Maria Martin, a pro-life, U.S. immigrant makes 2nd run for Woodbridge House seat

Republican Maria Martin is running to unseat Democrat Luke Torian in the 52nd House of Delegates District in Prince William County.

This is her second bid for the seat in as many years. When you compare her fundraising numbers to Torian, an 11-year incumbent who has raked in more than a half-million dollars in donations from beer makers, Realtors, and Dominion Energy, Martin’s paltry $4,700 makes this campaign resemble a David and Goliath-style battle.

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It’s commonplace: Most Republicans in Prince William County who are seeking a seat in the House of Delegates have raised less than $10,000 — a far cry from their Democratic opponents.

Only Dr.Steve Pleickhardt, a Republican running in the 50th District in Manassas, sits near the bottom of the cash heap, besting Martin by just a few hundred bucks.

But, for Martin whose running to represent Dumfries, Triangle, and Woodbridge, sections of the county that have, historically, leaned left, her bid for office isn’t about money. It’s about protecting the unborn and making sure children receive a proper education, she said.

“I’m running again because the landscape is still the same, or a little bit more dangerous than it was in 2019,” Martin told Potomac Local News.

Two years ago, Martin was compelled to run after hearing Gov. Ralph Northam speak on WTOP radio, describing how doctors could keep a child comfortable during labor only to kill it after it was delivered. Such cases would include babies with fetal abnormalities and pregnancies considered non-viable, Northam said.

Critical Race Theory is another issue on which Martin is running. The practice taught in schools, which forces children to examine their racial and ethnic background, and teaches that facets of U.S. culture are inherently racist, “is wrong,” said Martin.

“There is one human race, and we mistakenly think that everyone who has a different tone of skin is a different race,” said Martin. “Everyone has been created equal with the same rights of freedom and happiness.”

Martin, who immigrated to the U.S. from Bolivia, encouraged immigrants with children in Prince William County Public Schools to go the classroom, sit with their children, and pay attention to what they’re being taught. “We need to learn learn more about our history. And, once you learn about our history, you would be proud of being an American,” said Martin.

Martin held a campaign kickoff this past week at the Harbour Grille on the Occoquan River in Woodbridge. It drew multiple big names in the Virginia GOP, including Suzanne Youngkin, wife of GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin, and Delegate Nick Frietas, who ran against Rep. Abigail Spanberger in Fall 2020 in a bid to represent the 7th congressional district, which includes areas outside of Richmond north to Culpeper.

The GOP is more focused than ever on making inroads in Northern Virginia, a place Republicans have historically written off. The GOP has made an effort to find a candidate to challenge every Democrat in every House race across the state.

“I think it was a flawed strategy to suggest that we can’t win in particular areas. You need to go out there and make the argument for what you believe, and then you let the voters decide but, by gosh, give ’em a choice,” said Frietas. ”

Frietas points to school classrooms being closed off to children during the pandemic, and Gov. Northam’s parole board scandal where the state released from prison a convicted cop killer, who was serving a live sentence, without first notifying the victim’s family, as issues that will drive more conservatives to the polls this November.

Martin lives in Triangle with her husband of 20 years. The two met while he was serving in the U.S. Navy. The two share two children, her 34-year-old son, and 26-year-old daughter.