Virginia’s constitution stipulates that the lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate. How has your legislative or political experience prepared you for that role?

Rouse: I’m a fighter and I’ve proven it at every step of my life. I was raised in Hampton Roads by my incredible single mom. Football took me to Virginia Tech and then to the NFL — but I came back home to serve my community. In 2018, I was elected to the Virginia Beach City Council. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, I stepped up again — defeating Glenn Youngkin’s hand-picked candidate and becoming the deciding vote to protect abortion rights in Virginia.

I’ve delivered real results for Virginians — like passing a new law this year to protect federal workers and contractors from the chaos created by Trump and Elon Musk. I championed the “Save Local Pharmacies” Act to take on Big Pharma and make sure families, especially in rural and underserved communities, can have access to life-saving medication. And I’m not done.

I also believe the lieutenant governor needs to be someone who knows their way around the General Assembly, has strong support from colleagues, and brings the lived experience of everyday Virginians. I’m proud to have the most endorsements from members of the General Assembly than anyone else in the race for Lieutenant Governor. That’s the approach I’ll take.

The last four years have shown us the benefits and challenges of a gubernatorial administration working effectively with a legislative body of the opposite political party. How would you participate in strengthening a productive working relationship with legislators, even if the General Assembly is controlled by a party that’s opposite of yours?

Rouse: Even before I was elected to office, I built strong relationships with lawmakers across the aisle, including Delegate Terry Kilgore, Senator Todd Pillion, and Delegate Terry Austin. Together, we’ve worked on bipartisan legislation like the NIL bill to support our student athletes and the Save Local Pharmacies Act, which helps rural Virginians access the medications they need. I was also the only Democrat to vote with my colleagues from (Southwest Virginia) to lower the cost of their electric bills and hold the region’s utility accountable.

The challenges facing Southwest and Southside Virginia such as job growth, infrastructure, and healthcare access aren’t partisan. They’re Virginia issues. And the only way we solve them is by working together. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll bring that same spirit of collaboration to the State Senate. I’ll work across the aisle to tackle real challenges, and I’ll work with anyone, Democrat, Republican, or Independent, if it means moving our Commonwealth forward.

Though lieutenant governors are not legislators, they can signal favor of work the General Assembly does. Are there specific types of legislation that your office would advocate in support of in the General Assembly?

Rouse: Families across Virginia are feeling squeezed, and right now they need leaders who are focused on helping them keep more of their hard-earned money. That has been my priority from my time on Virginia Beach City Council, to the Virginia State Senate, and it will be as Lieutenant Governor. I’ve led efforts to lower prescription drug costs, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, raise the standard deduction, and deliver tax relief for seniors. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll keep fighting to expand the child tax credit, eliminate the grocery tax, and make homeownership more accessible for first-time buyers. That includes expanding down payment assistance, strengthening tenant protections, and holding bad landlords accountable—because every Virginian deserves a safe, stable place to call home. We must also work with local governments to increase the supply of workforce housing and partner with employers to offer housing benefits so workers can live near their jobs.

I’ll lead the charge to defend Virginians from the chaos caused by Donald Trump and Elon Musk—standing strong to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

And I’ll never stop investing in our childrens’ futures. That means raising teacher pay so the best brightest teach our kids, expanding mentorship and training programs for educators, and partnering with universities to build a diverse, talented workforce. I’ll also strengthen career and technical education to ensure every student is ready for high-quality, good-paying jobs.

What is your stance on school choice and how do you propose to address educational disparities?

As a product of Virginia’s public schools, I know firsthand that a child’s zip code should never determine their future. But since the pandemic, we’ve seen how deeply under-resourced schools—especially Title I schools—have struggled, and it’s our responsibility to reverse that trend.

I’ve stood firm in the Senate to protect and expand public education funding. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll continue that fight by working with the Spanberger administration to raise teacher pay so we can recruit and retain the best educators in every community. I’ll expand mentorship and training programs, and build strong partnerships with Virginia’s HBCUs to grow a more diverse, representative pipeline of teachers.

I’ll also fight to give localities the option to fund critical school construction projects by allowing them to adjust their local sales tax — a common-sense measure that Governor Youngkin vetoed. And I’ll invest in apprenticeships and workforce training programs so that students, especially those in underserved areas, have clear and attainable pathways to high wage, high growth careers, whether they choose college or not.

Do you support the current administration’s focus on revising school curricula and how would you approach curriculum content as lieutenant governor?

Rouse: This administration has been laser focused on one thing – undermining and dismantling public education in Virginia. As Lieutenant Governor, I will be laser focused on ensuring that every child is able to learn and thrive in our public schools. That includes ensuring we have school curricula that challenges our students and sets them up to succeed in high-paying jobs, and … instilling critical thinking, civic understanding, and respect for the diversity that defines our Commonwealth. I will work with educators, parents, and experts to ensure that our curriculum is grounded in facts, inclusive of all voices, and prepares students not just for today’s workforce, but for the challenges of tomorrow. As Lieutenant Governor, I will stand firmly against any politically motivated efforts to whitewash history or censor our classrooms. Our children deserve the truth, and they deserve the tools to build a better future.

In light of recent controversies involving public officials, how do you plan to uphold and promote ethical standards in your role as lieutenant governor?

From a young age, my grandfather instilled me with three principles. He told me to keep God first, work for everything that you want, and your word is your bond. Those principles have stuck with me my entire life, and have pushed me to hold myself to a high ethical standard.

In the Senate, I’ve fought to protect voting rights and strengthen ethics in Virginia. I’ve worked to prevent unjust voter purges, expand access to voting, and restore voting rights for returning citizens through a constitutional amendment.

As Chair of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, I led efforts to ensure fair and inclusive elections. I’ve also championed campaign finance and ethics reforms, pushing for stronger regulations, better oversight, and higher accountability for candidates and elected officials. My goal has always been to make Virginia’s political system more transparent, accountable, and focused on serving the people.

How do you plan to use your tie-breaking power to influence legislation, and in what areas do you see the most opportunity for bipartisan cooperation?

I know how to work on a team, and I know how to win tough fights—whether it’s on the football field, on city council, or in the state Senate.

I’ve been the deciding vote to protect abortion rights, led efforts to lower prescription drug costs, and passed new protections for federal workers — even in the face of extreme opposition. I know how to navigate tough political terrain and still come out with real results. That’s what I’ll bring to the role of Lieutenant Governor. I won’t just preside over the Senate—I’ll be traveling the Commonwealth, in the meetings, building coalitions, and doing the work to make sure our agenda moves forward.

What’s the most important thing for Virginians to know about you?

I’m running for Lieutenant Governor because every Virginian deserves the opportunity to thrive, and we need a fighter who can stand up to Trump to make that happen.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, I beat Youngkin’s hand-picked candidate for State Senate, and I’m proud to say I was the deciding vote to protect abortion rights in Virginia. I’ve stood up to Trump time and again, including getting a new law signed this year to protect federal workers and contractors from Trump and Musk’s chaos. As Lieutenant Governor, I’ll go toe to toe to defend Social Security and Medicare and fight to lower the costs for all Virginians. Because everything is on the line and I don’t back down.