Top Virginia delegate latest victim of post-Kirk political violence after death-threat suspect arrested

A Virginia state delegate who made waves with her upset victory in a deep-blue district faced a credible death threat on Thursday.

The Dinwiddie County Sheriff’s Office swiftly arrested a suspect accused of texting a campaign official with threats to kill Del. Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg.

A Dinwiddie officer told the Virginia Mercury that suspect Michael Ray Strawmyer, 33, of DeWitt, Virginia, was in custody by Thursday evening. He is currently being held at the Meherrin River correctional facility near South Hill.

The threat to Taylor’s life follows an increase in politically-charged violence, including the recent murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and deadly attacks on Homeland Security facilities.

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“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.”

“Earlier today, delegate Kim Taylor received a politically motivated death threat by text message to her campaign. Our campaign takes every threat seriously and this was no exception,” Washington said.

A source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital the suspect claimed Taylor was “ruining the country” while also appearing to reference Republicans writ-large.

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Virginia officials from both sides of the aisle came out in condemnation of the threat:

“Political violence is never the answer. Thank you to our law enforcement officers for your quick action and support for Kim Taylor,” said Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor.

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger – the Democratic nominee – added that she was “horrified to hear about the death threat made against Delegate Kim Taylor.”

“I am relieved to hear that the suspect is now in custody,” she added on social media. “I am grateful for our local law enforcement who worked swiftly on this case.”

Taylor, an auto body shop owner, shocked the state when she defeated now-Sen. Laschrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, by about 500 votes in 2021. She was reelected in 2023 by an even narrower 53-vote margin over Kimberly Pope Adams.

Taylor is once again running for reelection in the deep blue city that sits 15 miles south of Richmond and 60 miles north of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

During her tenure, Taylor has spearheaded anti-human trafficking bills, efforts to slash red tape and was one of five Republicans to cross the aisle on same-sex marriage legislation.