Jennifer Boysko
Member of the Virginia Senate
Assumed office
January 11, 2019
Preceded byJennifer Wexton
Constituency33rd District (2019–2024)
38th District (2024–Present)
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 86th district
In office
January 13, 2016 – January 11, 2019
Preceded byTom Rust
Succeeded byIbraheem Samirah
Personal details
Born
Jennifer Barton

(1966-11-16) November 16, 1966 (age 57)
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseGlenn Boysko
EducationHollins University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Jennifer Barton Boysko (born November 16, 1966) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia. She represents the 33rd district in the Virginia Senate. Previously, she represented the 86th district in the Virginia House of Delegates, which is located in Fairfax and Loudoun counties. She is a member of the Democratic Party.[1][2]

Early life and career

Boysko was reared in Alabama and Arkansas. In 1989, she graduated from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Since 1996, Boysko has been a resident of downtown Herndon, Virginia, where she and her husband, Glenn, have raised two daughters.[3][better source needed]

Virginia House of Delegates

In 2013, Boysko was narrowly defeated for the House of Delegates 86th district seat, losing to the incumbent Republican Tom Rust 50.08 percent to 49.92 percent, a difference of 32 votes.[1][4]

The 2015 election, held November 3, featured an open seat after Rust announced his retirement on February 25, 2015.[5] For the primary election, held June 9, Boysko ran unopposed. For the general election, Boysko received 54 percent of the vote; Republican Danny Vargas—who ran unopposed in his primary—received 42 percent; and Independent Paul Brubaker received 5 percent.[6] According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Vargas outspent Boysko $654,725 to $476,322. Brubaker spent $9,100.[4]

In 2017, Boysko was re-elected 69%-31%.[4]

Virginia Senate

Following Jennifer Wexton's election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 elections, Boysko announced her candidacy for the special election to succeed her in the Virginia Senate.[7] She won the Democratic Party's nomination on November 17,[8][9] and won against former Republican Delegate Joe T. May in the election on January 8, 2019.[10]

Boysko was elected to a full term during the 2019 general election, defeating Leesburg Vice Mayor Suzanne Fox 65%-35%.[4]

Policy positions

Animal welfare

In 2018, as a member of the House of Delegates, Boysko sponsored legislation that would require companies to avoid using animals while testing cosmetics or household cleaners.[11]

Labor

Boysko introduced a paid family leave proposal during the 2020 session of the Virginia State Senate. The bill would provide up to 12 weeks of paid time off for family or medical leave. The leave would be paid for by an insurance fund administered by the state and funded by a 0.5% payroll tax contribution by both workers and employers. Workers eligible for leave would receive 80% of their wages for up to 12 weeks.[12]

Electoral history

Virginia House of Delegates district 86 Democratic primary results, 2013[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 1,215 77.33
Democratic Herb Kemp 368 22.67
Total votes 1,583 100.0
Virginia House of Delegates district 86 general election results, 2013[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rust (incumbent) 10,410 50.01
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 10,378 49.75
n/a Write-ins 51 0.25
Total votes 20,775 100.0
Republican hold
Virginia House of Delegates district 86 general election, 2015[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 8,283 54.46
Republican Danny Vargas 6,390 42.01
Independent Paul Brubaker 526 3.46
n/a Write-ins 11 0.07
Total votes 15,210 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
Virginia House of Delegates district 86 general election, 2017[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 16,865 68.52
Republican Linda Schulz 7,707 31.31
n/a Write-ins 40 0.16
Total votes 24,612 100.0
Democratic hold
Virginia Senate district 33 special Democratic primary, 2019[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 2,174 82.22
Democratic Charlotte McConnell 322 12.18
Democratic Sharafat Hussain 148 5.60
Total votes 2,644 100.0
2019 Virginia's 33rd Senate district special election results, 2018[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 14,779 69.77
Republican Joe T. May 6,377 30.10
n/a Write-ins 27 0.13
Total votes 21,183 100.0
Democratic hold
Virginia Senate district 33 Democratic primary results, 2019[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 8,268 84.27
Democratic Sharafat Hussain 1,540 15.70
n/a Write-ins 3 0.03
Total votes 9,811 100.0
Virginia Senate district 33 general election, 2019[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Boysko 34,517 64.89
Republican Suzanne Fox 18,615 34.99
n/a Write-ins 63 0.12
Total votes 53,195 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ a b Moore, Ken (October 29, 2015). "Every Vote Matters in District 86, Herndon". Connectionnewspapers.com. Connection Newspapers. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  2. ^ Dunn, Ryan (November 5, 2015). "Election Day in Herndon and Reston". Connectionnewspapers.com. Connection Newspapers. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Biography, official campaign website". Jenniferboysko.com. November 7, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "Elections for Boysko, Jennifer". Virginia Public Access Project.
  5. ^ Baratko, Trevor (February 25, 2015). "Delegate Tom Rust retiring". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015.
  6. ^ Iacone, Amanda (November 4, 2015). "Election brings few changes to Va. legislature; huge shifts to Loudoun Co". WTOP-FM. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Moomaw, Graham (November 7, 2018). "After Wexton's congressional win, Boysko announces run for Northern Virginia state Senate seat | Virginia Politics". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  8. ^ Baratko, Trevor (November 17, 2018). "Del. Boysko wins Democratic nomination for 33rd Senate District special election | News". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  9. ^ Cline, Nathaniel (November 20, 2018). "Boysko, May to face-off in special election | News". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  10. ^ Baratko, Trevor (January 8, 2019). "Boysko wins 33rd Senate District special election". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  11. ^ Sullivan, Patricia (January 8, 2019). "Democrat wins Northern Va. state Senate seat vacated by Jennifer Wexton". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  12. ^ Vozzella, Laura (January 28, 2020). "Virginia Democrats push to raise minimum wage, require paid leave". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  13. ^ "2013 Virginia's 86th district primary election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  14. ^ "2013 Virginia's 86th district general election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  15. ^ "2017 Virginia's 86th district general election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "2015 Virginia's 86th district general election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "Virginia Senate district 33 special Democratic primary". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "2018 Virginia's 33rd Senate district special Democratic primary election results". Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  19. ^ "2019 Virginia's 33rd Senate district primary election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "2019 Virginia's 33rd Senate district general election results". Retrieved October 13, 2022.

External links

Virginia House of Delegates Preceded byTom Rust Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 86th district 2016–2019 Succeeded byIbraheem Samirah Senate of Virginia Preceded byJennifer Wexton Member of the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district 2019–2024 Succeeded byJennifer Carroll Foy Preceded byTravis Hackworth Member of the Virginia Senate from the 38th district 2024–Present Incumbent
Members of the Senate of Virginia
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