Staples's website highlighted the following campaign themes (2017):

The coal ash disposal problem is one that could have been avoided by Dominion Power if they had disposed of this toxic, polluting substance the right way all along. There are now 3 million tons of coal ash, leaching arsenic and other chemicals into the Elizabeth River. The only real solution to this problem is for the utility to dig it up and transport it to a synthetically lined landfill, well inland.

This is a ticking time bomb on the banks of the Elizabeth River and the site is prone to erosion from thunderstorms, sea level rise and hurricanes. It is worth noting that the amount of coal ash that escaped and killed 60 plus miles of the Dan River is only about 1 percent of what lies in the unlined coal ash ponds located at the Chesapeake Energy Center.

The current rush to build on farmland, forest and swampland in the southern sections of our cities needs to be addressed. Currently our Southeast Virginia's rural heritage is being threatened by continued expansion, while areas in the northern urban areas of our cities sit idle. Reclamation of existing previously used lands and buildings is preferable to building projects far from existing city services. Currently, developers are overcrowding schools and roads in the farming areas while leaving abandonded areas already zoned for their projects behind. They also offer nothing to the cities to develop infrastructure. They do hand out large "campaign" contributions to politicians that seem to have no interest in creating the job opportunities needed in the urban districts.

I will introduce legislation to give incentives for urban reclamation and to stop residential development in school zones that are already above 100% capacity. Let's save our green spaces and create jobs where they are needed.

I am entering this campaign, running not only against my opponent, I am also running against "The Machine". This "Machine" has taken over Virginia politics. This "Machine" is comprised of big utilities and big developers. While the rest of Virginia is still trying to recover from the effects of the Great Recession, the corporate members of the "Machine" are being deregulated, subsidized and held unaccountable. The General Assembly members who support the "Machine" are getting tax breaks for "friends", tolls for privately constructed roadways, and the padding of their own bank accounts by the "Campaign" contributions.

I hope to be one of the legislators that helps end these "Machine" practices. Both of the major parties practice the feeding of this "Machine". When the legislators are busy currying favor with the corporations, they are not paying attention to the people. As a result, for some time now, we have been stuck in a rut. Wages are horribly stagnant, healthcare is out of reach for many, the transition to good paying tech jobs have been stymied by the utilities continued addiction to fossil fuels, while their lack of paying their fair share of taxes, makes post high school vocational education in our Community Colleges, unavailable.

I have talked to many legislators about this improper way of doing "business" and almost everyone has said "that's how it's done". I refuse to accept this, wrong is wrong and I would like to help usher in an era of honor in the government of Virginia. We deserve that, we do not deserve the dominance of the "Machine". Please, help me end it. Vote Jeff Staples for Delegate, District 77, November 8, 2017.

Recently I have been endorsed by The Clean Money Squad after taking a pledge to not take campaign money from corporations or PACS. I take this pledge very seriously, I believe keeping it, is one way that we can take back the Commonwealth for the people.

I also have been one of the featured candidates on Activate Virginia's pledge list of 59 Candidates who would refuse corporate money. They are also launching a Crowdpac fund to help these candidates out.

https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/220480/support-59-virginia-house-candidates-who-reject-energy-monopoly-money