Shane Boswell Runs for Delegate with a Fix-It Mentality and a Focus on Community

Shane Boswell, a resident of Berryville and a Navy veteran, says he’s running for Delegate in Virginia’s 31st District because things are broken—and he’s wants to fix them.

“I’ve made a career out of fixing things that are broken,” Boswell said during a recent interview at the Royal Examiner studio. “We’re broken at the national level, but even at the state level, we’re struggling to have real conversations.”

Boswell, who’s running as a Democrat, hopes to represent the people of Clarke, Warren, and parts of Frederick counties, including Stephens City. He’s challenging current Delegate Delores Oates and says the difference between them comes down to visibility and involvement.

“It’s budget season, and I’ve been to eight school board meetings and six county board meetings in the last few weeks,” Boswell explained. “People keep saying, ‘We don’t know what’s coming from the state.’ It’s hard for schools and counties to plan without that information.”

According to Boswell, this uncertainty affects teacher hiring and community trust. He says he hasn’t seen Oates at those local meetings, while he’s made a point of showing up and listening.

A Background in Problem-Solving

Boswell grew up in Virginia, where his parents ran a small business and later moved the family to a farm. That experience taught him about hard work, rural life, and the challenges facing small-town economies. After high school—and inspired in part by the events of 9/11—he joined the Navy.

Although he hoped to be a journalist, he ended up working in aviation maintenance, including drone technology. After leaving the military to focus on family life, he worked in field service, eventually moving into training and safety management in the data center industry.

Today, he commutes daily over the mountain from Berryville to Herndon and is involved in local elections as an officer of elections. “Every time I come back into the valley, I feel at home,” he said. “This is where my kids are growing up. I want them to be able to afford to live here too.”

Local Issues, Real Solutions

Boswell is focused on key issues that affect daily life: school funding, teacher retention, infrastructure, and local job growth. He believes that state government can do more to help rural areas attract and keep good teachers, even if they can’t match big-city salaries.

“We can’t pay like Loudoun County, but we can find ways to help people live and work here,” Boswell said, emphasizing the need for strong community support for educators.

“Programs like the Virginia Literacy Act show that when we give schools the right tools, teachers succeed—and our kids succeed. We’ve seen a big drop in the number of students reading below grade level. That kind of support makes a real difference.”

He also pointed to the high cost of deferring infrastructure repairs, comparing state road maintenance to basic home upkeep. “The longer we wait, the more expensive it becomes,” he said, noting the value of investments made through the federal Build Back Better Act.

Veterans, Trades, and the Next Generation

A proud veteran, Boswell is especially focused on protecting programs like Medicare and supporting those with disabilities. He says these programs are essential to families and also help keep rural hospitals open.

“We can’t afford to let these safety nets fail,” he said. “They worked for me when I needed them, and they should be there for others too.”

He also wants to see more robust career training programs return to schools. “I learned in high school that I didn’t want to lay brick for a living,” he said with a laugh, “but we need to expose students to all kinds of options—especially trade careers.”

A Ground Game Focused on Listening

Boswell has already knocked on hundreds of doors and plans to reach thousands more before November’s general election. He says he’s not running just to promote his ideas—he wants to represent the people’s voices.

“We have so much more in common than we realize,” he said. “We all want good schools, decent roads, and a community where our kids can grow up and stay. I’m not running on slogans. I’m running to serve.”

Although Boswell won’t face a primary challenger in June, he encourages everyone to stay engaged in the upcoming elections. “No matter who you support, be part of the process,” he said. “Because nothing changes if we don’t show up.”

For more information on Shane Boswell’s campaign, visit shaneboswellforvirginia.org.