Virginia Delegate Kim Taylor Threat Prompts Arrest in Rising Political Violence
A Dinwiddie County suspect is in custody after a death-threat text to Del. Kim Taylor, as lawmakers condemn violence amid a spate of politically charged incidents.
A Virginia state delegate who scored an upset victory in a deep-blue district faced a credible death threat on Thursday, and authorities quickly arrested a suspect in Dinwiddie County. Del. Kim Taylor, a Republican representing Petersburg, was alerted to the threat by text message, according to law enforcement officials.
The Dinwiddie County Sheriff's Office said the suspect, Michael Ray Strawmeyer, 33, of DeWitt, Virginia, was in custody by Thursday evening and is being held at the Meherrin River correctional facility near South Hill. A Dinwiddie officer told the Virginia Mercury that investigators were treating the matter as a potential threat to a public official, with detectives reviewing text messages and other communications as the case develops.
“I’m safe and doing well,” Taylor said late Thursday. “Grateful for law enforcement’s swift action.” Campaign spokesperson Jacklyn Washington added that “no threat will distract her from the work she was elected to do.” A source familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital that the suspect claimed Taylor was “ruining the country” and appeared to reference Republicans writ-large.
Virginia officials from both sides of the aisle condemned the threat. “Political violence is never the answer. Thank you to our law enforcement officers for your quick action,” said Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, said she was horrified by the threat and praised the swift response by authorities.
Taylor, whose district sits in Dinwiddie County about 15 miles south of Richmond and roughly 60 miles north of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., first drew attention with a 2021 upset over now-Sen. Laschrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, by about 500 votes. She was reelected in 2023 by a margin of 53 votes over Kimberly Pope Adams and is once again seeking reelection in the same district.
During her tenure, Taylor has spearheaded anti-human trafficking bills, worked to slash red tape, and was one of five Republicans to cross the aisle on same-sex marriage legislation.
Her campaign and office say the threats will not deter her from the work on public safety, economic development, and social issues.
The investigation continues as local authorities coordinate with state investigators to determine whether the threat was part of a broader pattern of political intimidation. The case highlights ongoing concerns about safety for elected officials in Virginia amid a national climate of political violence.
The threat comes as political violence has drawn renewed attention in national discussions, with observers noting a series of high-profile incidents that prodded lawmakers to reevaluate security measures for elected officials. Authorities urged anyone with information related to the incident to contact local investigators as the case proceeds.