RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond School Board Member Jeff Bourne (D.) won Virginia’s 71st House District seat in a special election Tuesday.
Bourne won the seat in a landslide victory over Libertarian John Barclay and Independent Regie Ford, with 89.89 percent of the vote.
The 40-year-old has represented the 3rd district – Northside — on the city’s school board since 2012. He was selected by his peers to lead as chairman in 2013 and again in 2016.
Prior to then, he worked in former Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ administration as deputy chief of staff. Bourne also previously served as head of Government Relations at the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Jeff Bourne
He practiced law at Morris & Morris in Richmond, where he handled civil litigation in liability and personal injury law. He earned both his B.A and J.D. at The College of William & Mary.
Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker released a statement after Bourne’s victory.
"Congratulations to Delegate-Elect Jeff Bourne on his victory in Virginia's 71st House District. Jeff brings a fresh vision and passion for public service and he'll fight for Virginia families, education, and good-paying jobs. We look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Jeff in his new role in the House."
Bourne is a husband and father of two.
Education, addiction, and domestic violence were among the top issues on his platform. He’s previously said education is the key to fighting poverty in the city.
He received endorsements from multiple elected officials including Attorney General Mark Herring, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, former Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton, and Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
Jeffery Bourne, John Barclay and Regie Ford
The 71st House District includes downtown Richmond, the city’s North Side, and a portion on Henrico County.
The seat was open after longtime Democratic Del. Jennifer McClellan won a special election to succeed Congressman Donald McEachin in the 9th Senate District.
Bourne will serve the remainder of McClellan’s term, until January 2018. The seat will be up for election again in November.
