I take issue with the page 3 sub-headline "Primary voters select candidates with gender and racial diversity but lacking in regional balance." (Connection, June 16-22, 2021).

Really?

Terry McAuliffe is a white male. Mark Herring is a white male.

Only Hala Ayala -- 1 of the 3 candidates on the Democratic statewide ticket -- is a woman of color.

How do you see that as selecting a gender- and racially-diverse set of candidates?

The Republican candidates also have white males on their ticket for Governor and Attorney General, and a woman of color for Lt. Governor. This basically takes gender and race completely out of the equation for this fall's election. Both tickets are equally gender-diverse and racially-diverse.

Debra Steppel

Reston