Cameran Drew, a 19-year-old student at Virginia Peninsula Community College, said his platform helped him become the youngest candidate ever elected to the Surry County Board of Supervisors.
“The biggest issues I ran on were opportunities for the youth and lowering the tax rate,” he said six days after his Nov. 4 victory.
The county’s youth, according to him, often feel overlooked and that they don’t have a voice. As for taxes, Surry’s real estate tax rate is $0.71 per $100 of assessed value, higher than Sussex County and the City of Williamsburg. Its personal property rate of $3.75 per $100 of assessed value also is higher than Williamsburg’s.
“I made a promise to the folks that I will ensure that I will do my best to lower the tax rate for them, ensure I will do my best to establish a stronger tax base for them, and bring other local businesses within the county,” he said.
He also said putting in the work is what put him over the top. Drew won with 345 votes to his opponent’s 335.
“I was out knocking on doors. I was out at different community events,” he said, adding he was at his polling precinct on election day from 6:30 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. “A lot of people were like, ‘Hey, you got my support just because you’re out here.’ I know that just showing up is a big part of the process. That is truly what I believe helped me garner those extra 10 votes that my opponent didn’t.”
Coincidentally, his opponent, 44-year-old Kenneth Bell, is a teacher at Surry High School, where Drew graduated from in 2024. Drew was in Bell’s government class and considers him a mentor. They were running to fill the remaining two years of the Dendron District seat won by Amy Drewry in 2023. Drewry resigned from the board in July of this year.
Despite Drew’s youth, he also can relate to business owners because he is one. He is the founder of Prez Productionz, an apparel and motivational speaker business that also has a philanthropic and youth mentorship arm, Produce Your Future Foundation.
Business Administration is his area of study at VPCC and hopes to continue that at Virginia State University after graduating from VPCC in spring 2026.
“I always tell people and other young folks that if you’re into politics, you’ve got to also know some business because politics is business,” he said. “It correlates so much with business, and I know that this degree will help me within my business, my foundation and my political journey.”
He first came to VPCC to play soccer, a sport he loves. However, with his studies and political commitments, he didn’t have time this year to play. He’s a huge advocate of the school and community colleges overall, especially because of the affordability.
“I love the College and I talk about (it) so much because of the fact the tuition is so much better. It’s affordable,” he said, adding he first considered attending Virginia Commonwealth University.
This semester, he is taking all his classes online, which works well with his schedule. He also likes the small community aspect at VPCC.
“A big reason why I love and I just advocate for community college, and VPCC in general, is because it reminds me of my hometown of Surry County, where everybody knows everybody,” he said. “I can have that close connection with my professor, if needed. I don’t have to wait so long to get a response.”
Professor Anthony Fotinos recalls having Drew in his Public Speaking class last year.
“A very bright, engaging and motivated young man,” Fotinos said. “I am confident his skills will continue to develop as he pursues his personal and professional goals.”
Drew had Doretha Jones for an IT class and left an impression on her.
“(He) consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership,” she said. “He was a reliable and engaged student — punctual, thorough with every assignment, and always willing to ask questions to deepen his understanding.”
His leadership and communication skills, along with his professionalism, were evident in group projects, Jones noted. She wasn’t surprised by his political victory.
“His maturity, work ethic, and drive truly set him apart,” she said.
Drew loves the environment at VPCC and said he will miss it when he graduates in spring 2026.
“But I know that I always have a family within VPCC,” he said.
His real family is important to him and in many ways is the reason behind his venture into politics. He’s a lifelong resident of Surry County, the third of five children to a father who is a commercial fisherman and a mother who is a nurse. His parents and grandparents are advocates of volunteering, which is where he gets his dedication to helping others.
“So, just seeing what they’ve done and how they’ve made an impact in people’s lives has helped me so much within my public service journey, why I’ve done so much,” he said.
Of course, his family was “ecstatic” with his victory.
“They have been so, so supportive in everything I’ve done. My mom and dad, they’ve never told us, no, we couldn’t do anything,” he said. “Of course, they express their opinions, their concerns, but they’ve always backed what we’ve done.”
Through his businesses and political work, he wants to give Surry County youth the necessary tools to succeed. It’s something dear to his heart.
“We’re a rural county, and something I saw and I felt coming out of high school was that I was a little further behind in regard to some of the extracurricular activities I could have done, or I wasn’t open to because we were such a rural county,” he said. “My goal is to let those students in Surry County, but also (in the region), know that there are opportunities for them. There are people (who) are rooting for them. They’re looking to help them.”
He has been interviewed by media outlets across the country, including the New York Times and MSNBC. Everyone asks if this venture is one-and-done.
“Honestly, this is just the beginning,” said Drew, who also is a legislative fellow with the office of State Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Henrico. “I’m just looking right now to do the work for my constituents in Surry County.”
In a campus-wide email to VPCC faculty and staff, President Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon said, “His accomplishment is a proud moment for our Gator community and a shining example of the leadership and drive that define VPCC students.”
Drew wasn’t the only VPCC graduate running for office this year.
- Democrat Jeion Ward, who represents House District 87, won reelection and will serve a two-year term. Ward, 71, was first elected to the House in 2004. District 87 consists of parts of Hampton.
- Jessica Anderson won House District 71, which consists of the City of Williamsburg and parts of New Kent County and James City County. Anderson, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican Amanda Batten.
- Republican A.C. Cordoza lost to his House seat in District 86 to Democrat Virgil Thornton Sr. In his four years in office, Cordoza passed 14 bills, including the CODI Alert (Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative), named after 4-year-old Codi Bigsby of Hampton.
“I can never be proud that my greatest accomplishment came about because of a missing child,” Cordoza said in an email to the College. “However, I am grateful that as result of the CODI Alert, over 40 children have been found and returned home safely.”
He added “it was a privilege to serve all of Virginia.”
Virginia’s 86th House District represents the City of Hampton, the City of Poquoson, and York County.
- Danny Diggs, a Republican who serves in the Virginia Senate, was not up for reelection.
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