Irene Shin

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Irene Shin

| image = 2025 State of the Commonwealth, Virginia, Irene Shin (3x4 cropped).jpg

| caption = Shin in 2025

| office = Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

| term_start = January 12, 2022

| term_end =

| predecessor = Ibraheem Samirah

| successor =

| constituency = 86th district (2022–2024)
8th district (2024–present)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|10|7}}

| birth_place = Glendale, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = University of California, Riverside (BA)

}}

Irene Shin (born October 7, 1987){{Cite web |url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0344 |title=Delegate Irene Shin}} is an American politician and previous non-profit executive who has served as the delegate of the Virginia House of Delegates since January 2022. A Democrat, she defeated incumbent Ibraheem Samirah in the Democratic primary in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.loudountimes.com/news/shin-unseats-samirah-for-democratic-nomination-in-86th-house-district-race-to-face-herndon-teacher/article_c394c2f2-c927-11eb-853c-4345482f48fb.html|title=Shin unseats Samirah for Democratic nomination in 86th House District race; to face Herndon teacher Julie Perry in November|date=June 9, 2021|access-date=December 3, 2021|last=Cline|first=Nathaniel|website=Loudoun Times-Mirror}} On June 3, 2025, Shin announced her candidacy for the special election in Virginia's 11th congressional district to replace deceased incumbent Gerry Connolly.{{cite web |url=https://www.ffxnow.com/2025/06/03/jus|title=JUST IN: Youngkin schedules special election to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly|date=June 3, 2025|access-date=June 3, 2025|last=Serre|first=Jared|website=FFX Now}}

Early life and education

The daughter of Korean immigrants, she was born in Glendale, California and raised in Greater Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/watch-now-meet-the-three-progressive-women-who-unseated-attention-grabbing-men-in-democratic-primaries/article_c448b330-cf2d-56ce-8f06-9bf82e6d718b.html|title=Meet the three progressive women who unseated attention-grabbing men in Democratic primaries|last=Wilson|first=Patrick|date=June 11, 2021|access-date=December 3, 2021|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch}} She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Riverside in 2010.{{Cite web|title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings|url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0344|access-date=2022-02-07|website=virginiageneralassembly.gov}}

Career

Shin has worked on various Democratic political campaigns, including as finance director for then-Senator Kamala Harris.{{cite web|last=O'Connell|first=Michael|date=October 21, 2021|title=Candidate Profile: Irene Shin For VA House Of Delegates|url=https://patch.com/virginia/herndon/candidate-profile-irene-shin-va-house-delegates-0|access-date=December 3, 2021|website=Patch}} Until 2024, she was the executive director of non-profit Virginia Civic Engagement Table. Shin serves on the Tysons Transportation District Service Advisory Board for Fairfax County.{{cite web|url=https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons/tysons-transportation-service-district-advisory-board|title=Tysons Transportation Service District Advisory Board|access-date=December 3, 2021|website=Fairfax County}}

Virginia House of Delegates

=2021 election=

{{see also|2021 Virginia House of Delegates election#District 86}}

She announced a primary campaign against Delegate Ibraheem Samirah for District 86 in 2021.{{cite web|last=Cline|first=Nathaniel|date=February 23, 2021|title=Herndon community organizer announces candidacy for 86th District House seat|url=https://www.loudountimes.com/news/politics/herndon-community-organizer-announces-candidacy-for-86th-district-house-seat/article_2ca37d8c-6ad8-11eb-a9f9-c78e3d037662.html|access-date=December 3, 2021|website=Loudoun Times-Mirror}} Despite challenging an incumbent Democrat, Shin received support from the Virginia Democratic Party establishment including multiple state legislators.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-house-primary-election-winners/2021/06/08/2d91f7c6-c4b7-11eb-9a8d-f95d7724967c_story.html|title=Four Democratic incumbents, one Republican ousted in Virginia House primaries|date=June 9, 2021|access-date=December 3, 2021|last=Flynn|first=Meagen|newspaper=Washington Post}} She defeated Samirah in the June primary by 230 votes and out-raised him by over $100,000.

She defeated Republican Julie Perry in the general election by a margin of 65–34%.{{cite web|url=https://wtop.com/virginia/2021/11/gop-flips-enough-seats-to-tie-va-house-of-delegates-some-races-remain-too-close-to-call/|title=GOP flips enough seats to tie Va. House of Delegates; some races remain too close to call|last=Moore|first=Jack|date=November 3, 2021|access-date=December 3, 2021|website=WTOP-FM}}

=Tenure=

On June 3, 2025, Shin announced her candidacy for the special election in Virginia's 11th congressional district to replace deceased incumbent Gerry Connolly. U.S. senator Andy Kim from New Jersey endorsed her and was featured in her opening campaign video.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/06/03/trump-turns-the-screws-00381850|title=Playbook: Trump turns the screws|last1=Blanchard|first1=Jack|last2=Burns|first2=Dasha|date=June 3, 2025|access-date=June 3, 2025|website=Politico}}

Personal life

She moved to Virginia in 2014 and lives in Herndon. She identifies as Buddhist.

Electoral history

=2021=

{{Election box begin no change

|title = Virginia's 86th House of Delegates district Democratic primary, 2021{{cite web|title=2021 June Democratic Primary|url=https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Member_House_of_Delegates_(086).html|website=Virginia Department of Elections|access-date=2021-12-03|archive-date=2021-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610063745/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20June%20Democratic%20Primary/Site/Member_House_of_Delegates_(086).html|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate =Irene Shin

| votes = 3,415

| percentage = 51.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Ibraheem Samirah (incumbent)

| votes = 3,185

| percentage = 48.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 6,600

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title = Virginia's 86th House of Delegates district, 2021{{cite web |title=Nov. 2, 2021 General Election Statewide Candidates |url=https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/candidate-list-2nov2021/ |website=Virginia Department of Elections |access-date=2021-12-03 |archive-date=2021-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182542/https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/candidate-list-2nov2021/ |url-status=dead }}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Irene Shin

| votes =19,296

| percentage =65.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Julie Perry

| votes =10,116

| percentage =34.3

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes =90

| percentage =0.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes =29,502

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

=2023=

{{Election box begin no change

|title = Virginia's 8th House of Delegates District, 2023 general election{{cite web |title=Member, House of Delegates (8th District) |url=https://enr.elections.virginia.gov/results/public/Virginia/elections/2023-Nov-Gen/ballot-items/32cb9d37-8c56-48b1-9668-994a2aa32192|publisher=elections.virginia.gov |access-date=April 1, 2024}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Irene Shin (incumbent)

| votes = 14,851

| percentage = 67.65%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Max Fisher

| votes = 7,023

| percentage = 31.99%