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Morgan Goodman

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Morgan Goodman
Image of Morgan Goodman
Elections and appointments
Last election

June 8, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

Roger Williams University, 2004

Graduate

George Washington University, 2006

Personal
Birthplace
Herndon, Va.
Religion
Christian: Catholic
Profession
Environmental policy
Contact

Morgan Goodman (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 55. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 8, 2021.

In 2019, Goodman ran for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 55. Goodman lost in the general election on November 5, 2019. She ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2017.

Biography

Goodman earned her bachelor's degree in marine biology from Roger Williams University in 2004 and her master's degree in environmental and natural resource policy from George Washington University in 2006.[1] Her professional experience includes working at the state and federal government levels and working for nonprofits.[2]

Elections

2021

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2021

General election

General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 55

Incumbent Buddy Fowler defeated Rachel Levy in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 55 on November 2, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Buddy Fowler
Buddy Fowler (R)
 
63.8
 
27,246
Image of Rachel Levy
Rachel Levy (D) Candidate Connection
 
36.1
 
15,400
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
51

Total votes: 42,697
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Rachel Levy advanced from the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 55.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Buddy Fowler advanced from the Republican primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 55.

Campaign finance

2019

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2019

General election

General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 55

Incumbent Buddy Fowler defeated Morgan Goodman in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 55 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Buddy Fowler
Buddy Fowler (R)
 
60.1
 
17,356
Image of Morgan Goodman
Morgan Goodman (D) Candidate Connection
 
39.8
 
11,508
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
36

Total votes: 28,900
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To see a list of endorsements for Morgan Goodman, click here.

2017

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2017

General election

Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2017. All 100 house seats were up for election. The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017.[3] Incumbent Buddy Fowler Jr. (R) defeated Morgan Goodman (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 55 general election.[4]

Virginia House of Delegates, District 55 General Election, 2017
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Buddy Fowler Jr. Incumbent 60.00% 18,087
     Democratic Morgan Goodman 40.00% 12,056
Total Votes 30,143
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Democratic primary election

Morgan Goodman ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 55 Democratic primary.[5]

Ballotpedia will publish vote totals here after they become available.
Virginia House of Delegates, District 55 Democratic Primary, 2017
Candidate
Green check mark transparent.png Morgan Goodman

Republican primary election

Incumbent Buddy Fowler Jr. ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 55 Republican primary.[6]

Ballotpedia will publish vote totals here after they become available.
Virginia House of Delegates, District 55 Republican Primary, 2017
Candidate
Green check mark transparent.png Buddy Fowler Jr. Incumbent

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Morgan Goodman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

Candidate Connection

Morgan Goodman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Goodman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a lifelong Virginian living with my husband and two children in Mechanicsville, Virginia. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Marine Biology and a Master's Degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy. I have spent my career working to protect the environment in the non-profit sector as well as in the Federal Government and currently in the State Government. I am running for House of Delegates to bring the voices of people throughout my District to Richmond. I believe that we need legislators that listen to their constituents over the special interests and big donors in Richmond.
  • Instead of reducing the protections that keep our communities safe, I'll fight for the environment. I will work to promote a clean energy future that give communities more control over their electric bills and creates quality jobs for Virginians.
  • Instead of asking schools to do more with less, I'll work to strengthen our public schools by decreasing the student-to-counselor ratio and ensuring competitive teacher salaries so that our children get the education they deserve and need to be competitive in the 21st century.
  • Simply put, no one should be treated differently or excluded because of their race, sexual identity or gender. I'll fight to finally ratify the ERA so that the rights of all Virginians are protected by the laws of our great Commonwealth.
I have been passionate about protecting the environment from an early age. My love of nature has brought me to where I am today and we need to do more to address environmental sustainability in the General Assembly. Virginia needs to embrace renewable energy in order to create more jobs in this growing industry and slow the impacts of climate change. I have seen first hand how government and businesses can work together for a healthier environment and I will bring that experience to the General Assembly.
I believe elected officials need to listen more than they talk. There is a disconnect between what people of this district need and what is actually being accomplished in Richmond. Elected officials should be responsive to their constituents, regardless of party, when somebody is reaching out about the issues that are important to them. This means that returning phone calls and emails should be a priority as well as conducting town halls to listen to people about their concerns.
I believe that my ability to listen and relate to people would make me a successful officeholder. My ability to empathize with people and understand issues that they are concerned about will help me connect with people from various backgrounds and viewpoints and bring people together for the common good.
My first internship in college was for a scientist at Conservation International that was compiling a book on the effects of climate change on biodiversity. I spent that summer reading the numerous chapters, each written by a different scientist from around the world about the effects of climate change on biodiversity in their field of study. It was at that point that I decided to pursue political science in addition to getting my degree in Marine Biology. I realized that we needed to do a better job of communicating science to the general public and to policy makers, and that's why I went on to get my Maser's Degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy.
I tend to have whatever songs my kids love stuck in my head since I usually let them control the music in the car! My daughter loves the Descendants movies and those songs always get stuck in my head!
I believe the biggest challenges we face as a Commonwealth are in the areas of education, environmental protection and climate adaptation/resiliency, and expanding affordable and reliable internet access to our rural areas. These are issues that are affecting multiple parts of the state and they are also issues that often affect low-income communities the most.
Yes, I believe it is important to build relationships with other legislators and to be able to work across the aisle as well. Policy making shouldn't happen in a vacuum and it's important to talk to legislators from around the state to see how policies might affect their localities differently.
I have talked to a lot of teachers as I knock on doors around the 55th District. I spoke to one teacher that said she works three jobs just to make ends meet. She said that half of her teacher's salary goes towards buying supplies for her classroom that are needed are aren't provided. So many of the teachers I have talked to are struggling because they don't have the resources that they need. I believe we need to increase teacher pay, remove the cap on support staff, and decrease the student to counselor ratio.

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.

2017

Ballotpedia candidate survey

Goodman participated in a survey created by Ballotpedia. The survey was designed to let our readers know more about the candidates and feel confident that they are voting for the best person to represent them. The survey questions appear bolded, and Goodman's responses follow below.

Who are your constituents?
I am running to represent citizens of the 55th District which covers parts of Hanover, Caroline, and Spotsylvania Counties.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What is the primary job of a state legislator in your view?
The primary job of a state legislator is to represent the interests of their constituents and the well-being of Virginians as a whole in the General Assembly.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?
My goal is to reach out to as many people in the 55th District as possible and be proactive in reaching out to stakeholders. I plan to utilize various community groups that are in place and also hold forums and town halls to gather constituent input.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
Ideally, what should the government’s role in a state’s healthcare system be? Are there any healthcare policies, actual or hypothetical, that you have an opinion on?
It is in Virginia's best interest to ensure we have healthy students and a healthy workforce. The General Assembly should do whatever it can to help implement a system that addresses those needs.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
How should the state legislature view areas with natural resources (such as coastlines) when developing economic policy?
Environmental protection needs to be taken into consideration when developing economic policies. Economic development should not come with a price tag of environmental degradation.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
Do you have an opinion on the role of campaign finance in legislative politics?
I believe that campaign finance in Virginia needs reform. The current system gives wealthy donors too much power and influence.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What one reform or policy change is most important to you?
Virginia needs to work towards increasing availability of renewable energy which will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and provide jobs in a quickly growing industry.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
Which areas of spending will you prioritize for funding and support?
Public education is an area of spending that I would prioritize for funding and support.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What are your thoughts on higher education? What should the state do, if anything, to increase accessibility?
Virginia needs to do more to ensure high school students are prepared for their next step, whether that be the workforce, community college, technical school, or a 4 year college.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What is your opinion on Virginia’s K-12 education system? What issues are important and how can the state legislature address them?
Virginia needs to address teacher salaries, which are below the national average. Our public schools are constantly asked to do more with less resources and that is hurting the system as a whole. The legislature needs to ensure schools are adequately funded, regardless of what part of the state they are located.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What are your views on proposed oil pipelines that would cross Virginia? In general, how should the state legislature address issues related to environmental regulation?
I believe that the environmental risk of the proposed oil pipelines is too high as it is currently planned. The General Assembly needs to ensure that environmental protection is a priority and cumulative effects of proposed projects are considered.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
What are your views on how Virginia draws lines for congressional and state legislative districts? If you could make changes to the system, what would they be?
Virginia needs to transition to a non-partisan or bi-partisan commission for redistricting to address rampant gerrymandering.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
Is Virginia prepared for a natural disaster such as a hurricane or an earthquake? What should the state legislature do, if anything, in anticipation of these events?
Virginia needs to increase the state's resiliency efforts to handle natural disasters. Many areas of the state are already prone to recurrent flooding and are not prepared for hurricanes and other extreme weather events.[7]
—Morgan Goodman
Candidate website

Goodman’s campaign website highlighted the following issues:[8]

Protecting Virginia's Environment

I will work to protect Virginia’s air, water, and open spaces. While development is essential for growth, every plot of land developed is a plot of forest or farm that is lost. Virginia lost over 112,000 acres of land to development between 2007 and 2012. Preserving the land will help us meet important goals for water quality, wildlife habitat, recreation, and overall quality of life. Environmental protection is one of the core functions of government. Pollution by one business or individual infringes on the rights of all of Virginia’s businesses and individuals.

I support protecting and restoring Virginia’s waterways. Our rivers and streams across the state not only provide us with clean drinking water, but they are an integral part of our economy and provide Virginians places to boat, fish and swim.

I am in favor of safe, long-term coal ash storage in synthetically lined landfills to protect our groundwater. I believe we need to keep our beaches and other waterways safe from sewage overflows and runoff pollution with new stormwater standards and adequate funding for green infrastructure. I am committed to ensuring Virginia reaches its Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan goals by appropriating no less than 2017 levels of funding for agricultural best management practices and Stormwater Local Assistance Funds. I believe the General Assembly has an obligation to close loopholes that exempt fracking from laws like the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. We can’t afford to put the interests of businesses above the health of our citizens.

Since the current administration in Washington refuses to address the impacts of climate change, the Virginia General Assembly needs to step up to ensure the future of our natural resources. From severe storms, Code Red Air Quality Days, and rising sea levels in Hampton Roads, Virginia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. Virginia needs to reduce CO2 pollution from power plants by promoting energy efficiency and clean energy like wind and solar. We need to promote renewable energy in Virginia. We need legislation that unlocks Virginia’s solar potential by making it easier for citizens and communities to make their own investments in solar and make them cost-effective. We need legislation that encourages renewable energy projects that allow Virginian’s to buy into a central community array and get credit for the solar their investment produces.

Strengthening Virginia's Public Schools

Our teachers are our greatest resource for preparing the next generation to be successful in their endeavors and contribute to society. I will work to ensure our teachers have competitive salaries so we can attract and retain skilled educators.

I will work with others in the General Assembly to find ways to make sure there are higher education options accessible and affordable for students that wish to pursue a degree past high school, including technical school and community college.

Virginia needs to address the achievement gap between lower income students and their higher income peers and between white students and students of color. This achievement gap is due in part to the underlying opportunity gap. Better opportunities will lead to better achievement. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach that works to provide all students access to challenging and supported opportunities to learn. The General Assembly should support the use of a variety of assessments designed to respond to student needs, support teachers as professionals, help create and maintain a healthy school culture, and sustain equitable and meaningful parent and community engagement. Addressing the opportunity gap through a holistic approach will lead to reducing the achievement gap.

Virginia also needs to address the school to prison pipeline. I believe it is important for our schools to be a place where our children can learn and make childhood mistakes without ending up at the police station. Virginia needs more alternatives to exclusionary discipline, but we also need to do a better job of funding these types of programs. Legislation is only half of the solution, without funding the programs the General Assembly is legislating the problem will still be there. In addition to alternatives for current school discipline, we need to be preventative as well with after school programs, sufficient staffing, and funding to ensure teachers are trained on how to deal with issues before they become a disciplinary problem. We need to address the issue that students with disabilities and African American students are disproportionately affected. A single suspension makes it less likely that a student will graduate from high school, and being referred to the court system makes it even less likely. We need to keep kids in the classroom and out of the courtroom.

Fighting for Equality for All Virginians

I will work for equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic status. All people are created equal, and no Virginian should be treated like a second class citizen by the laws of our Commonwealth. The United States has come a long way in the pursuit of equality but there is still work to be done to ensure that we are protecting the civil liberties all Virginians.

If elected I will work to:

  • Prohibit discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation.
  • Afford same-sex couples the right to marry and raise a family.
  • Ensure equal pay for equal work.
  • Make it easier for Virginians to exercise their right to vote

[7]

Endorsements

2017

In 2017, Goodman’s endorsements included the following:

  • NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia[9]

See also


External links

Footnotes


Current members of the Virginia House of Delegates
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Don Scott
Majority Leader:Charniele Herring
Minority Leader:Terry Kilgore
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
Jas Singh (D)
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
Vacant
District 34
Tony Wilt (R)
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
Eric Zehr (R)
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
District 71
District 72
Lee Ware (R)
District 73
District 74
District 75
District 76
District 77
District 78
District 79
District 80
District 81
District 82
District 83
District 84
District 85
District 86
District 87
District 88
Don Scott (D)
District 89
District 90
District 91
District 92
District 93
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
District 99
District 100
Democratic Party (51)
Republican Party (48)
Vacancies (1)