Ayahla ran for Virginia’s 51st House District and won against a four-term Republican incumbent in the diverse and fast-growing suburbs of Prince William County. She is now a democrat candidate for Lt. Governor in Virginia.

by Alsander Womack

On Nov. 2, 2021, Hala Ayala has a chance to make history. Ayala is running for Lieutenant Governor in the state of Virginia. If Ayala wins, she will be the first woman and the first Afro-Latina to hold this position.

Ayala was born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1973. Ayala is the daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and an Irish and Lebanese mother. Ayala is a single mother of two children, Chedrick Proshe IV and Amber Pointer-Ayala. Ayala graduated from Woodbridge Senior HS in Virginia and received a psychology degree from an online college/university while raising her children.

Ayala began her career working as a cybersecurity specialist for over 20 years with Homeland Security before switching over to politics. In 2017, Hala helped organize the first women’s March in Washington before deciding to start a political career.

Ayala’s political career began in 2014. She was the president of Prince William County National Organization for Women and was appointed by Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Women’s Advisory Council. In 2017, Ayala ran for Virginia’s 51st House district and won in the “…diverse and fast-growing suburbs of Prince William County,” according to HalaForVirgina.com.

After winning the election, Ayala made good on her campaign promises by “…expanding Medicaid for 400,000 Virginians, raising teacher’s pay, passing the Equal Rights Amendment and explaining background checks to keep guns out of dangerous hands,” according to HalaForVirgina.com.

On July 14th, 2020, the Northern Virginia delegate announced that she would be running for Virginia Lieutenant Governor.

Now you may be wondering, “what or who is the Virginia Lieutenant Governor?” Well, according to BallotPedia.org, “The Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of VA is an elected constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the executive branch and the first officer in line to succeed the governor of Virginia.” Justin Fairfax currently holds this position, a Democrat elected back in 2017.

Ayala is already making strides to help small businesses bounce back from COVID with the passing of HB 2266. According to Twitter.com/HalaAyala, this bill will “create outdoor refreshment areas within localities to allow open-carry of alcoholic beverages in permitted areas to help small businesses. …This bill will help our tourism and restaurant industries during the remainder of the pandemic and afterward.”

Ayala’s bill passed on February 3rd 2021.

So mark your calendars and vote on Nov. 2nd.