Joshua Cole

Raised in the HD-65, Josh Cole knows not only what challenges people face in Fredericksburg and Stafford County but also what it means to truly serve his constituents. Josh is a pastor, is the former President of the Stafford County NAACP, and works with numerous other local and community initiatives.

In 2019, Josh Cole became the youngest and first Black person elected from the Fredericksburg region to the General Assembly. In 2021, he lost the district by less than 1,000 votes in a difficult off-year election.

In Richmond, Delegate Cole has taken a people-first approach to lawmaking. In his first term, he voted to cap out-of-pocket health care costs on prescription drugs for Virginians with pre-existing conditions, raise the minimum wage, expand voting rights, and make community college tuition free. Delegate Cole has taken on big issues, voting in support of the ERA, protecting workers’ rights, defending a woman’s right to choose, and protecting our environment by standing up to big polluters. He also took the lead on historic legislation, including renaming Jefferson Davis Highway to Emancipation Highway and bringing automatic voter registration to Virginia. 

Now, he is running for HD-65 to return to the General Assembly and continue his work on behalf of Fredericksburg area families. He’s continuing to fight for affordable housing and jobs, public education, and transportation.