About Laura Galante
Laura Galante is a cybersecurity expert and local 4-H leader dedicated to improving our rural economy, strengthening our community, and expanding high-speed Internet access across our district.
Laura owns her own small business, through which she advises governments on how to prevent hacking and intellectual property theft. She is an Atlantic Council fellow, serves on the board of the the Northern Virginia 4-H Center, and advises a Charlottesville-based cybersecurity company. During her career in national security, Laura worked at the Department of Defense and led intelligence teams that exposed Russian hacking and Chinese intellectual property theft. She also gave a TED Talk in 2017 on the subject of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. Laura received her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia and went on to get her JD from Catholic University of America.
Laura grew up in Fairfax County and lives on her farm in Marshall with her husband and her son. She is the only candidate in the race who grew up in Virginia and is a product of our state’s public schools. Laura has been a long-time leader in the Virginia 4-H community and has represented our Commonwealth, as a former national 4-H livestock competition champion. She understands the issues facing the 18th House District and has the know-how to solve them. Laura knows that in order to build our rural future, we must tackle our challenges at the local and state level.
Laura's Path to Victory
In recent elections, Virginia voters — even those in traditionally Republican-held districts — have indicated a preference for strong, independent candidates, especially female candidates. Of the 15 seats in the House of Delegates that Democrats flipped in the 2017 election, 12 were won by women.
Laura’s ties within the community and diverse experience position her perfectly to serve the needs of the district with smart, effective solutions. The 18th House District is ready for a delegate who not only understands, but has also personally lived, the challenges our families face.
Laura knows how to realize the full potential of our rural community. The incumbent delegate, Michael Webert, is a party-line voter who has fallen out of touch with the district. He votes the way party leadership tells him to, and is not the independent leader our district needs.
Furthermore, HD-18 has trended more Democratic with each recent election, shifting seven points more favorably for Democrats since 2016.
Our district deserves and is ready for a hardworking leader with a proven track record of solving complex problems to represent them in Richmond.
Laura's Priorities
✔ Growing Our Rural Economy
Laura realizes the untapped potential of Virginia’s rural economy. She will work to grow local agriculture and investment in trade education programs across the Commonwealth.
✔ Strengthening Our Community
Laura knows that there is more that unites us than divides us. She knows we must strengthen our community, with a focus on quality education, access to affordable health care, and local job growth.
✔ Investing in Smart Technology
Laura is committed to investing in smart technologies to help the 18th House District realize its full potential. That means finishing the job on high-speed Internet access, not just talking about it.
About the 18th House District
Virginia’s HD-18 encompasses Fauquier, Warren, Culpeper, and Rappahannock counties. Preserving our small town feel and conserving our state’s historic character in HD-18 requires smart leadership that balances future economic growth and the best interests of the district.
