_PNG.png)
Siobhan Dunnavant – Senate 16th District
The Spirit of VMI is endorsing Senator Siobhan Dunnavant in her bid for election in the newly drawn 16th Senate District. She has previously served the 12th District for eight years. Her new district is western Henrico County. In her time in the Senate, she has put through legislation lowering the costs of medical care and college education for the residents of the Commonwealth. A pediatrician, she is the only serving physician serving in the Commonwealth General Assembly. She was instrumental in sponsoring bipartisan legislation to reopen schools during the pandemic, a measure opposed by the previous administration.
Dr. Dunnavant comes from a family steeped in service. In addition to her father, she has a niece and two brothers who are graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy. Her son, Cameron Dunnavant ’14, along with three nephews, are VMI graduates. She also has two brothers who are law enforcement officers.
When asked if she supported The Spirit of VMI’s efforts to preserve the honor and integrity of VMI, she responded, “One hundred percent, and I will fight as I have in the past when you guys were under assault, and I will stick up for you with absolute steely spined Mom assertion and that is formidable.”
Tara Durant – Senate 27th District
Delegate Tara Durant is running for the Senate seat in the Virginia 27th District and The Spirit of VMI is proud to endorse her. She currently serves in the House of Delegates representing District 28, winning election, and endorsed by the PAC in that election, in 2021.
Delegate Durant is a strong supporter of the law enforcement community, having been drawn to public office as she saw first hand how crime was increasing in her hometown of Fredericksburg.
A former school teacher, Tara has led the effort to remove politics from the classroom and address learning loss in math and reading by ensuring school districts have resources available to help students succeed. She introduced legislation to keep our kids safe in school by allowing retired law enforcement to serve as school resource officers.
Lee Peters – House of Delegates 65th District
Lee Peters is running for a seat in the House of Delegates representing the new 65th District which encompasses Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties. A Marine and career law enforcement officer, Lee is running on a platform strong on education, law and order, and transportation, issues vital to that area. Lee earned the endorsement of the Spirit of VMI during a recent interview.
Another important issue for Lee is the economy. Given the record budget surplus the Commonwealth enjoys, Lee will push to reduce the tax burden, pass responsible budgets and promote policies that bring good paying jobs to his region. In his interview Lee told PAC Chairman Matt Daniel ’85 and Vice Chair Clint Hubbard ’86, “Let’s make Virginia safer. Let’s fund our priorities and let’s have a safe plane to work and live.”
Emily Brewer – Senate 17th District
The Spirit of VMI is endorsing Emily Brewer for the Senate District 17 seat. She is running against Clinton Jenkins in this western tidewater and southside district. Emily has served in the House of Delegates since November 2017 representing the 64th District and has built a strong record on jobs and family values. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce named her their 2018 Freshman Legislator of the Year for her work fostering a pro-business economy across the Commonwealth.
She is strong on education, supporting the freezing of tuition rates and lowering the cost of college prepaid plans. In 2022, Delegate Brewer worked on the House Appropriations Committee to raise teacher pay by 10%. In the 2023 General Assembly Session, Emily Co-Sponsored legislation to increase school choice in Virginia by creating Education Savings Accounts. Emily believes strongly that money should follow the child and that parents must have more say in their children’s education.
Delegate Brewer recently met with PAC Chairman Matt Daniel ’85 and Vice Chairman Clint Hubbard ’86 where she fielded questions and personally received the PAC’s endorsement. Delegate Brewer said, “It’s an honor to have your support. I’m very, very grateful and I won’t let you down!”
Founded in 2021, the Spirit of VMI PAC is a registered Virginia Political Action Committee whose purpose is to restore VMI’s reputation as an elite leadership institution.
Point of Contact:
SOVP Communications Staff: info@thespiritofvmi.org
Visit the SOVP website: https://thespiritofvmi.org
Yes sir, it does. There are isolated races that are not competitive where it does not make sense, but in all the races highlighted above we have made contributions to their campaigns. RVM, Hugh Daughtry '83
Bravo and well played! This is exactly what an organization like the Spirit of VMI should be doing -- engaging with and supporting elected officials who are supportive of the mission of VMI.
When you endorse a candidate does that mean you also are contributing to their campaign?
Minch, JL '73
Savannah, Ga