Next to Barack Obama's victory on November 4, Tom Perriello's upset of Virgil Goode definitely ranks as one of my favorite memories of 2008. I can't say enough great things about my friend Tom, so I won't. Instead, I'll just urge everyone to celebrate his great victory, and also to NEVER utter the words "Republican incumbent X can't be beaten" again. Thanks, and go Tom! :)
Congressman-elect Tom Perriello Reaffirmed Winner after 5th District RecountDecember 17, 2008-Ivy, VA-After an extensive, bipartisan vote canvass and then an official district-wide recount, a three-judge panel reaffirmed today that Congressman-elect Tom Perriello won the fifth district race. Perriello will represent Virginia's Fifth District in the 111th Congress, and will be sworn in on January 6th, 2009. Congressman-elect Perriello released the following statement:
"I'm gratified that after an exhaustive democratic process, we now can say with certainty that this election is over, and the fifth district has asked me to fight for jobs and economic relief in Washington. I am humbled that the voters have entrusted me with this sacred duty, and I am eager to represent the entire district as we work together to put our communities back on the path to economic revival."
"When people ask how we were able to come from 34-points behind to win in a district that John McCain carried, I tell them of our commitment to a people-powered campaign, fueled by thousands of individuals and the largest grassroots network the district has ever seen. We showed with this historic upset that people are ready to trade in the old politics of fear and division for a new style of positive, solutions-oriented public service."
"I thank the hundreds of elected officials and volunteers from both sides who put in overtime this holiday season to ensure an accurate final count. I am disappointed that the court denied my request to count the votes of those brave men and women serving overseas that arrived after the deadline, even though it would not have altered the outcome. I pledge that standing up for our servicemen and women overseas and our veterans as they return home will always be a priority for me. Again, I want to thank all of those who worked tirelessly over the past few days and weeks to ensure a fair and accurate vote count."
"As I first declared in Martinsville after the vote canvass was completed last month, my double-shift working for the people of the fifth district is well underway. Through my on-going listening tour of the district, our Shop the Fifth program, and our transition team, we have not changed our pace or our focus on economic recovery. We face immense challenges in our district and our nation, but the urgency of this moment also presents us with an opportunity to invest in our infrastructure, the new energy economy, and America's new competitive advantage. We are not Democrats or Republicans in this crisis, but Americans, with a common struggle and a common future, and I promise to work a double shift every day for the good of our district."
WAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! (0.00 / 0) [delete comment]Couldn't happen to a nicer man, staff, or district (if I do say so myself!) :)
by: faithfull @ Wed Dec 17, 2008 at 5:54:13 PM EST
You can say that again. :)
The mark of an arrogant politician is his sense of entitlement. He owns this seat -- it is his divine right -- how could he surrender it?
Goode riddance!
Wait a minute, since January 2000, when Goode left the Democratic Party? The 2nd and 4th were Democratic that recently? I thought we'd been languishing longer than that.