KEYRIS MANZANARES: Thank you for joining us, Delegate-elect Mark Downey.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the district that you represent?

MARK DOWNEY: Dr.

Mark Downey, I've been a pediatrician for the last 25 years in the Williamsburg area.

I live in York County, which is part of the 69th district, which also includes parts of James City County, parts of Newport News City and parts of Gloucester County, so kind of spread out across the peninsula there.

[I] actually live in the house I grew up in, been in the area since age two.

Married, have four kids, and they've all gone through local schools and graduated from Bruton High School like myself, and it was kind of an honor to be able to run and represent the area that I grew up [in] and had such fond memories of my childhood and raising my own kids, so.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: And I know that you've, you know, had a campaign for — three times before this.

And winning now, what does that represent to you, and, you know, what do you think it signals for the people in your district?

MARK DOWNEY: I ran because I feel like, you know, we need more people in medicine in the General Assembly, people that know all the changes that are happening in healthcare and education as a pediatrician, you know, working with families, you know, all the time regarding how they're accessing early childhood education, how they're progressing through you know, kindergarten, K through 12, and even getting people ready for, you know, college and trade schools.

So, I felt like it was kind of a natural extension of my job as a pediatrician to kind of be the voice for those that typically don't have a voice that we can, you know, get them the best opportunity to succeed going forward.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: People's concerns have sort of shifted over the years as you've been, you know, all that time campaigning.

MARK DOWNEY: Yeah.

If you could tell us a bit about that.

MARK DOWNEY: You know, a combination of things that the first few times I ran were kind of, well, the first time was before the pandemic, second time was during the pandemic.

And I think since then, and even now that more and more people are concerned about, you know, health care access, the health care costs.

So I think being as the only physician, you know, to be in the General Assembly, I've been — was able to lean into that to reassure them that, yes, we're going to, you know, have someone in the General Assembly that's really going to advocate for, you know, quality healthcare access.

And even in particular, like the vaccines, you know, talking to younger families with kids of course, that was top of mind for them.

But even some of the older population that grew up in the time when measles was around and polio was around, you know, the fact that I could say, "Hey, I want to make sure we protect our childhood vaccine program," that resonated across all age groups, all party lines.

So I think I was able to kind of reach out and reach to, you know, a whole nother block of voters that necessarily didn't — couldn't reach the first few times, so.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: What are your priorities as you get ready to be in the General Assembly?

MARK DOWNEY: You know, I'm hoping and anticipating to get on Health and Human Services Committee so we can continue to do work to make sure that people have access to high quality, affordable health care.

Kind of preparing Virginia for changes that are coming our way from the federal government, making sure that people don't lose their insurance coverage.

But also, as the pediatrician, making sure we're, you know, making sure that Virginia's still following the evidence on childhood vaccines and making sure our kids are safe in public school and staying healthy.

And then, you know, hope to get on, like, the Education Committee, potentially, to really focus on early childhood education.

My wife of 28 years is a K through five special education teacher, so really feel like we need to do more to make sure we have quality access to quality early childhood education as well.

And then, you know, growing up along the York River and the Chesapeake Bay, you know, I'd love to serve on the Ag and Agriculture and Chesapeake Bay Natural Resources Committee.

So, we'll see — we'll see what happens.

I know there are a lot of new delegates and, you know, just learning the process.

But really want to make sure that, you know, we have the best opportunity for the foundational things people need good health care, good education and, you know, affordable living and clean environment.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: You know, and you will be the only doctor in the House of Delegates.

How do you plan to really lean into that expertise?

And when it comes to health care, what's that main issue that you're really going to be looking towards and advocating for?

MARK DOWNEY: Lending my expertise on how, you know, potential legislation will impact how not just the patients, but how the providers are able to, you know, give the care that people need, how it impacts the communities, how it impacts the health system.

I think as we navigate, you know, health care in the 21st century with the advent of AI coming in, you know, making sure we're, you know, making policy that works for everyone.

And makes it more efficient, makes it more accessible.

And just making sure we don't lose sight on really focusing on the evidence and facts and making good decisions not on what's happening on social media, but what the evidence actually shows, given that expertise to really lay out how that's going to impact people.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: And as you, you know, we look towards the future, how will you measure success as a delegate?

MARK DOWNEY: Well, again, you know, I want to make sure that, you know, every, you know, I'd love to see that every child in Virginia has, you know, health care.

You know, we've made great strides, but there's still children out there that don't have health care.

And I know plenty of adults that don't have that as well.

And, you know, kind of working our way up.

If we can get all the kids covered, we have our, you know, 65 and older covered with Medicare and just kind of work, work our way into the middle and make sure everyone has health care.

Everyone's going to have to access the health care system so, whatever — my ultimate goal is make sure that every Virginian has a health care policy and don't have to rely on, you know, emergency room care, you know, for their basic needs.

And it... it's better for the patients, better for the commonwealth, it's better for the health system that people are, you know, coming in when they can have preventative health services provided and not wait until there's a crisis or a major problem.

So I know it's a big lift, but I think each day that we can work to get more people covered, more people into the system is just going to benefit not only in the short term, but in the long term benefit the commonwealth.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: Well, thank you so much for joining us today for this interview.

MARK DOWNEY: Well, thank you for having me.

And I look forward to getting to work in January.