Exclusive: 31st House seat is still the prize for Republican D.J. Jordan

D.J. Jordan will once again run for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

The Prince William County resident, Republican, and co-author of one of the most-read posts of 2020 here on PLN addressing the defunding of police departments will run for the 31st House District, which includes portions of Prince William and Fauquier counties. The seat is currently held by Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D), who said she would not seek reelection to the seat to focus on a run for Lt. Governor, a statewide office.

Guzman had held the seat since 2018 and was re-elected in November 2019 in a close race with Jordan, with just five points separating the two candidates.

Jordan, 42, made his announcement today ending months of speculation as to whether or not he will run for Lt. Governor. He issued a statement.

“I’m honored and grateful for the Virginians who encouraged me to run for Lt. Governor, but I have decided not to pursue this position next year.” said D.J. Jordan. “While our state is in desperate need of courageous leadership, a statewide campaign is not right for me and my family at this time.

“However, I am eager to serve during a very challenging time for our Commonwealth, and I will look to run for House of Delegates. To ensure more opportunity for families across Prince William and Fauquier Counties, and make sure no one is left behind, we must support our small businesses and revitalize the economy amid this pandemic. We must reopen schools safely and make sure that every public school in Virginia has a school nurse. We must also prioritize public safety, support our law enforcement, and bring communities together during these divisive times.”

Of the nearly 28,000 votes cast in the 2019 race, Jordan lost to Guzman by only 1,505 votes. As expected, he won Fauquier County, a reliable Republican stronghold. However, the majority of Jordan’s votes came from Prince William, a county that is more populated than Fauquier but is also a stronghold county for Democrats.

Voters on November 3 approved sweeping changes to the way political districts are drawn in Virginia, opting for a bi-partisan commission rather than relying on the political party currently in power to draw the districts. Many say that practice leads to Gerrymandering.

Political districts are redrawn every 10 years in Virginia, based on population, and new maps are due for 2021. However, the coronavirus pandemic could force the process to be delayed until the following year.

Kara Pitek, 38, a project manager with a federal contracting firm who lives in the Ashland subdivision of Prince William County, will seek the seat for Democrats. 

Jordan’s statement also included information on his background.

D.J. was born and raised in the Tidewater, Virginia area by parents who escaped poverty through family commitment, education, entrepreneurship, and hard work. D.J. holds a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University, where he played football, and he also holds a master’s degree in public management from The Johns Hopkins University. He currently works as a business executive in Falls Church.

In 2013, he was appointed by former Governor Bob McDonnell to serve a four-year term on the Virginia State Board of Social Services. He serves on the Board of Directors of Virginia’s Kids Belong, a nonprofit that helps foster children. D.J. and his wife, Glorya, have four children and have fostered and also adopted from the foster care system.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021.