Former Stafford Democratic Chief Litchfield enters state senate race

Ben Litchfield, a consumer financial services attorney, has thrown his hat to run for state senate in the newly-created 27th District, covering portions of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and Fredericksburg.

Litchfield and his wife Valerie have lived in Stafford since 2015. Until recently, he served as the Stafford County Democratic Committee Chairman.

Lichfield announced his campaign 21 months ahead of the General Election on November 7, 2023. He’ll face restaurant owner Matt Strickland, who made a name for himself last year when he defied former Gov. Ralph Northam’s coronavirus mitigation efforts and orders to close his restaurant.

“We wanted to find a community that was close to work but was outside of Northern Virginia. Living in the Fredericksburg area has been wonderful for my family,” says Litchfield. “I cannot describe how proud it made me to be able to help my mom after everything she has sacrificed for my sister and me during our childhood.”

Originally from Massachetteus, Litchfield and his family grew up in a trailer park in a small manufacturing town in Berkshire County. Litchfield described his family’s struggles — his father’s substance abuse issues or having to live on public assistance because his mother was on disability.

However, Litchfield put himself through college, first at George Washington University and then at Howard University School of Law. Litchfield graduated with honors from both his schools near the top of his class.

After graduation, Litchfield became a regulatory attorney at the National Credit Union Administration and later in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Supervision Policy, where he oversaw examinations of mortgages, college loans, and more.

As chairman of the Stafford County Democratic Committee, Litchfield talked with residents who are concerned about the local economy, the state of local schooling, and first responders not being able to afford to live in the district where they work.

“We have tremendous income inequality in the district without much middle ground. A community organizer was telling me a week ago that there are people who will go to sleep tonight without electricity, running water or a roof over their heads,” says Litchfield. “The poverty numbers and the data about populations from the Rappahannock United Way back that up. ALICE refers to folks who make less than what it costs to live here but who are not below the federal government’s arbitrarily low federal poverty level.”

Litchfield points to federal data from ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), which shows areas such as Falmouth and the George Washington District in Stafford, Fredericksburg, and the Courtland and Salem Districts in Spotsylvania all have between 34 to 40% of residents that can be considered limited income.

After last month’s redistricting, the new 27th District lea has become more of a swing district which to Litchfield allows a Democrat to be elected in that area, said Litchfield.

“My focus is addressing the kitchen table issues that impact the voters of the 27th. From access to affordable healthcare to workforce development to environmental and criminal justice, voters are demanding more than politics as usual,” says Litchfield.”They want candidates who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work addressing the big issues. After all – what is elected office for if not to make people’s lives better?”