In November, 2006 the voters of Virginia will select 12 men and women to represent them in Congress. These 12 men and women are elected to ensure that our rights are protected. These 12 men and women are expected to do whatever is in their power to expand our opportunity to pursue the American dream. This November, we will have an opportunity to send the 12 best people we can onto the floor of Congress, and we must take these choices very seriously. Unfortunately, our Republican representatives have not been taking care of Virginia as well as they should. While I do not doubt that some of our Republican friends came to Congress with the interests of Virginia in mind, too many of them have bowed to the needs of special interests instead. Whether these special interests are pharmaceutical companies opposed to regulating crystal meth, or chemical companies who dump pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay, they have gotten to our Republican representatives and turned them against the needs of Virginians.
That is why it is time for a change. It is time for new leadership committed to representing our friends and neighbors, not to lobbyists who are unaccountable to the people of Virginia. Whether a Republican or Democrat is elected in Virginia, they should not be expected to blindly support their party in Washington. Instead, they should represent the best interests of Tidewater, Fairfax, Roanoke, Richmond, or Southwest Virginia. That is why we must restore the public trust, and send honest, progressive leaders back to Congress. People who will make Virginia their first priority.
As of now, the conventional wisdom says that every incumbent Congressman - Democrat or Republican - will hold on to his or her seat in Congress. This is not a bad thing for those of us fortunate enough to be represented by Democrats like Bobby Scott, Rick Boucher, and Jim Moran. Each of these men has fought hard for the rights and needs of the citizens in their district. But can we say the same for our Republican incumbents? Has Tom Davis really protected Northern Virginia from horrid traffic congestion? Has Jo Ann Davis really protected the Chesapeake Bay? Has Virgil Goode really protected Virginia farmers? Has Eric Cantor really protected us from predatory special interest lobbyists like Jack Abramoff? Has George Allen really protected us from out of control government spending?
Today I have a simple goal: we must defeat at least one Republican Congressional incumbent in Virginia this year. We have nine Republicans we can defeat in November. All but three of them have strong Democratic challengers right now who need our help. It would be great if all six of them could win, but right now the pundits in Washington don't think any of them has a chance. We have an opportunity to prove them wrong.
We must have a goal of at least one win, at least one victory over the Republican stranglehold on Virginia. Maybe we will get two, maybe three, maybe all six, but if we do not strongly support each and every candidate, we may not win any.
So What do We Do?
Victory in Virginia requires a unified effort, where every single Democratic challenger receives as much support as we can give. Don't just support the candidate in your district. Support every Democrat in Virginia. Educate each other on each one of these six races. Call the campaigns and ask about events in your area. If the candidate travels to an event in your area, get out e-mails to Democratic networks so the candidates can meet potential donors and volunteers. The more people who hear a candidate's name, or visit their website, the more support they will get. The more people the candidates meet, the more support they will get.
Create a network of volunteers in your area that can take trips to another district and knock on doors. Get yourself and your friends on the campaign e-mail lists and work with the Democratic leaders in your area to do virtual phonebanking outside your district later in the year. Get involved. For instance, yours truly made it possible for several hundred people to learn about Al Weed when he came to Arlington for an event and introduce him to Democrats in Northern Virginia. In this case, I was the only person who made the effort - at least initially - to e-mail Arlington Democrats. I say this not to brag, but just for you to imagine what we could accomplish if we had 100 people doing the same thing for each candidate across the Commonwealth. We would be unstoppable!
The bottom line is that it's up to each of us to send a message to Washington that Virginia is tired of being represented by men and women who care more about their party than their friends and neighbors in Virginia. This effort should start today for every committed Democrat in Virginia. If we truly want change, we can't wait for our friends and neighbors to realize that Republicans are failing them, we have to go out there and help the people who will provide a progressive alternative.
For information on how you can contact congressional candidates in Virginia, please visit these websites for House and Senate races. Thanks.
What they cannot face is truth, persistence, hard work, hope, or facts.
We have to take every fight to ever republican everywhere, and defeate the Gerrymandered Old Party in every district by pointing out how hope will always triumph over fear.
Otherwise I'm going to cry. A lot.