Virginia Mercury
BY: CHARLIE PAULLIN – SEPTEMBER 21, 2023
In the Virginia Beach-centered 97th House District, a close race is shaping up between Republican incumbent and entrepreneur Del. Karen Greenhalgh and Democratic Air Force veteran Michael Feggans.
Greenhalgh, who is finishing out her first term in office, has founded several cabinet manufacturing and cybersecurity businesses, as well as managing a pregnancy crisis center. While Greenhalgh did not agree to an interview with the Mercury, she provided written statements indicating she’s focusing her campaign on taxes, support for veterans and reducing crime…
Her challenger, Michael Feggans, served in the military for 20 years and had an internship with Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner before becoming a small business owner in the technology industry. His top issues are reproductive freedom, funding schools and reducing gun violence.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to have to move forward and work to make Virginia better,” Feggans said. “Of course there’s gonna be lines in the sand that we must draw, especially when it comes to reproductive freedom and supporting our educators.”
Abortion
…“The current laws that are on the books should be supported in the future and I do not support any restrictions on those,” he told the Mercury.
Schools
Feggans said he is focused on “continuing and increasing” funding for Virginia schools, including teacher pay raises and infrastructure investments. He pointed to a recent state study that found Virginia school districts are receiving 14% less funding than the national average.
“We need to make sure we’re continuing the investments and increasing the investments in our public school education system,” Feggans said.
