since legislative district maps were redrawn using 2020 census data — so most voters are in new districts for both state Senate and House of Delegates.
According to campaign finance tracking through the Virginia Public Access Project, the campaigns for both candidates — Democratic State Sen. Monty Mason and Republican challenger Danny Diggs — have surpassed $5 million in funds raised. That's more money going into this election than any other state Senate race in Hampton Roads, and it is among the top three races across the state for total campaign funds.
Encompassing roughly 160,000 people across the Virginia Peninsula, the newly redistricted battleground is comprised of several localities, including:
- Newport News 50%
- York County 35%
- Williamsburg 7%
- Poquoson 7%
- James City County 2%
The district's current makeup takes portions of three previously drawn districts, including the former boundaries of District 1, represented by Sen. Mason. More than 100,000 voters among the roughly 160,000 voters in District 24 are coming from Mason's old district.
Dating back to 2016, Democrats have won most of the statewide and federal elections within the new district's parameters. However, now-Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, by three percentage points.
What to know about Monty Mason
The Williamsburg lawmaker was first elected to the State Senate in 2016 after serving two terms representing the 93rd House of Delegates District.
The heightened attention and fundraising efforts have not surprised Mason.
"Nothing has really surprised us about this race at any point. We know the polls said 50-50. The governor said very early on that it was a target of his to take full control of the General Assembly and we’re a targeted race.”
Mason cited that he's taken pride in "gravitating toward behavioral health" and working across the aisle in passing legislation.
According to Mason's legislative aides, 10 of the 17 bills passed by Sen. Mason were either patroned or co-patroned by a Republican.
“One example is an advanced manufacturing grant fund that I carried with a Republican from southwest Virginia, Israel O'Quinn. Working together from rural versus high manufacturing in urban areas," Mason said.
You can read Mason's voting history here in the General Assembly.
What to know about Danny Diggs
Attempting to unseat the incumbent is Danny Diggs, who served as the York-Poquoson Sheriff for more than two decades.
Apart from prioritizing public safety as a former law enforcement officer, Diggs said he aligns with Gov. Youngkin's "parents matter" education push.
“I do think parents should have freedom of choice, and a cost that they’ll have to absorb, but maybe with help through tax credits, maybe help with a voucher. But nothing to decimate our schools," he said.
Diggs differs from Mason's stance on reproductive rights, saying he would limit his support to a 15-week ban, while Mason believes the state's abortion laws should "stay as it is."
"That's what I've told people, I'm not going to move it back to six weeks... would not make it more restrictive than that," Diggs said.
Contention of political ad
In January of 2021, Diggs attended a gun rights rally organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League. A recent ad by Mason's team called into question Diggs' appearance there as a speaker.
“[Participating] as a current law enforcement professional, when we had intelligence of all kinds of dangerous groups were participating in that March. My opponent chose to be a part of that in uniform and a featured speaker,” Mason said.
When asked about the ad, Diggs identified himself as a "minor speaker."
"I was there. I was asked to be a guest speaker and went to show my support for the Second Amendment and Constitution. That was my purpose, I was a minor speaker. Monty wants to say that's extreme, for me to support the constitution is extreme," Diggs said.