VA Senate candidate Heidi Drauschak focuses on campaign finance reform

Heidi Drauschak, a candidate for the Virginia Senate in the 35th District, is focusing on the need for campaign finance reform. She will be on the ballot in the Democratic Primary on June 20.

The redrawn 35th District encompasses Annandale, Springfield, West Springfield, and adjacent areas.

Due to redistricting, the 35th District incorporates areas currently represented by Sen. Dave Marsden and Sen. Dick Saslaw. Marsden, Saslaw, and Drauschak are all listed as candidates by the Virginia Public Access Project, although Blue Virginia reports Saslaw is expected to retire.

A resident of Springfield, Drauschak believes corporate interests are overrunning the government and “more needs to be done to give everyday people honest access to their legislators.”

She founded and still runs CrowdLobby, an organization dedicated to giving people access to lobbyists through crowdfunded campaigns. She also helped found and run a non-partisan organization focused on campaign finance reform, government transparency, and increased citizen engagement.

Drauschak currently works with her husband, Sam, at their own consultancy and is an executive committee member of BigMoneyOutVA. She has been one of the key organizers behind this year’s Democracy Day at the state capitol on Jan. 24.

Drauschak originally entered state politics to work on environmental and education issues but found it difficult to get things done given the systemic inadequacies of Virginia’s government. That includes a short legislative session of just 45 days, unlimited campaign contributions, unmitigated corporate lobbying, and outdated campaign finance laws.

Instead of seeing progress, she witnessed Virginia slip to the 43rd spot on the national SWAMP (States With Anti-Corruption Measures for Public Officials) Index, which ranks the corruption in states based on laws and regulations governing ethics and transparency.

As a result, Drauschak decided to seek change from within the General Assembly – and counter the “Virginia Way.” Candidates in Virginia can spend campaign contributions on anything they want, and politicians often care more about politics and special interests than their constituents.

She has promised to refuse contributions from corporations and instead run a truly grassroots campaign – focusing on donations from individuals.

Individual contributions will be crucial to a successful campaign. She notes Saslaw’s primary opponent in 2019, Yasmine Taeb, came very close to winning but Saslaw raised six times as much money.

Drauschak plans to host weekly town halls throughout the district, both virtually and in-person, to answer questions, hear citizen concerns, and talk about the need to reform Virginia politics and governance.

Drauschak will take a break in campaigning this spring, as she’s expecting her first child, a boy, the last week of April.

She acknowledges that will be challenging, but says “it’s a constant reminder of why I’m doing this and why it’s important.”