Ed's campaign website highlights the following issues:

Virginia is blessed with fertile lands, vast natural resources and an abundance of energy. Yet, our agricultural exports have fallen from their record highs in 2014, and the cost of electricity rose by more than 30% over the last decade. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to grow and expand our agriculture industry, balance the responsible stewardship of our environment with our economic needs and make sure Virginians have access to affordable, reliable energy.
I will champion agriculture – Virginia's first industry – and redouble efforts to expand exports and open new markets for Virginia products. I will fight back against onerous federal actions, rules and regulations that limit Virginia's ability to safely utilize our bountiful natural resources. I will work with the Trump Administration and our Republican majorities in Congress to expand the production of safe, reliable and affordable energy in the Commonwealth, including the development of oil and natural gas reserves off our deep sea coast and stopping the regulatory assault on our coal sector.

From early childhood education to high school to college, Virginia needs a strong education system that gives our children every opportunity to succeed. However, not enough money makes it to the classroom, teachers are burdened by mandates and we're not adequately measuring student progress. Even worse, some children lack the opportunities they deserve and are forced into failing schools just because of their zip code. And too many of our young people are entering the workforce without the skills they need to get a good paying job. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to make sure that all students, no matter where they live, have the opportunity they deserve and that our high school and college graduates are career-ready on day one.
I will put forward student-centered policies by supporting teachers, parents and community leaders to ensure that our children develop to their full potential. We will channel more money into the classroom, reform the SOLs to give teachers more flexibility and improve how we measure student progress. I will tackle the challenge of failing schools head on and meet our constitutional responsibility to ensure that every child, in every community, has access to a high-quality, safe, public education. I will work with local educators, colleges and universities, and businesses to reform and better align our workforce development system with the demands of the marketplace of today and the future.

Too often, governments forget that they work for we the people. State government has grown too unwieldy, too impersonal and too inefficient. We have thousands of dedicated state employees who work hard every day to serve us, but they are held back by red tape. Government too often fails to provide transparent and consistent access to information that affects our daily lives. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to bring state government into the 21st century by focusing on service and savings.
I will lead a transparent, accountable, and ethical government worthy of Virginia. I will direct state agencies to find efficiencies and be more effective, eliminate waste and make it easier for Virginians to interact with their government by reducing paperwork and upgrading technology. Our state employees will be empowered to make the lives of their fellow citizens easier. We will give citizens of the Commonwealth access to the information we deserve, and empower us to hold our government accountable.

A healthy Virginia is vital for our economy to grow and prosper. We have a healthcare system that is too costly, and people have to make healthcare decisions based on bureaucracy rather than the benefit. Insurance rates under the Affordable Care Act are rising by more than 16 percent this year. It's a feeling many of us have experienced: We're anxious about getting the healthcare we know we need because we don't know how much it will cost. The cost of Virginia's healthcare safety net programs are also rising rapidly. Every dollar put into these programs is a dollar we can't spend on K-12 or higher education or other important priorities. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to get costs under control, give consumers more choices and reform our safety net programs so we can take care of those who need the most help in a cost effective manner.
I will work to reduce healthcare costs and make sure patients are in charge of healthcare decisions. I will make sure every dollar we put into the system is accountable to outcomes that will improve health and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. We will seek innovative solutions that expand access to primary healthcare services and utilize technology to make our healthcare system smarter. We will reform our safety net programs to reduce fraud and inefficiencies so we can control costs. We can make Virginia a healthier place to live, care for our neighbors in need, and strengthen our economy.

The Virginia economy is facing significant challenges. Our economic growth rate last year was two percent. That was also the first time in five years it was above one percent. Worse, in 2014, our growth was 0.2%, and we were 48th out of 50 states in economic growth. That's simply unacceptable. Our lack of economic progress has led to two budget shortfalls totaling over $2 billion, meaning smaller investments in core priorities. Our economic development programs are in disarray and badly in need of reform. The principal challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to get Virginia growing again.
With our vast natural resources, our fertile lands, our port, our people, our great public and private colleges and universities, our natural beauty and historic landmarks—and our location—Virginia should be in the top five states when it comes to economic growth. And we can be, with the right policies. I will lay out a broad, substantive plan to get our economy back on track, foster private-sector job creation, and create opportunities for all of us. These policies will be based on Constitutional principles of limited, effective government, lower taxes, fewer regulations, and less government spending and interference in the private sector. We need to be a more business friendly state and more competitive with our neighbors. The Republican Party of Virginia Creed is exactly right: “The free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice” ever devised. We need to unleash free enterprise in our Commonwealth and make it easier to open new businesses and expand existing ones.

Virginia is facing an addiction crisis. There were over 1,000 drug-related deaths in Virginia last year, and drug overdoses surpassed both motor-vehicle related fatalities and gun-related fatalities as the number one cause of unnatural death in 2013. Our mental and behavioral healthcare safety net is inadequate, falling far short of what our most vulnerable citizens deserve. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to strengthen our mental and behavioral health services and address the crisis of drug addiction that is sweeping across every community in every region of our great Commonwealth.
I will improve our mental healthcare system to ensure that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive the care and treatment they deserve in the least restrictive settings possible. I will work with healthcare and law enforcement experts to develop a comprehensive solution that addresses all facets of the addiction crisis, including prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. If we do this right, we can not only save lives, but taxpayer dollars as well.

Virginians must feel safe in our homes, businesses, schools, public gathering places and on our roads and highways. Our state police force is dwindling in numbers and being stretched thin, while local law enforcement agencies are being asked to do more with less. Virginia, as history has tragically demonstrated, is also a prime target for those who want to attack America. Many Virginians are apprehensive about the relationship between communities and law enforcement. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to find the resources necessary to meet the needs of law enforcement, keep our Commonwealth safe from dangerous threats, and ensure a sense of security, fairness and trust in law enforcement.
Providing for public safety is an essential role of government. You shouldn't have to live in a gated community to have a sense of security. By supporting pro-growth and fiscally responsible economic policies, I will make sure state government can continue to invest in public safety, including funding to recruit and retain law enforcement personnel. I will coordinate efforts between the federal government, state and local law enforcement to eliminate dangerous threats. I will dedicate myself to reducing crime and improving Virginians' experiences with the criminal justice system. If we do this, we can support the brave people who selflessly serve us every day, improve trust between communities and law enforcement and, most importantly, make the Commonwealth safer.

We are proud to be home to nearly 800,000 veterans and their families. Our veterans and active duty military personnel contribute to Virginia and our nation in immeasurable ways. Our state government must serve those who have served our country, and continue to serve, with distinction and honor. But too often our veterans leave military service unable to get the education, healthcare, or job opportunities they deserve. Many cannot even find a place to live. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to provide our veterans with the services, resources and opportunities they earned in serving our nation.
As the son of two parents laid to rest in a veteran’s cemetery, I will make sure our veterans, National Guard, and active duty military personnel stationed in the Commonwealth have resources and support that are second-to-none. Virginia can and should continue to be the most military-friendly and veteran-friendly state in the nation. We will meet their healthcare needs, provide educational opportunities and make sure they have the resources they need to find a good job. In doing so, we will serve our veterans in a manner worthy of their sacrifices for our country.

Ed knows that it is time to get Virginia growing again with sweeping policy reforms that cover taxes, regulation, education, transportation, healthcare and public safety. In the months ahead, Ed will put forward a serious and substantive vision for Virginia to create jobs, raise take-home pay and help people lift themselves out of poverty.
In order to grow our economy and create better jobs, Virginia needs to modernize our tax code – and more importantly we need tax relief. Virginia ranks 33rd in the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index. Virginia can and should do better.
Ed is committed to reforming and cutting taxes. Our current system is archaic and not suited to the realities of the Virginia economy.

In addition to these policy development working groups, I will pursue policies consistent with our founders' vision of government designed to check excessive federal overreach and protect individual liberty. Unfortunately today, the government is growing too big, our culture is coarsening and the timeless, conservative principles on which our nation was founded are under attack. The challenge for Virginia's next governor will be to reject federal overreach, secure and strengthen the Second Amendment, and protect innocent human life.
I will stand up for Virginia’s role in our federal system of government, and be a check on Washington when it overreaches or tries to exercise power that is rightly reserved for the states. I will protect an individual's Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, standing with our Republican-led General Assembly to defend our Second Amendment rights. I am pro-life and would work to foster a culture that respects human life. I support education and healthcare to help women avoid unplanned pregnancies, will advocate for adoption and foster care, and believe we must ensure every woman has the opportunity to choose life. By taking this approach, we can not only defend but advance our shared principles.