Pogge Legislative Aide Amanda Batten Announces for HD-96

Amanda Batten, who served as Delegate Brenda Pogge’s legislative aide, announced Friday she would run for the Virginia House of Delegates seat that Pogge is leaving.

Pogge announced Friday afternoon she would not be seeking re-election to the 96th District. She is the fifth Republican in the House to announce her retirements. The 96th District covers parts of James City and York counties.

In a newsletter announcement, Batten wrote:

Today I am excited to announce my decision to run as a Republican in the 96th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. I have had the privilege of working as Delegate Pogge’s legislative aide for nearly six years, and I am honored to have her endorsement and full support.

I have been active in the community and in Republican politics on the Peninsula for over ten years. During that time, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about the issues that are most important to citizens. Cost of living continues to rise, and high taxes and healthcare expenses consume a significant percentage of household budgets. I will fight to keep taxes low and pursue solutions to address the soaring cost of healthcare.

Now more than ever, Virginia needs to avoid policies that will move the Commonwealth in the direction of California and New York. I am strongly pro-life, and I will consistently support policies to protect innocent life. I also take seriously the concerns I hear about overreach at all levels of government. I believe in limited government, and I will support policies to reduce bureaucratic excesses. Government should focus on core functions such as transportation, public safety, and education rather than expanding into areas that are best handled by individuals or by the private sector.

The 96th District is home to unique economic, natural, and historic resources. I am committed to preserving our quality of life while ensuring that we are expanding our regional economy. I am excited about the upcoming year, and I look forward to hearing from voters and making new connections while I am on the campaign trail.

HD-96 is a red district — during the 2009 gubernatorial election Republican Bob McDonnell won 68%-32% over Democrat Creigh Deeds. However, during the 2018 gubernatorial election those numbers were tighter: Ed Gillespie (R) 53%, Ralph Northam (D) 46%.

In 2015 Brenda Pogge won re-election over Independent Brandon Waltrip, 61%-39% but her margin of victory tightened up a bit in 2017 with Pogge winning over Democrat Kelly Delucia, 57%-43%.

Three Democrats have announced plans to run for the seat: Chris Mayfield, Rebecca Leser, and Mark Downey.