Meet the Candidates: Monty Mason and Danny Diggs

The 24th District battle between Democrat Monty Mason and Republican Danny Diggs has become one of the most contentious – and most watched – races of the Nov. 7 election. The outcome could ultimately determine which party controls the Virginia Senate.

Both candidates have raised over $3 million in funds, making the race among the top three most expensive State Senate matchups in Virginia this year, according to campaign finance data tracked by the Virginia Public Access Project.

District 24 includes all of York County, Poquoson and the City of Williamsburg, as well as parts of James City County and Newport News.

To verify who represents you in the Virginia General Assembly and which district you fall under for the November 2023 election, visit the Who’s My Legislator serviceon the Virginia General Assembly’s website.

For this feature, The Triangle asked both candidates a series of questions based on reader submissions.

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Sen. Monty Mason

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Race: Virginia Senate District 24

Website: masonforvirginia.com

Fast facts: Senator Monty Mason has been a member of the State Senate since 2016 and previously served in the House of Delegates. He is a lifelong Virginian and graduated from The College of William & Mary. He serves on several Senate committees, including the Commerce and Labor Committee, Privileges and Elections Committee, Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee, General Laws and Technology Committee and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

What is the biggest problem currently facing your district, and what do you intend to do about it?

All across the district, I hear concerns about education, cost of living and women’s reproductive rights. As a legislator, these topics are nothing new to me. In fact, I am proud to have recently returned to Richmond to pass a state budget that addresses the challenges associated with education and cost of living head-on.

That budget included historic investments in Virginia’s education system, about $1 million in tax rebates—$200 for individuals and $400 for joint filers—as well as increasing the standard deduction. This budget also provides increased support for our veterans by removing the age requirement for a military retiree tax benefit, successfully taking an important step towards ensuring we are honoring and supporting our servicemen and women to the highest degree. 

How are you personally invested in your district? (For example, do you own property, own a business, or send your children to school in the district?)

As a proud husband and father of two kids in our local public school system, I have called the Peninsula home since I attended the College of William & Mary out of high school. I’ve served the people of this area in the State Senate since 2016 and was previously in the House of Delegates for two terms.

Prior to my first election, I built a successful 25-year career as a businessman. In addition to my work in the legislature, I serve on a number of local and state boards working to bring resources to the area, such as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission, the State Executive Council to the Office of Children’s Services and the State Water Commission.

In your opinion, what should the role of parents be in public school education?

I am the father of two daughters in public schools, and my wife was the president of their elementary school PTA. I know from firsthand experience the importance of parental involvement to ensure students receive a good education.

When my daughter was diagnosed with a learning disability, my wife and I sat down with her teachers and school resource officers to create a plan that ensured my daughter had the tools she needed to succeed. As parents, we bring knowledge of our children and our family’s ability to help them outside of the classroom to the process. The role of parents is very important and we have to work together with everyone else in the public school education process to develop the best solutions for our children. 

Virginia currently allows abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, with exceptions in the third trimester if the mother’s health is deemed to be at risk. In recent months, however, Governor Glenn Youngkin has called on legislators to support a 15-week limit on abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Where do you stand on this issue?

I will always stand up for a woman’s right to choose. There is no ‘consensus’ that a 15-week ban is acceptable outside of extreme GOP candidates. Recent polling shows that a majority of Virginians oppose this dangerous rollback of reproductive rights and want to keep the law as it currently stands. Virginians want leaders who will defend their rights and not allow anti-choice legislators to take them away. 

Your opponent recently ran a political ad accusing you of supporting “soft on crime policies” that threaten the safety of children in schools. In particular, the ad states that you voted to allow “sexual battery, stalking, drug use and drug dealing” in public schools “to go unreported to the police.” What is your response to these allegations?

My opponent is misrepresenting my position to distract from his extreme agenda that is out of touch with Virginians. The legislation I supported gives educators and law enforcement the flexibility necessary to determine which cases must be referred to the court system or be disciplined internally on an individual basis to combat the school-to-prison pipeline.

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Party Affiliation: Republican

Race: Virginia Senate District 24

Website: diggsforsenate.com

Fast facts: Danny Diggs has worked as a law enforcement officer for more than 45 years and served as the Sheriff of York County and Poquoson for 23 years. He is a lifelong Virginian and grew up in Poquoson. He has served on the boards of multiple local nonprofit organizations, including the York County Chamber of Commerce, the York-Poquoson Red Cross and the York County Boys and Girls Club.

What is the biggest challenge facing your district, and what do you intend to do about it?

One of the most important issues facing Virginia is our ever-increasing tax burden. Virginians are overtaxed, plain and simple. We need to lower taxes where possible, especially during a time of runaway inflation, high interest rates and economic uncertainty. Not doing so will only hurt those who are struggling the most.

It is unconscionable to continue to keep our taxes as high as they are when we are experiencing rampant inflation. We have a 5 billion dollar surplus so we need to prioritize cutting the gas tax, lowering our income tax and cutting the sales tax. 

How are you personally invested in the district? (For example, do you own property, own a business, or send your kids to school in the district?)

I am a lifelong Virginian. I grew up in Poquoson and spent the majority of my professional career working as the Sheriff of York County and Poquoson for 23 years with a total of 45 years in law enforcement. I dedicated my working career fighting to make my community a safe place to live and raise a family.

My children and grandchildren attended school in this community. I have served on the Board of Directors of several local nonprofits including the York County Boys and Girls Club, the York County Chamber of Commerce and the York-Poquoson Red Cross. My roots are in this district, and I want nothing more than to continue to serve it to my fullest ability just as I have done my entire life.

In your opinion, what should the role of parents be in public school education?

Parents play an integral role in the education of their children and their rights matter. I believe that parents should have full knowledge of what their children are being taught and should be able to play an active role in their education. I have spoken to many parents at their doors, and they have told me that they are concerned that their children are falling behind.

We need to get back to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and leave ideologies at home. My opponent, on the other hand, has made his position very clear. He has stated that that parental rights are ”crap” and “garbage.” He is wrong. Parents, teachers and school systems should be working together to get better outcomes for the next generation.

Your opponent has run a series of ads that accuse you of having extreme views on abortion. One ad states that you support abortion policies that would “put women’s lives at risk,” while another claims you believe OBGYNs who provide lifesaving abortions should be jailed as felons. Please clarify: What is your position on abortion, and what is your response to these allegations?

First, these ads were deemed false by independent fact checker Andy Fox because they simply are not based in reality. I firmly believe that we need more resources for women including adding additional healthcare funding and expansion of adoption programs. I support Governor Youngkin’s commonsense 15-week limit on abortion with exceptions after the 15-week period to protect the life of the mother and for heinous crimes like rape and incest committed against women. 

Specific to the issue of jailing doctors, I have never once expressed a desire to jail doctors. My opponent has actually stated what is currently the law in Virginia. Additionally, he has stated on numerous occasions that he supports the current Virginia law as is. According to Virginia law as it is today, if ANY doctor performs a procedure that is against the law, they can be held accountable administratively and criminally.

This is found in VA code: § 18.2-71. Producing abortion or miscarriage, etc.; penalty.” Except as provided in other sections of this article, if any person administer to, or cause to be taken by a woman, any drug or other thing, or use means, with intent to destroy her unborn child, or to produce abortion or miscarriage, and thereby destroy such child, or produce such abortion or miscarriage, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

In general, I do not believe jail time is the correct course of action except in the most egregious cases.

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Editor’s Note: Current Virginia law allows abortions up to 26 weeks and six days of pregnancy, with exceptions into the third trimester if the mother’s life is at risk.