March 29, 2024

28th District Senate Debate Tonight at UMW’s Stafford Campus

The University of Mary Washington will host four debates in the coming weeks between candidates running this November for Fredericksburg-area seats in the Senate of Virginia and the Commonwealth’s House of Delegates.

The first, the 28th District Senate Debate, will take place this evening, Thursday, Sept. 5, inside University Hall at UMW’s Stafford Campus, 121 University Boulevard.

Two area House race debates will follow. The 28th District House Debate on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and the 88th District House Debate on Friday, Sept. 20, will take place on UMW’s Fredericksburg campus in Lee Hall, Room 411. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the 17th District Senate Debate will be held in Monroe Hall, Room 346, also on the Fredericksburg Campus.

All four debates will begin at 7 p.m.

Incumbent Sen. Richard Stuart, a Republican, will square off against Democrat Qasim Rashid, as they contend for the Virginia Senate seat in District 28, which covers parts of Spotsylvania, Stafford, Prince William, Westmoreland and King George counties.

Stuart, a lawyer who grew up in Virginia’s Northern Neck, is a military veteran who worked as Westmoreland County Commonwealth’s Attorney. He chairs the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, vice-chairs the Courts of Justice Committee, and serves on the Finance, Commerce and Labor and Rules committees. Rashid, a human rights lawyer and the author of multiple books, has worked to promote interfaith dialogue. He is vying to become the first Muslim American elected to the Virginia State Senate.

Read more in last week’s release.