The doc is in: Avula wins Richmond mayoral race

Former public health official Dr. Danny Avula is the next mayor of Richmond, having won six of the city's nine districts on Tuesday night.

Runner-up Michelle Mosby, a former city councilor, conceded the race on Wednesday morning.

"I want to congratulate Danny Avula on a race well run," she wrote. "I will continue to be an active and engaged member of this community, and I look forward to doing what I can with Mayor-elect Avula to build a brighter future for ourselves, our children, and our community.”

Vote tallies from the Richmond registrar, provided to The Richmonder, showed Avula with an insurmountable lead in six districts — the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th — with Mosby capturing majorities in the remaining three districts. City Councilor Andreas Addison (1st District), investor and nonprofit leader Harrison Roday and community organizer Maurice Neblett didn’t win any districts.

Roday released a statement of concession on Wednesday morning as well.

Avula struck a cautiously optimistic tone in a speech delivered to supporters at the Broadberry music venue as votes continued to roll in at 10:30 p.m.

“I am so incredibly honored to have your trust and your partnership as we move forward, and hopefully when these numbers come in, I will say I cannot wait to get started with all of you all,” he said. 

A doctor who led Virginia’s vaccination effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, Avula was making his first run for elected office against four opponents, two of whom had already served on the City Council.

Overcoming doubts about whether a newcomer to Richmond politics could build enough citywide appeal to become mayor, Avula quickly became one of the race’s two frontrunners along with Mosby, who has built a dedicated following of voters since her first term on City Council from 2013-16.

Avula ran as an effective government administrator whose experience handling large organizations and initiatives at the state level could be brought to bear on city issues. On the campaign trail, he promised to change the culture of city government, prioritize funding for public schools and make new investments in affordable housing to prevent displacement of longtime Richmonders at risk of being priced out of their neighborhoods.

“Here's some of the things that I heard over and over again from people across the city: We all want our children to thrive in high-quality schools and safe, affordable neighborhoods,” Avula said Tuesday night. “We all want great jobs, pathways out of poverty, more affordable housing, while protecting the deep cultural roots and community connections that make Richmond beautiful and unique. We all want an effective and accountable City Hall that is easy to navigate … and we all want to be proactive about facing climate change and working to grow and protect green space.” 

How the race was won

The son of Indian immigrants, Avula, 46, has lived in Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood since the early 2000s. He previously served as director of the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts.

Avula’s campaign was the first to begin broadcasting TV ads in the mayoral race, and they seemed to have an impact for some voters.

Levern Fleming, 56, a warehouse manager from Highland Park, said he voted for Avula because “his commercials really inspired me.”

“He was the only one I’ve seen on my TV ads actually telling you what he wanted to do for the city,” said Fleming, who was emotional as he left his polling place at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School in the city’s Northside. 

He said it was the first time he had voted in 20 years because of a past felony conviction. After a three-year process, “I finally got my rights back,” he said. “My voice matters.”

Many of Avula’s ads focused on defusing critiques that he couldn’t be trusted to uphold Democratic values after running the Virginia Department of Social Services under Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Avula responded to that skepticism by saying he was interested in the role because the agency’s mission is helping children, families and low-income people.

Despite Avula’s denials that he shares Youngkin’s political beliefs, investor and nonprofit leader Harrison Roday made a concerted effort to attack Avula over his connection to the governor. 

Throughout the campaign, Roday questioned whether Avula could be trusted to protect abortion rights, a top issue for many Democratic voters but one local governments have little control over. Virginia’s abortion laws are decided at the state level, leaving cities and counties with little say in the matter apart from local zoning and permitting processes that can affect abortion clinics. Avula has repeatedly said he supports abortion rights. 

That line of attack resonated for some Richmonders.

Sarah Rowland, a 61-year-old wallpaper designer who voted at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, said she was leaning toward Avula but switched to supporting Roday because of the Youngkin connection and her belief Roday is a stronger supporter of abortion rights.

“He just seemed kind of approachable,” she said of Roday. “He seemed recognizable, youthful.”

For Matt Garrett, a 44-year-old IT professional who said he leans libertarian, it was Avula’s “bipartisan appeal” that locked in his vote for the eventual winner.

“I like somebody who can at least show some independent thought,” he said.

Avula also faced questions about his stances on LGBTQ+ equality and his membership in a church that doesn’t support same-sex marriage. Avula spotlighted his own experience with that issue in his first TV ad, which told the story of how his family embraced a young woman who said she needed somewhere to go after others in her life learned she was gay.

Zakia McKensey, a Black transgender woman who worked for Avula at the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts and was featured in one of his TV ads, said she was angered by attacks on Avula over his voting record, “but I knew it wasn’t true.” 

City Councilor Katherine Jordan (2nd District), who ran unopposed this fall and campaigned heavily for Avula, said she thought the attack ads dampened what would otherwise have been “an absolute landslide” for Avula but couldn’t sway enough voters.

“It hurt Harrison Roday more than it hurt Danny Avula,” she said. 

Focus on demographics

Tuesday’s result is likely to bring renewed focus on Richmond’s changing demographics and shrinking Black population.

Avula is the first non-Black candidate to win under the strong mayor system, which was designed to prevent candidates from winning without significant support from Black voters.

Mosby ran strongest in majority-Black areas in the 8th and 9th Districts, and she tried to sync her campaign with the history-making potential of Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for the White House.

Keshia Barnette, a 52-year-old social worker volunteering for Mosby at a polling place in the Swansboro neighborhood of South Richmond, wore a t-shirt with photos of Harris and Mosby and the phrase “I’m with her & her” — a shirt worn by Mosby and many of her supporters at an Election Night watch party. In addition to “girl power,” Barnette said she felt Mosby would be the best at bridging gaps between different city neighborhoods.

“There is a tale of two Richmonds,” she said. “Where there’s one part of Richmond that’s thriving and there’s another part of Richmond that’s not.”

Richmond Del. Delores McQuinn said she was backing Mosby because she believed the former city councilor, a Richmond native, could help preserve the city’s culture and character while guiding it through further growth.

“We need someone who has some sense of what Richmond is and what Richmond can offer,” she said earlier in the evening.  

Some voters said they’re just ready for change.

Sonny Gunnels, a 76-year-old retired musician, declined to say who he cast his ballot for but said he felt any new mayor would be good for the city.

“The city has been fairly shabbily run for quite some time,” he said. “We have gigantic problems in City Hall.”

Unofficial Results by District

Early + Election Day Votes

Information provided to The Richmonder after early votes were counted late Tuesday night.