Lovejoy running for new Va. Senate seat in Manassas, western Prince William

Ian Lovejoy, a staple in Manassas politics for the past 10 years, is making a run for the Virginia Senate.

Lovejoy, a Republican, is the first to announce his candidacy for the newly-created 30th district, which includes the cities of Manassas, Manassas Park, as well as Haymarket town, and Gainesville in western Prince William County.

The election for Virginia State Senators will be held in 18 months in November 2023. Meanwhile, voters will head to the polls in November 2022 to choose representatives for the U.S. House of Representatives in Wahington, D.C.

“Though the 2022 elections are critically important in taking back the U.S. House and Senate, 2023 will be just as important in taking back our state Senate. I’m running to restore results-driven governance that focuses on lowering the tax burden on families, improving public safety, and empowering parents and supporting teachers,” said Lovejoy.

In Richmond, Democrats hold a three-seat majority in the Senate. Republicans, who successfully flipped the House of Delegates, and the Governor’s Mansion in 2021, will be looking to do the same for the Senate in 2023.

“The state senate is broken,” said Lovejoy. “Critical work to move our commonwealth forward remains undone- stonewalled by blind partisanship. We need action – not obstruction – in the Senate.”

New political maps drawn by the Virginia State Supreme Court in December 2021 split Prince William County between three state senate districts — the newly created 30th and the newly created 33rd, which includes Lake Ridge and portions of southern Fairfax County along Route 123.

No incumbents represent either district.

The justices redrew the third district, the 29th Senate District, held by incumbent Democrat Jeremy McPike, shifting the boundary lines south of Manassas to the eastern portion of Prince William County.

Ian Lovejoy previously served two terms on the Manassas City Council from 2012 to 2020, losing his reelection bid for a council seat in 2020. Lovejoy also mounted an unsuccessful campaign for a House of Delegates seat in 2019.

Lovejoy is the founder of Reliant Hiring Solutions, a national recruitment firm that works to help connect people with good paying jobs across the U.S. Lovejoy serves on the Board of Directors of the Manassas City Public Schools Education Foundation and the Caton Merchant House.