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Gayle Johnson (Virginia)
Gayle Johnson (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 82. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2019.
Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Gayle Johnson received a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and Conservatory in 1978. She holds LEED Accredited Professional and Certified Green Professional credentials. Johnson's professional experience includes managing a Green Vacation Rental beginning in 2012, owning and managing EcoBuilder of Virginia from 2009 to 2013, and being a professional classical musician from 1978 to 2003. She has been affiliated with Neighbors for a Safer Beach, VBDC, Sierra Club, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Friends of the Earth, World Wildlife Fund, and Virginia Green Travel.[1][2][3]
Elections
2019
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2019
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 82
Incumbent Jason Miyares defeated Gayle Johnson in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 82 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jason Miyares (R) | 59.2 | 15,771 |
 | Gayle Johnson (D)  | 40.7 | 10,840 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 27 | ||
| Total votes: 26,638 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gayle Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Reduce carbon emissions dramatically by 2030 by switching to a clean energy economy, investing in the manufacture and distribution of wind turbines to create 10,000-14,000 good-paying jobs. This includes incentives for electric vehicles and solar panels that cut emissions and reduce our cost of living. 2. Create tax credits to incentivize the use of sustainable building techniques to improve energy efficiency and mitigate flooding, scaled to income so that working class Virginians can invest in their own futures. 3. Fight for a just and equitable future for all Virginians, addressing income, racial and gender inequalities.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about implementing ways to slow sea level rise because, if we don’t, with the second highest sea level rise in the nation, our beautiful Tidewater Virginia may not survive. I believe it is past time for women’s rights to be honored, from passing the ERA to protecting a woman’s right to choose and the myriad other issues affecting women that have been ignored. It is also well past time for us to address the racial inequality and injustices that a large segment of our population faces each day, such as the mass incarceration of young black men and the persistent racial pay gap.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Johnson submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on October 23, 2019.
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gayle Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Increase funds for public education to provide higher teacher salaries and benefits as well as resources for students 2. Incentivize the buying of electric cars and increase charging infrastructure. Incentivize solar and wind power and green building techniques. All this will help mitigate recurrent flooding and slow sea level rise 3. Make Virginia a center for the manufacture and distribution of green clean technology that will create a thriving economy and help lower greenhouse gas emissions to slow down sea level rise.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about implementing ways to slow sea level rise because, if we don’t, with the second highest sea level rise in the nation, our beautiful Tidewater Virginia may not survive. I am deeply dismayed that Virginia does not value its public school teachers and students enough to give them the funding they deserve for the past ten years. I believe it is past time for women’s rights to be honored, from passing the ERA to protecting a woman’s right to choose and the myriad other issues affecting women that have been ignored.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I was personally inspired by Barack Obama’s campaign that focused on grass roots action. My campaign also focuses on outreach to all constituents and focuses on funding by many small donations.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Integrity, honesty, a broad knowledge of many issues, and a vision for the future and ability to communicate that vision
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
My dad taught me to think like an engineer. I became a professional classical musician, so I combine analysis with creativity to find new innovative solutions.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Elected officials need to listen and respond to their constituents’ concerns and lead us all towards a better, more sustainable future.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
I believe that Virginia’s greatest challenge in the next decade is responding emphatically to the challenge of climate change. Scientists state that we are now at a tipping point but that there is still time to halt the spiral of climate destruction if we act decisively now. To respond requires funds currently used elsewhere. Our challenge will be to identify and safeguard essentials such as education and healthcare, while eliminating non-essentials to free up funds to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding. According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent now will save six in disaster response so it is much more cost effective to act proactively.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
I favor non-partisan redistricting.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Johnson submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on May 29, 2019.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
Legislators need to keep a long range vision while tackling the pressing issues of the day. Today climate change requires such a long range vision while health care, public education, human rights and infrastructure require our short term focus. My work as an ecobuilder and active environmentalist equip me to help my colleagues remember to focus on the long range challenge of addressing sea level rise. Is there anything you would like to add? My dad taught me to think like an engineer. I became a professional musician so I combine detailed analysis with creativity and can find innovative solutions.[4] |
” |
| —Gayle Johnson[1] | ||
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on May 25, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Michael Weaver," October 13, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Gayle Johnson," October 23, 2019
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
