Mark Wolfe, running for 50th Delegate seat, prioritizes education, jobs

Mark Wolfe, currently serving as a Manassas City Councilman, is running for Virginia’s 50th Delegate Seat with his attention directed to job access and funding public schools.

He’s running against fellow Democrat, incumbent Lee Carter, who’s made a name for himself as the only member of the House of Delegates who identifies as a Democratic Socialist.

Voters will head to the polls in a statewide Primary Election on June 11 to choose which Democrat will run to face Republican Ian Lovejoy, who is also a member of the Manassas City Council.

Name: Mark Wolfe

Party: Democrat

Town: Manassas

Running for: Virginia’s 50th Delegate Seat

Website: markwolfefordelegate.com, Twitter, Facebook

Work: Chief Operating Officer of MovieComm

Education: Ankeny High School in Iowa. University of Iowa for a bachelors in political science and history.

Community Involvement: Mark Wolfe served 11 years on the Manassas City Council, and worked on various boards and commissions before that. He served as executive director of the area’s largest non-profit arts organization for over 20 years.

Questions and Answers

PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent? 

Wolfe: Access to good-paying jobs, insufficient funding for public schools, and a lack of regional transportation options that leads to major traffic problems.

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Wolfe: Keeping the 50th district a business-friendly area that incentivizes businesses to open their doors here and create high-paying jobs. Investing more in our public schools. Design a light rail project that will connect different parts of Northern Virginia and create more efficient options for commuters.

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Wolfe: Representing our community and balancing the best interests of Manassas and Prince William County with the larger demands of the Commonwealth.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Wolfe: 11 years of service on the Manassas City Council where I have earned a reputation for getting things done in a practical, bipartisan manner.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?

Wolfe: Citizens who are interested in local government are generally well informed. The government makes information available in many ways. That being said, there can always be more done in reaching out to communities who might not be engaged in the process of local government.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

Wolfe: I wish I had followed up more quickly and more strongly with staff in regards to the odor complaints on Sandy Court when they first came out. I also should have pushed harder for a quicker completion to the Portner Street project.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Wolfe: I am the only candidate in this race willing to put results for my constituents over narrow political ideology. Over the past eleven years, I have approached local government as moving the ball down the field and trying to improve the lives of everyone in Manassas. Whether it’s creating jobs, finding transportation solutions that reduce traffic, or making sure our law enforcement and fire departments are fully funded, I believe Manassas is a better city because of the work I’ve done.