Beyond Friedan’s Mystique: Featuring Delegate Candi King of Virginia’s House of Delegates

Candi Mundon King

This week, we are featuring the classy and dedicated elected official Candi Mundon King. Earlier this year, King wasted no time seizing a grand opportunity to serve her community as a delegate within the Virginia General Assembly. As a candidate, King placed a high value on listening to her constituents. She, subsequently, won her special election. Now, as a delegate, she places a high value on delivering pro-active results on behalf of her constituents.

As a result of her fulfilling experience, King is campaigning again. She is stepping into politics during a historic time for women in Virginia. An unprecedented 30% of the Virginia State Assembly is female. The national trend is following the same trajectory.

King also entered the stage of policymaking while the elected official, Louise Lucas, became the very first female of the State Senate. This phenomenal trend is taking root globally as well. King is thoroughly aware of this monumental shift in politics. Yet, she fully understands the far-reaching impact of local politics and policy-making, and thus, she encourages more women to move forward with a political career. Her recent participation in the critical policy-making move by the Virginia Assembly for voting rights is an example of how her local-level presence can drive national policy.

King hopes that Virginia’s landmark bill “can be a model for other states to follow.”  She and her fellow delegates took a decisive and proactive stance against the current wave of conservative roll-backs on voting rights. The national movement to inhibit voters’ rights will make it more difficult for poor, elderly, disabled, and multi-lingual voters to cast their votes.

However, the Virginia Privileges and Election Committee, on which she serves, drafted the South’s first Voting Rights Act. The committee’s actions crushed this seething shift before it took hold across Virginia.

During her short time in office, she also drafted an education bill that recently passed. HB2316 will assist families across the Commonwealth of Virginia to have a standardized experience with Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) and when enrolling their children in schools for Special Education (SPED). King points to the need for such a change as parents currently experience no consistency in support programs that are offered when moving from county to county within the Commonwealth. King confides, “the bill will also prepare general education teachers for the role they play in the IEP process.”  

In tune with our motto, King did it. It’s done. Now, on to Next: With the fervent support of her community and family, King moved from being a working mother and supportive wife to joining the powerhouse of women who are leading our nation and caring for the mosaic of the American people. In the footsteps of these women, who King concedes inspired her, she leaves us with this advice: “read research articles, JLARC studies, and policies.” Know that “you don’t have to be wealthy. You just need the will of the people and the support of your community–and that support can come in many ways.”

To get started on your own journey, click our links below.