This past Monday, Virginia Senator Danica Roem (D-30) spoke to students as part of Batten Hour, a series of events hosted by The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where students get the opportunity to hear from some of the most prominent voices in public service. Sen. Roem was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2018 and served there until being elected to the Virginia Senate last November, winning by a margin of 3.9 percentage points. Although it’s easy to see Roem’s natural gifts as a politician now, it wasn’t originally her idea to run for office; she was asked to. She continued that “most women who run for office are asked to, whereas most men just decide to run.” To close the gap between the number of men who hold office and the number of women, Roem encouraged anyone interested in running, regardless of their background, to get trained by an appropriate organization and to jump in head first.
After doing so, Roem became the first openly transgender elected official to serve in any legislative body in American history, and that is but one of the reasons she doesn’t resemble a typical politician. For one, her immense passion for metal music led her to perform across the United States in the Thrash Band, Cab Ride Home. These eccentricities have made Roem a target for political opponents; however, during her talk, Roem emphasized how important it is for politicians to own not only what makes them unique but also any shortcomings or other mistakes they’ve made in the past. Roem herself touched on her history with the all-too-normal habit of 20-somethings: having one-too-many drinks at the bar. Her political opponents attempted to label these “deficiencies” as defining of her character and temperament, but by being up-front about her past, she was able to win over the public in multiple elections. In a post-truth world, it seems that authenticity is one of the greatest strengths a politician can have.
Another key driver of Roem’s electoral success is her commitment to understanding and addressing her constituents’ concerns. In Roem’s case, her constituents’ interests were “bipartisanship, fixing roads, and feeding kids,” so once elected, that’s exactly what she focused on. Roem’s political modus operandi is based on reaching out to Republicans not only to seek support for her own legislation but also to work with them on their legislation. The best way to achieve bipartisan respect as a working public official, according to Sen. Roem, is to ask questions and to engage with the important work of being a State representative. Roem’s political style, unique for its commitment to issue-driven campaigning, getting ahead of the negative ways people can perceive you, and encouraging bipartisanship, should serve as a model for modern politicians moving forward. Her focus on practical issues like improving infrastructure and ensuring food security for children has resonated with voters in her district across the political spectrum. Due to this approach, she’s earned a reputation in the General Assembly for what she calls “home cooking,” or never taking her eyes and ears away from her district.
During the Q&A session at the end of the conversation, one student asked the senator, “What’s next for Senator Danica Roem?” to which she responded, “I’m going to continue working to get the 10 bills I’ve introduced signed into law, and I’m going to continue hocking my book!”
Roem’s memoir of her upbringing and unexpected rise to political stardom are chronicled in her recently published memoir-meets-manifesto, Burn the Page: A True Story of Torching Doubts, Blazing Trails, and Igniting Change.
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