As of today, two Democrats have filed to run in the June 18 primary, the winner of which will face off in November against Rob Wittman to represent the First Congressional District in the US House of Representatives.
LESLIE MEHTA. Here is her “About Mehta” from her website.
Civil rights attorney, mom, and proud Democrat running to flip Virginia’s 1st Congressional District.
For Leslie Mehta, advocating for others is ingrained in her DNA and woven through her lived experience. She was raised in a small rural town in North Carolina, with a population of 800 people and zero traffic lights. She is the daughter of a corrections officer and social worker, both of whom instilled in her the importance of leveraging your skills to give back. A determined child, Leslie worked hard in school and was offered the chance to complete high school at the prestigious North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. She later received her undergraduate degree at UNC Chapel Hill and law degree from Howard University School of Law.
After a rewarding career as a litigator and then civil rights attorney, Leslie was named the Legal Director of the ACLU of Virginia. At the ACLU, Leslie worked tirelessly to protect the constitutional rights of all Virginians, regardless of their political beliefs.
HERB JONES. Herb ran against Wittman in 2022. “Meet Herb” from his website.
As a member of the U.S. Army, Treasurer of New Kent County, and a small business owner and active community member, Herb Jones has spent his life serving our nation and communities to build a better future for all of us. He has seen that there is more that unites us than divides us, and that right now we need leaders who are willing to stand up and advocate for our shared values against threats to our freedoms and our democracy.
Herb retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years with the rank of full colonel having completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan a being awarded the Bronze Star for Iraq service. Herb has served New Kent County as their elected Treasurer for 12 years and built a successful small business here focused on cloud-computing, project management, and logistics. Now Herb’s community is asking him to serve again—this time in the halls of Congress.
Herb is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Lead Virginia, Class of 2021, Leadership Metro Richmond, Class 1995, Charter member New Kent Rotary Club, Providence Forge Ruritans, former board member Thrive Virginia (formerly Quin Rivers) and current board chair, Williamsburg James City County Community Action Agency, Patrick Henry Chapter, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Wounded Warrior Project, and the NAACP.