5th District Trip Report: Al Weed is looking strong!

So, what did we find? 

Well, if current Congressman Virgil Goode was a popular incumbent Republican, you wouldn+óGé¼Gäót know it by traveling here. 

Starting on Friday morning, we headed to Charlottesville where we went to Al Weed+óGé¼Gäós office.  Al has a large, committed staff that is well-organized and intelligent.  When we talked to Al, we could tell he was working his tail off to get his message out to the folks of the 5th District, and he had learned a lot from his first Congressional campaign in 2004.  We left Al+óGé¼Gäós office with materials and road signs, and went off to hand out flyers in downtown Charlottesville. 

Later that afternoon, we drove down to Bedford City, 90 minutes to the southwest, where we would campaign for the next day and a half.  During our stay, we were graciously hosted by Sarah Braaten; Chair of the Bedford City Democratic Committee.  Sarah and her husband were two of the wisest, most insightful people I have met in my experience campaigning.  Perhaps this has to do with their being removed from all the Washington rhetoric, since they were able to articulate complex issues with relative ease.  In essence, they reminded me of why I am a Democrat. 

Young Dems, Sharon and Dan from Arlington Young Democrats, with Sarah Braaten, Chair of the Bedford City Democratic Committee.
During our stay in Bedford City, we canvassed dozens of homes, put Weed signs along roadsides, and represented the Weed campaign at a Bluegrass Festival in Sedalia.  We thought we were in the heart of +óGé¼+ôRed+óGé¼-¥ America, but when we started to canvass, we found instead that Bedford City (where Bush won by 17 points in 2004) and Bedford County (where Bush won by 36 points in 2004) seemed anything but hard-core conservative.  In fact, despite getting crushed overall in Bedford County last year, Tim Kaine actually won Bedford City by 15 votes (with a healthy 50% turnout +óGé¼GÇ£ just a tad higher than the 48.5% overall turnout in Bedford County).

Sharon shows her support for Al Weed at the Bluegrass Festival in Sedalia

Throughout our experience, we found that the major issues people are concerned about are jobs, immigration, Iraq, and property taxes.  We did find that social issues like abortion and gay marriage were still considered important, however, even those we talked to expressing concern over these issues were still not enthused about Virgil Goode.

Although our main focus on the trip was informing voters about Al Weed, we also found a lot of enthusiasm for Jim Webb.  Conversely, there was little enthusiasm for George +óGé¼+ôI had my gestation in Iowa+óGé¼-¥ Allen. 

As for Virgil Goode, he has been able to coast by for years based on his name. Virgil Goode+óGé¼Gäós family is a political institution in the 5th District (there is even a town called +óGé¼+ôGoode+óGé¼-¥ in Bedford County). He won as a Democrat in 1996 and 1998, an independent in 2000, and as a Republican ever since.  However Virgil+óGé¼Gäós role in the MZM bribery scandal may turn his name into a liability.  According to those we talked to in the District, Virgil+óGé¼Gäós connection with now jailed ex-MZM lobbyist Mitchell Wade has been getting a lot of coverage.  Apparently, Goode took $80,000 in campaign contributions, later proved to be illegal.  Although it hasn+óGé¼Gäót been proven whether or not Goode knew the contributions were against the law, he nevertheless had secured a $9 million contract for MZM in the district.  The problem was that the contract was supposed to lead to 300 jobs, and instead came up over 250 jobs short.  Not only has this hurt Goode on a local level, his association with Mitchell Wade has raised concerns Nationally after Wade was convicted and jailed due to his association with the million dollar bribery of disgraced ex-Congressman Randy +óGé¼+ôDuke+óGé¼-¥ Cunningham (who himself was sentenced to 8 years in prison for taking the bribe).  MZM has also hurt Katherine Harris in Florida, who is losing to incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson by 27 points (with Nelson at 60% even though he barely got over 50% of the vote in 2000).

In conclusion, the message of the two candidates in the 5th District is clear:

Al Weed was a Green Beret in Vietnam with nearly four decades of military experience, and three decades living in the 5th District as a farmer and local activist.  Weed touts economic revival through a Southside University, providing universal health care, and promoting bio-fuels as a way to help transition the struggling tobacco-dependent economy of South-Central Virginia.

Virgil Goode wants more of the same, including more lost jobs, rising costs for health care and energy, and continued empty promises to his constituents in need.

If I were Virgil Goode, I+óGé¼Gäód be worried.

For more information on Al Weed - Click here. 
For more information on Virgil Goode - Click here

Comments