Makayla Venable, 30, is one of 100 Democratic candidates vying for elected offices at the state level, and along the way learning from each other and coming together.
“We’re all on the same page,” Venable said.
In her run for House of Delegates in Virginia’s District 36, Venable faces incumbent Ellen Campbell, a Republican. District 36 represents the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro and Lexington, and Augusta County.
Venable counts governor of Virginia candidate Abigail Spanberger and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who represents Virginia’s District 4, among her friends, but her relationships with fellow Democratic candidates goes beyond friendship.
They are building platforms based on trust, transparency and openness with each other and with voters.
One side is people centered and one side is business focused Venable said of the 2025 race between Democrats and Republicans after the presidential election last year of Republican Donald Trump amped up tension between America‘s two political parties.
At a Buena Vista parade on Labor Day, Venable spoke on a platform of “people over politics” and said that Election Day 2025 is not about the right or Conservative versus the left or Liberal, but about right versus wrong.
As a healthcare worker, including a phlebotomist at UVA and now a home health aide, Venable has seen up close the importance of a woman’s right to choose and the need for healthcare in rural areas.
“I think that it’s a woman’s right to choose and I don’t think the government should be invading in these personal and private decisions that a woman makes with her family or whoever she chooses to make them with,” Venable said.
While a phlebotomist, Venable said she had a patient, a mother of three, who had to make the choice to end a pregnancy that was probably going to end her life.
“And I don’t think these choices are easy to make and I don’t think the government should have any influences in it,” she said. “I think we should just trust women to make the best decisions for themselves.”
She is also very concerned about national cuts to Medicare and Medicaid programs.
ICYMI: Makayla Venable in the news
- Makayla Venable opposes Ellen Campbell for Virginia House seat
- Staunton Democratic Committee welcomes Virginia AG candidate Shannon Taylor
- Getting to know Makayla Venable | Democratic nominee in the 36th
Affordable housing is a hot topic as she canvasses neighborhoods and talks with community members at events. She said youth in their 30s say they do not see themselves being able to ever financially afford a home if they are able to move out of their parents’ homes at all.
“We make too much for low-income housing, but for affordable [housing], it’s like ‘yeah, I can pay my rent, but I can’t eat for the rest of the month,'” she said.
The discouragement they feel financially, according to Venable, tells them not to bother voting on Election Day, because it feels as if their vote will not matter. She tells them that local and state elections are important and encourages them to vote.
Another important topic that, if elected, Venable will work to improve is public transportation. She has heard from potential constituents that early morning options are not available and anyone who works second or third shift at their job also have little options. A friend of Venable’s who lives in Stuarts Draft actually lost her job because her car broke down and public transportation did not accommodate her work schedule.
“That’s why I picked: ‘Your priorities, my purpose’ because when people are able to afford their basic needs, people live a better life. And, not only that, I definitely do want to help with the raise of minimum wage because I feel if people are able to afford to live, and they’re able to be able to come out and support their communities and the economy by being able to invest in small businesses and give back,” Venable said.
In a group chat with many other Democrats running for office in Virginia, Venable said the issues of healthcare, affordable housing, public transportation and the minimum wage come up often in conversation.
“So I think when we’re all in alignment and we’re all of one accord, then, yeah, we can make a lot of change,” Venable said.
A 2013 Robert E. Lee High School graduate, Venable’s father died when she was 7 years old and she was raised by her grandmother, who died when she was 16.
“It was really my mentors and my teachers and after-school programs that made sure that I was OK and they really uplifted me, because I could have fallen through the cracks like so many other people who are my age who went through less than me and they ended up using drugs or in and out of jail,” Venable said. “My community really rallied behind me and they always told me they saw something good in me. So I want to give back to a community that’s given so much to me.”
Her mother moved to North Carolina. A brother lives in Harrisonburg and attends JMU and a sister is a daycare worker in North Carolina. Teachers and after-school programs were her lifelines growing up.
She credits the Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County for guiding her on the right path.
A member of the Staunton branch of the NAACP when she was growing up, Venable is now a member of the Waynesboro branch.
She is pursuing a degree full-time from Arizona State University in political science. Her run for House of Delegates is what she hopes will be the start of a career in politics.
Participating in local events and meeting potential constituents is important to Venable so that they know who she is before they cast their vote on November 4.
“I’m still me at the end of the day,” she said.
While winning on Election Day is the big victory, Venable said a mini victory in her journey to November 4 has been succeeding in capturing the attention of local youth and their increasing involvement in local politics. She said youth felt they were not represented and that is why they did not participate as much before in voting. Today’s youth are also busy raising families and working sometimes more than one job.
She said that her belief in people over party is why she is good for Virginians.
She appreciates the support from the local community and from leaders of local groups and organizations.
“I think people need to always remember the greater good and the greater the cause.”
Early voting began September 19 in Virginia. Election Day is November 4, 2025.
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Rebecca Barnabi
