Illustration by Lonnie Garner
Buoyed by a Democratic sweep of statewide offices, Courtney Lynch won election Nov. 7 to the Henrico County Board of Supervisors in the Brookland District, a seat the late Richard W. “Dick” Glover had held since 1988. Lynch, 43, is a Fairfax County native, a Marine Corps veteran, author, business consultant, and the mother of 11-year-old twin daughters and an 8-year-old son. She dipped her toe into politics in 2012 when she attempted to get on the Democratic primary ballot for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Tim Kaine. “I just really was trying to say, 'Why not someone who hasn’t been a career politician?' ” she says. “How about a more diverse candidate?”
What determined the outcome of the Henrico board race? I think ultimately people wanted change. I was running for a seat that had been held by the same person for 30 years.
Something Henrico needs is to continue forward on a path of regionalism and multiple jurisdictions working together. We have to address regional challenges. One of those is transit. The growing rate of poverty is another.
A sign of progress locally is that Richmond is open to not being all about the car. More people are supporting bike lanes, sidewalks and safer streets and transportation that’s more accessible for all.
Is this a pivotal time for the county? I think it’s a pivotal time for America, and Henrico and the Brookland District are microcosms of our country. We have a lot of gaps in our society — education gaps, wealth gaps, opportunity gaps. We have a partisan divide. I hope to work to close that.
One thing people should know about me is I care very deeply about others.
One thing I wish I could change about myself is my own impatience, and I’m working on it.
If I could meet anyone past or present, I would like to meet John F. Kennedy or Barack Obama. It’s because both contributed to eras where people wanted to be a part of government and making our country stronger.
The book I’m reading now: I just finished “Sisters First,” the Bush twins’ book. I have twin daughters, so it gave me unique insights into the twin-sister relationship.
I can’t live without long, quiet walks with my dog as often as I can get them. They really clear my mind.
I never get tired of listening to Van Morrison and cheesy light hits of the 1980s.
The bravest thing I ever did was, at age 26, becoming the primary caregiver for my grandmother. She stayed with me for eight years. It really shaped me. It gave me so much empathy and so much awareness of the challenge of aging.
The most fun I’ve had lately is anytime I’m with my family. My kids are in such a wonderful season of life. Everything is happy and positive. They love to pick on me. I’m the butt of jokes in my family.
