Debra Rodman
American politician (born 1972)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Debra H. Rodman (born 1972) is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates. She was first elected in 2017, and represented the 73rd district comprising parts of Henrico County. Rodman is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Debra Rodman | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 73rd district | |
| In office January 10, 2018 – January 8, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | John O'Bannon |
| Succeeded by | Rodney Willett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1972 (age 53–54)[1] |
| Party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | Darryl Lowery [1] |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Alma mater | University of Miami University of Florida[1] |
| Profession | Anthropologist and professor[2] |
| Committees | Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources; Education; Health, Welfare and Institutions[1] |
| Website | www |
Personal life and career
Debra Rodman was raised in Coral Gables, Florida.[2] Rodman is an associate professor at Randolph-Macon College, teaching anthropology and women's studies.[2] She travels to Guatemala yearly, where she researches the effects of migration on that country. Rodman also serves as an expert witness for asylum seekers.[2][3] She is Jewish. [4]
Political career
In 2017, Rodman ran for the Virginia House of Delegates for the 73rd district, then held by Republican incumbent John O'Bannon. Rodman defeated three other candidates in a caucus on April 29, 2017, to win the Democratic nomination.[5] In the general election, Rodman defeated O'Bannon by a 3% margin.[6] She raised $373,000 over the course of the campaign, outraised by O'Bannon by nearly $200,000.[7] In 2019, Rodman challenged incumbent Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant for the Senate of Virginia's 12th District seat.[8][9] Rodman narrowly lost the election to Dunnavant on November 5, 2019.[10]
Electoral history
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Senate, 12th district | |||||
| November 5, 2019[11] | General | Siobhan Dunnavant | Republican | 39,700 | 50.76 |
| Debra Rodman | Democratic | 38,364 | 49.05 | ||
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia House of Delegates, 73rd district | |||||
| November 7, 2017[12] | General | Debra Rodman | Democratic | 14,697 | 51.48 |
| John O'Bannon | Republican | 13,803 | 48.35 | ||
Legislative issues
Rodman ran on and helped pass Medicaid Expansion, which gives health care access to over 400,000 Virginians.[13] She also refuses to take money from Dominion Power or Appalachian Energy.[14]
In the 2019 legislative session, Rodman was the chief sponsor for bills to expand LGBTQ equality, voting rights, and increase the tipped minimum wage.[15]
Rodman was on the Education Committee, Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.[16]