Retired Navy Captain Mike Dillender announced his candidacy for HD-84 in the House of Delegates Monday. The district includes parts of Suffolk, Isle of Wight County, and the City of Franklin. Del. Nadarius Clark (D) is seeking reelection to the House in this district.
According to an analysis from VPAP, this district is highly competitive. Democrat Terry McAuliffe won HD-84 by two points in 2021. This will be an important district for Democrats to win if they want to regain control in the House.
“I am proud to announce my candidacy for Virginia’s 84th House District. I began serving the United States in 1994 and it would be my greatest honor to continue that service to the people of Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Dillender said in his announcement.
Dillender ran for the House in 2021 against Del. Clint Jenkins and lost by 10 points.
He grew up in rural Southeastern Missouri and attended Vanderbilt University and was commissioned to the Navy in 1994. He later earned an M.B.A. from George Washington University and is a 2006 graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
He retired from the Navy in 2019 and is now a financial advisor in Chesapeake.
“I am running to become your Delegate because the people of this District deserve leadership and true representation in Richmond. Having owned a business, I am committed to getting the Government out of the way of our business leaders. As a dad, I want to see our schools thrive and our children’s curriculums leading the Nation. And as a defender of the Constitution, I will always fight to protect our individual rights and liberties.”