Babur Lateef

Northern Virginia accounts for 40% of the state’s revenue. With federal cuts looming, thousands of NoVa jobs are on the line. Our communities are at risk of bottoming out, and Dr. Lateef is the only Lt. Governor candidate who has been elected in NoVa. He currently represents about a half-million constituents in a locality three times the size of a state Senate district, and he’s received more votes than any other candidate in the race. Dr. Babur Lateef understands the issues facing our NoVa communities that support funding for programs across Virginia.

Every year, Virginia runs a multi-billion-dollar surplus. Meanwhile, the task of funding schools falls in the hands of local governments who rely on real estate and personal property taxes. Despite the soaring surpluses, Virginia’s General Assembly has continually pushed for predatory gambling to bolster the state’s coffers through measures like a Tysons casino and so-called “skill game” machines in corner stores. With the state running massive surpluses each year, it’s clear that Virginians don’t need tax revenue from predatory gambling operations in grocery stores or near our children’s schools. We also don’t need a casino that’s opposed by the local community. Babur is the only elected Lt. Governor candidate who would vote NO on a NoVa casino and predatory gambling.

As a medical doctor with experience delivering babies in high-risk pregnancies, Babur knows the stakes are high for reproductive freedom. As Lt. Governor, he would support the constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive healthcare access for all Virginians. Babur is a longtime eye surgeon and one of the few in the region who accepts all Medicaid patients. With high costs of living, Babur will fight to expand Medicaid coverage for hardworking Virginians so we can get the healthcare we need before emergencies happen.

The next generation of Virginians are at a crisis point: mental health issues are skyrocketing, social media addiction plagues our schools, and our kids’ chances of owning a home are more daunting than ever before. As Chairman of Prince William County’s School Board, Babur tackled the youth mental health crisis with Virginia’s first pilot program for tele-mental healthcare access. The program costs roughly $15 per student and had a dramatic impact, significantly reducing chronic absenteeism, depression, and anxiety. As Lt. Governor, Babur would support legislation scaling up programs like this so our kids can thrive at school.

We must restore the opportunity for home ownership to young people, and Babur will make this a top priority. The median first-time homebuyer has reached an all-time high age of 38 years old, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report. Virginia’s next Lt. Governor will serve from 2026-2030. During those four years, a top priority for Babur will be to deliver “Home by 30” opportunities and substantially increase home ownership for all Virginians. Hardworking families deserve the opportunity to own their own home by age 30, and we must make this a reality by 2030. Previous generations of Americans could purchase their own home by the age of 30. The recent trend has caused delays for people to have children, build equity, and be healthy.