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Debra Gardner

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Debra Gardner
Gardner in 2024
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 76th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 10, 2024
Preceded byClint Jenkins (redistricting)
Personal details
Born1956 (age 68–69)
Shelby, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceChesterfield County, Virginia
EducationNorth Carolina Central University (BA)
Virginia Commonwealth University (MPA)
WebsiteCampaign website
Legislature website

Debra Darlene Gardner (born 1956) is an American politician and former social worker serving as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 76th district. A Democrat, she was first elected in 2023

Early life and education

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Gardner was born in Shelby, North Carolina, and graduated from Shelby High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.[1]

Career

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Gardner worked as a social worker for 7 years then as executive director of the Commission on Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program and as chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Corrections.[2] In 2014, mayor Dwight Clinton Jones selected Gardner to oversee the city of Richmond’s Department of Social Services, Justice Services and Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.[3] She was dismissed from the role after a shakeup when Levar Stoney took office, and went on to found consulting firm D2G-Coaching, which focuses on executive training and social work.[4]

In 2019, she ran for the Chesterfield County board of supervisors in the Clover Hill District, but was narrowly defeated by incumbent Republican Chris Winslow.[5]

Virginia House of Delegates

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2021 campaign

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Gardner first ran for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2021, challenging incumbent Republican Roxann Robinson in the 27th district. Robinson's campaign was accused of regularly darkening Gardner's skin in advertisements and portraying her as a marionette resembling a minstrel show in one spot, with Gardner saying "They made me look like [blackface singer] Al Jolson!" Joe Biden and Barack Obama endorsed her campaign.[6] The Virginia Public Access Project listed the race as one of the year's most competitive.[4] She was narrowly defeated in the general election by Robinson.

2023 campaign

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In 2023, Gardner ran again in the new 76th district, an open seat in Chesterfield County. She defeated Republican candidate Duc Truong in the general election.[7]

Tenure

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In 2024, Glenn Youngkin vetoed Gardner's legislation which would have established a working group within the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry to study options to increase wages for tipped employees who receive the minimum wage, study instances of wage theft and inequality, as well as to amend the penalties employers faced for wage violations.[8]

Personal life

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Gardner is a Baptist and has a daughter, Katia.[1] She has lived in Chesterfield County, Virginia for over 30 years as of 2024.[9]

Electoral history

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2019

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Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Clover Hill District election, 2019[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chris Winslow 12,649 50.7
Democratic Debra Gardner 12,251 49.1
Write-in 46 0.2
Total votes 24,946 100.0
Republican hold

2021

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Virginia's 27th House of Delegates district, 2021[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roxann Robinson (incumbent) 19,047 51.7
Democratic Debra Gardner 17,714 48.1
Write-in 79 0.2
Total votes 36,840 100.0
Republican hold

2023

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Virginia's 76th House of Delegates District, 2023 general election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Debra Gardner 14,541 63.68
Republican Duc Truong 8,185 35.84
Write-in 110 0.48
Total votes 22,836 100
Democratic win (new seat)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Debra D. Gardner". Government of Virginia. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  2. ^ Weiner, Rachel (February 4, 2014). "a. lawmakers expected to set electric chair as backup when lethal injection unavailable". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  3. ^ Hipolit, Melissa (May 21, 2024). "DSS leader wants to bring in new people with 'better ideas'". WTVR-TV. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Lauderbach, Chip (October 21, 2021). "House District 27: Delegate Roxann L. Robinson, Republican (incumbent) vs. Debra D. Gardner, Democrat". Richmond Free Press. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  5. ^ Arriaza, Rodrigo (October 22, 2019). "Election 2019: Chesterfield Supervisors". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  6. ^ Walsh, Joan (October 27, 2021). "These Two Virginia Democratic Women Have a Real Shot at Flipping GOP Seats". The Nation. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  7. ^ Hylton, David; Bass, Joi; Montilla, Desiree (November 7, 2023). "Decision Virginia: A look at 2023 election results". WWBT.
  8. ^ Price Lisco, Dawnthea M.; Moore, Meghin (April 8, 2024). "What Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed or vetoed on April 8". Virginia Public Media. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  9. ^ "LINK microtransit now offers free rides around Chesterfield: 'It opens so many doors for so many people'". WTVR-TV. March 11, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  10. ^ "2019 Board of Supervisors General Election Chesterfield County Clover Hill District". Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  11. ^ "Nov. 2, 2021 General Election Statewide Candidates". Virginia Department of Elections. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  12. ^ "Member, House of Delegates (76th District)". Election results. elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
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