By Brandy Bailey, Contributor ElectWomen Magazine

If you live in Newport News or James City Virginia there’s a good chance that Robin Abbott will be knocking on your door very soon.  Robin is the Democratic candidate running for the House of Delegates in the 93^rd district.

Robin decided to run for the office when another candidate in the race whom she admired and respected dropped out.  She felt that the people of the 93^rd district had gone unheard for far to long and that it was time that their voices were heard; so she declared her candidacy.  Her opponenet is a Republican who has held the office for nearly 22 years and has never faced a challenge from a Democratic opponent throughout that time.

This is Robin’s first run for elected office and according to her the response has been wonderful and heart warming.  “It has been a great opportunity to go out and meet neighbors and constituents and learn about what is important to them; the economy, affordable healthcare, and quality public school education for children.”  Abbott recalls a man she met while canvassing her district who told her, “We’ve been waiting a long time for you to come to our door.”

By trade Robin is a consumer advocate and attorney.  She spent nearly 30 years as a paralegal, and went to law school when she was 45.  She discovered her passion for wanting to give back and help others in 1992 when she suffered a serious illness that was almost fatal.  During that time the members of her neighborhood cooked meals for her family every night and raised money to help cover mounting medical costs.  After that experience she made a commitment to give back to the community that had taken such good care of her and her family. 

Robin’s four children, all boys, are fully-grown.  She and her husband practice law together.  Since declaring her candidacy her husband has taken on much of the responsibility of the practice so the she can focus on her campaign.  In 1980, Robin’s son Nicholas was diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy.  When doctors told Robin that Nicholas would never walk and was incapable of learning, she refused to passively accept this conclusion.  She fought for and received physical, occupational, and speech therapy and other services through the public schools for her son.  Her tenacity paid off when Nicholas was five years old and he took his first steps. 

When asked, what would you like people to know about Robin Abbott, she said, “As a consumer rights advocate and attorney, I have made it my life’s work to protect the most vulnerable in our community from losing their homes, their automobiles and their good credit standing at the hands of those seeking to exploit them. As the Delegate from the 93rd District, I will fight for you and your families in Richmond with the same spirit, making sure that everyone in our community is given a voice.”

The general election will be held November 3^rd.  If you would like to learn more about Robin Abbott or to contribute to her campaign, you can visit her website at www.robinabbott.com.