PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — A popular Virginia Delegate has announced plans to seek a seat in the Virginia state Senate next year.
Delegate Danica Roem, D-Prince William County, says she will run for the newly drawn 30th Senate District in Western Prince William County and Greater Manassas.
The Democrat made headlines in 2017 when she became the first openly transgender person to be elected and seated in the Virginia legislature.
The Virginia state Senate will be of massive importance in determining how the Commonwealth handles controversial issues in the future.
Currently, Republicans control the Governor’s seat and the House of Delegates, while Democrats hold the Senate by a slim 21 to 19 majority.
Roem said she is aware of the significance of her race.
“You tell me who wins the outer suburbs of Northern Virginia and I'll tell you who’s going to be the next majority in the State Senate,” she said.
Much like her first campaign, Roem remains focused on improving transportation infrastructure in her community.
She says despite recent progress, there is still work to be done to alleviate traffic congestion along Route 28.
Roem also says there’s a need for more mass transit in the area too. She said she would like to see a new bus commuter line created between Western Prince William County and Dulles International Airport.
“We still have a lot more work to do in terms of developing our mass transit for Western Prince William and for the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park,” she said.
Despite the partisan divide in Richmond, Roem also contends that she would be able to work across the aisle. She said Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signed nine of her bills into law during the most recent session.
However, she added she will not go along with any efforts to loosen protections for transgender students in Virginia schools.
Instead, Roem said she wants to continue to fight for increasing teacher pay and feeding hungry children in the state.
"If you want a candidate who's going be focused more on burning, and book banning, and censorship, and trying to make people feel bad about their very existence, then I'm not going to be that candidate,” she said.
Many people are also looking to the Virginia Senate to also play a big role in what the Commonwealth does next if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court.
Early this month, Politico reported a leaked draft of a court decision that suggested the court was ready to reverse its abortion position.
Roem said if the question of abortion were to go back to the states from the federal government she would do what she could to protect existing reproductive rights.
“Personally, as a trans woman, my transition depends on having reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy,” she said. “And, if I don't want the government restricting my bodily autonomy and taking away my reproductive freedom, then I sure don't want them doing it to anyone else, either.”
Former Manassas City Councilmember Ian Lovejoy also announced on social media in March his intentions to run for the 30th Senate District as a Republican.
WUSA9 has reached out to Lovejoy for comment on his campaign and is still waiting to hear back.
On his campaign website, Lovejoy said he wants to work to reduce regulations on small businesses, empower parents to guide their children's education and ensure public safety is one of the top priorities of government at any level.