Need a living wage ? Don't count on Republican Ellen Campbell to have your back.
- sdc3422
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
That's right, District 36 Republican Delegate Ellen Campbell voted against increasing the minimum wage. Democrats passed the bill knowing that Virginians are suffering from rising inflation and costs due to the Trump/Cline/Sears tariff taxes.
In the 1950's and 1960's in Virginia, you could be an hourly-wage earner, put in forty hours a
week at your job, and live – not lavishly, but at least you could keep a family out of poverty. You could pay rent or even a mortgage, buy groceries, pay your utilities, and maybe have a bit left over.
Those days are long gone. Today, for that to happen, you’d need to be earning, at the very least, $23 an hour. The current Virginia minimum wage stands at $12.41; in three months it will increase to a whopping $12.77. Wow. Break out the champagne.
We are actually lucky to have the current Virginia minimum wage since Republicans have always voted against a minimum wage higher than the Federal $7.25 per hour. Virginia Democrats had to fight hard to get it to the current levels.
Still, in no way does that wage provide a modest yet adequate standard of living for even one adult - even in the lowest cost county in the state.
This year, Democratic lawmakers in the Virginia General Assembly, voted and passed House Bill 1928 (also passed by the Senate Democrats) to improve our lives by increasing the minimum wage.
This legislation would have gradually raised the minimum wage from $12.41 to $15.00 per hour from January 2025 to January 2027. In following years, the bill established a process that, after 2028, the minimum wage increases would continue based on the Consumer Price Index.
Sadly, our Republican Governor vetoed this bill.
Did our Republican Delegate Ellen Campbell vote to pass this legislation?
She did not.
Does she have our backs?
No.
But this does not mean the fight is over. Early voting has begun in our state elections. The
Democratic candidate vying to take over Delegate Campbell’s seat, Makayla Venable, will vote yes on a minimum wage bill. And when Abigail Spanberger is governor, she will sign it into law.
Don't count on Ellen Campbell to have your back.
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On November 4th, voters in the 36th District have the opportunity to elect Democrat Makayla Venable, who does have your back and will work to make your life easier and improve Virginia's health care systems.
For more information about Makayla Venable for House of Delegates 36, please visit her website at venable4va.com.
Created and paid for by the Staunton Democratic Committee (staunton-democrats.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Join us in fighting for democracy - staunton-democrats.org
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Early Voting starts September 19 2025. Your local Voter Registrar has location and other details.
For Staunton Voters - 1st Floor City Hall - Beverley St. 📞 540-332-3840
For Augusta County Voters - Registrar Office at 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, VA 24482 - M-F 8 am - 1 pm and 2-5 pm (closed from 1 - 2 pm). 📞 540-245-5656
For Waynesboro Voters - Registrar Office - 501 W Broad St, Waynesboro VA 22980 - M-F 9 am - 1 pm and 2 - 5 pm (Closed 1-2 PM). 📞 540-942-6620
For Rockbridge County Voters - Registrar Office - Rockbridge County Administrative Office Building, 150 South Main Street, 1st Floor, Room 106 B, Lexington, Virginia 24450. Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 📞 540-463-7203
Are you unclear which District you vote in?
Call your local Voter Registrar's office or go to the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal to find out.
Do you need to register to vote, check or change your registration, find your polling place, or apply to vote by absentee ballot?
Then go to the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal
Or call your local Voter Registrar's office
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