Delegate Leslie Mehta positions are solidly aligned with the Democratic Party

Posted March 9, 2026 at 1:15 PM, Filed Under: All News, Front Page, Meetings, Upcoming Speaker

By Greg Pearson

In the positions Delegate Leslie Mehta expressed to members and guests at the BRMC meeting on April 2, they placed her firmly within her Democratic peers. Mehta upset incumbent Republican Mark Early by 3.5% of the vote last November to represent Virginia’s 73rd District. In the Q&A portion of her presentation to 39 persons, the discussion was spirited, likely indicating she was more liberal than many of those in attendance.

Like most Democrats, she expressed a strong interest in affordability and put an emphasis on gun safety, reproductive freedom, marriage equality and voting rights. Mehta said “due process was not that important” in immigration matters by ICE and wanted enforcement to be determined locally and not according to federal standards. She pointed out that ICE doesn’t have warrants when detaining immigrants who might have entered the country illegally. Mehta said she supported the 2nd Amendment but believed that “didn’t give gun owners the right to do whatever with their guns.”

She supported the ballot issue that ends on April 21 that would allow the state legislature to redistrict the Congressional districts in Virginia, blaming President Trump for starting the redistricting movement in Texas and other states. “It is Virginia trying to level the playing field temporarily until 2030,” she explained. “Then we’ll go back to what we do now. It’s a political issue…which pains me because of our president.”

Mehta took issue with Republican claims that with a Democratic governor and both legislative bodies controlled by Democrats, taxes would have to be raised — on citizens and businesses — to pay for new programs supported by Democrats. “In my opinion we shouldn’t raise taxes on Virginians,” she said. The General Assembly meets again on April 23 to decide its new budget.

In her first legislative session earlier this year Mehta said she submitted HB1370, which was adopted by the House unanimously. It requires medical drills, like fire drills, to be mandated in institutions that serve intellectually or developmentally disabled patients. She also supported HB172, which allows a criminal defendant to withdraw from a jury-determined sentence before the trial begins. Mehta supported HB1207 that establishes a medical leave program statewide. She indicated her support was influenced by the experience of her daughter passing away from Rhett Syndrome at an early age.

At the May meeting of the BRMC Deputy County Administrator Matt Harris and Chesterfield Budget Director Gerard Durkin will discuss the FY27 county budget adopted this April. That budget goes into effect on July 1. The next meeting of the BRMC starts at 10 am on Thursday, May 7 at the Brandermill Church. Coffee, pastries and socialization there begins at 9:15 am.