By Taylor Boyd
Incumbent Del. Leslie “Les” Adams, R-Chatham, is seeking reelection as Virginia’s 16th District House of Delegates representative against Martinsville native Chance Trevillian, a Democrat.
Adams, who has served in this position since 2014, said the biggest challenge facing the state and the district is the need to improve the economic climate to provide good jobs and support the growth of small businesses.
“Agricultural development is central to that concern, as is quality education for our students and the advancement of our region overall,” he said.
If reelected, Adams, 47, said he will continue to legislate in a manner that will allow Virginia to return to its status as the best state to do business in, while also ensuring regional interests like agriculture and small business development are protected.
“The low taxes and mostly sensible regulations that characterized Virginia’s governance when Republicans held the majority in the General Assembly have helped to enhance the increase of jobs and improved economy here in Southside, are top priorities for my service,” he said.
He also believes policies affecting the strength of families and family conservation is another key issue that needs to be addressed.
“I will stand against proposals to weaken parental influence, limit faith-based initiatives, or disincentivize traditional marriage,” he said, adding that he will advocate and advance policies that encourage fatherhood and build respectable consensus.
He believes the need to further address the country-wide addiction crisis and the rising crime rates is another matter that requires significant attention. He said that he will “concurrently oppose policies that incentivize addiction and vice.”
Adams also intends to continue pressing for a greater share of state funding for regional schools beyond what is provided in the local composite index.
“I also will seek to maintain and further develop initiatives to expand broadband internet service here, including programs to promote the availability of broadband capacity to unserved areas by electric and power utilities,” he added.
Adams said representing the views and best interests of 16th District residents is the primary objective of his service in the General Assembly.
“Therefore, citizen involvement is at the heart of every decision made for each vote and action taken,” he said, adding constituents are invited to share their opinions with him on the various social media platforms he has created and made available.
Adams also holds transparency as a key part of his role, and noted that is why he has kept a legislative office in the district for his entire tenue.
He provides written weekly updates during legislative session, and has them sent to the local media for publication. Residents also may subscribe to the emailed updates.
“I also provide links at the website to the legislature and a special session link where all votes and arguments can be witnessed live or by recording,” he said.
Since being elected, Adams said he has been effective in passing bills into law, including several proposals written from ideas brought to him by constituents and small businesses, despite the governor being a Democrat during his entire tenure.
“Nevertheless, I have succeeded in improving the law across numerous sectors, including measures to help protect religious liberty, benefit small businesses, strengthen regional agriculture, and provide taxpayer relief,” he said.
Adams graduated from Liberty University and received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He served as the Judicial Law Clerk for the Danville Circuit Court before joining the Pittsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office in 2002.
He entered the private practice of law in 2011 with the purchase of Adams and Fisk, PLC, and returned to Pittsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office in 2020 as a Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Adams has served as President of the Pittsylvania County Bar Association, Circuit Representative for the Young Lawyers Conference of the Virginia State Bar, and sits on the House Courts of Justice Committee as a citizen-legislator.
Adams’s wife, Melanie, is a pharmacist, and the couple have two sons – Roger and Grant.
In his spare time, Adams serves as deacon at the Chatham Baptist Church and is an active member of the Chatham Rotary Club. He also enjoys playing sports, attending college games with his sons, and reading about history.
