37 Facts About Danica Roem

Danica Anthony Roem is an American journalist and politician who has served in the Virginia Senate since 2024.

Danica Roem was born at Prince William Hospital and raised in Manassas, Virginia, the child of Marian and John Paul Danica Roem.

Danica Roem's father died by suicide when she was three years old, and her maternal grandfather, Anthony Oliveto, acted as a father figure.

Danica Roem then attended Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Virginia, and then went to her aunt and uncle's alma mater, St Bonaventure University in St Bonaventure, New York, to pursue journalism.

Danica Roem's professors described her as tenacious, persistent, and someone who worked for those whose voices were often ignored.

Danica Roem has stated that her role models growing up were Senator Chuck Colgan and Delegate Harry Parrish because, although they were affiliated with a party, they had more independent ideologies.

Danica Roem was a journalist for ten and a half years.

Danica Roem was lead reporter for the Gainesville Times and Prince William Times.

Danica Roem then went to work as a news editor in August 2015 at the Montgomery County Sentinel in Rockville, Maryland, where she was employed until December 2016.

Danica Roem said her journalism career has given her a wide knowledge of local policy issues.

Danica Roem was recruited to run for the Virginia House of Delegates by her local Democratic Party and specifically Delegate Rip Sullivan, the recruiting chair for the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.

In 2017, a first-time candidate, Danica Roem challenged Republican Bob Marshall, who was a 13-term incumbent representative.

Danica Roem was endorsed by the Victory Fund, EMILY's List, Run for Something, Virginia's List, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and was able to raise $500,000 in donations, much of it coming from LGBTQ+ supporters and other national allies, out raising her opponent 3-to-1.

Danica Roem's campaign knocked on more than 75,000 doors in a district with only 52,471 voters.

Danica Roem was attacked by a conversion therapy advocate, who stated that Roem was trans because her father committed suicide and her grandfather failed to serve as an adequate role model for her.

Danica Roem stated that she never wanted the focus to be about her gender, and instead focused mainly on traffic issues in the district that she had faced.

Danica Roem ran as a Democrat in the 2017 election for the 13th District of the Virginia House of Delegates against Republican incumbent Bob Marshall, who had held the office for the previous 25 years.

Danica Roem received endorsements from the Victory Fund and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Danica Roem's platform was based on economic and transportation issues, centered on a promise to fix Virginia State Route 28.

In July 2017, following President Donald Trump's announcement of a ban on transgender people serving in the US military, Danica Roem received a $50,000 donation from Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele.

In September 2017, Danica Roem posted a web video entitled "Inspire", criticizing her opponent's refusal to debate her or to refer to her as a woman.

In October 2017, Danica Roem's campaign received reports that residents of her district were receiving anti-transgender robocalls.

Danica Roem said the calls were being made by the American Principles Project, which has circulated a petition to "Stop Transgender Medical Experimentation on Children".

Also in October 2017, the Republican Party of Virginia mailed campaign fliers attacking comments Danica Roem made during a September radio interview.

Danica Roem campaigned heavily on her vote to expand Virginia's Medicaid program and efforts to reduce traffic on the congested Route 28.

On November 5,2019, Danica Roem defeated McGinn, becoming the first openly transgender state legislator to be re-elected.

Danica Roem faced Republican challenger Christopher Stone in the 2021 Virginia House of Delegates election.

Danica Roem ran as the Democratic candidate for Senate District 30 in the 2023 elections against Republican candidate Bill Woolf.

Danica Roem is a member of the Communications, Technology, and Innovation Committee and serves as the Chair of the Communications Subcommittee.

Additionally, Danica Roem serves as a member in both the Transportation Innovation and General Topics Subcommittee and Transportation Systems Subcommittee in the Transportation Committee.

Danica Roem was a vocalist in the thrash metal band Cab Ride Home.

Danica Roem first got interested in metal music in high school, and viewed metal music as her rebellion.

Danica Roem's band has performed 120 shows and has toured in the United Kingdom.

Danica Roem has a boyfriend and a daughter, but she has stated that she does not discuss them often because she does not want them to face the same discrimination that she has faced.

Danica Roem has been active in her stepdaughter's public school board.

In 2012, Danica Roem started her transition and on December 3,2013, she began hormone replacement therapy.

Danica Roem won her university's gender buster award, and received negative responses due to it in her school's student newspaper.