Go Chap Petersen!

By: Lowell
Published On: 1/3/2007 7:57:41 AM

Former Delegate Chap Petersen (D-34) has made it official, he's running for State Senate against Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-34):

Dear Friend,

I am writing you to announce my candidacy for the Virginia State Senate representing the 34th Senatorial District.  The district covers Fairfax City, the Town of Vienna and a large swath of central and western Fairfax County.  The State Senate will be up for election this November.  If elected, I will represent the district in the 2008 General Assembly.

My campaign for State Senate is based on my belief in our community.  Fairfax needs the freedom to succeed with original solutions to our education, transportation and land use challenges.  We cannot succeed as a community if these choices are being dictated by the current majority in the Assembly.

My voice will be independent from the cynical "business as usual" status quo in Richmond.  I will be nobody's lobbyist but yours.

Please see the "flip" for more, including information on Chap's kickoff festivities.

Fairfax is my home and I'm proud to live and work here.  However, my goal as a State Senator will not be solely to advance the parochial interests of our community.  My time in the legislature and my travels around the state have taught me a lot about our brothers and sisters in other parts of the Commonwealth.  I plan to use that knowledge.

We can unify our state through economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and educational achievement.  Projects such as an integrated state rail system, a new university in Southside Virginia, and the protection of the Chesapeake Bay are priorities for all Virginians, regardless of where we live.  These successes will directly help our community in Fairfax.

As a graduate of our public schools and university system, I can bring this vision to Richmond as your State Senator. 

In closing, I believe that I can make a positive difference in the lives of ordinary Virginians, including those, such as the elderly, the children and the disabled, who are not usually spoken for by the lobbyists at the State Capitol.

If you give me the chance, I will be that leader.

Thank you.

Sincerely,


Chap Petersen

P.S.  We are having a kickoff reception for the State Senate campaign from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Old Town Hall in downtown Fairfax City on Sunday, January 7th.  Please arrive early for the music and free buffet dinner.  Please RSVP to events@fairfaxsenator.com or 703-349-3361.

P.P.S.  If you want to send us an "early bird" donation by check or credit card, please visit our website at www.fairfaxsenator.com/contribute.html.

I strongly urge everyone to support Chap Petersen, to give generously to his campaign, and to attend his kickoff reception/buffet.  Chap's a great guy and will make a great State Senator for Fairfax. 

Also, I would note that in this increasingly "blue" district, Chap's got a great chance to win and thereby pick up a seat for the Democrats in the State Senate.  Currently, the partisan alignment is 23-17, advantage red team.  We've got to change that, and this seat, along with another one in Fairfax (Ken Cuccinelli's seat, which Janet Oleszek will hopefully be occupying as of next January), will make it 21-19...getting really close to turning the Senate "blue."

In contrast to Chap, the ethically-challenged Devolites Davis is an embarrassment to her district given articles like this one in the Washington Post.  Go Chap!

Comments



Nice picture (Ingrid - 1/3/2007 9:28:17 AM)
of Chap and his daughter.  I endorsed Chap for Lt. Gov. in 2005 as one of only a few electeds from Arlington, and I was criticized for it!  Although I can't vote for him since I live in the 30th, I will do whatever I can to help Chap.


I'm with you, Ingrid... (Lowell - 1/3/2007 9:30:40 AM)
and will do whatever I can to help Chap get elected.


Another good step for one of our rising stars. (Rob - 1/3/2007 10:42:18 AM)
I encourage everyone to join Chap!


I must admit... (Jambon - 1/3/2007 11:44:44 AM)
that when I first heard about Chap taking on Jeannemarie I thought this would be a SURE pickup.  But, as NLS pointed out last month, this race will be no walk in the park.

You can count on me to be canvassing my butt off for Mr. Peterson this year, especially since this race in in my home turf of Oakton. 



timing (Andrea Chamblee - 1/3/2007 11:55:50 AM)
What about this event January 7th that is supposed to attract all our reporting bloggers and the politicians who love/hate them? Will it conflict?  The show is not over till 7:30.


Chap didn't coordinate this at all, BUT !! (Used2Bneutral - 1/3/2007 12:46:47 PM)
When we announced this gathering back in November we planned on starting the Blogger Gathering early as stated at 3 PM. Those whom are affected in this case that want to even car pool down to Chap's announcement around 4:45 can do that and still get back easily to the TV studio before 6:30.... the distance between the two activities is only a few miles and about 15 minutes if the parking is optimized by car pooling. The difficult parking will be at Chap's end....

I am concerned this will syphon off some electeds/candidates from the TV segment, but I really expect that those candidates or electeds who want some face time on the show will find their way back as close to 6:30 as possible.... We had planned to have a full 3 hours anyhow prior to the show so that allows some flexibility for just the local Fairfax people whom this affects at most since we are expecting participants from the whole area and state in some cases....

So, for those who need optimize their time, this may work out well..... those who stay or just arrive at the gathering during that time should still have plenty of people from all over.  In fact some of Chap's friends that would have had a hard time justifying the trip can get at least a "Two-For" all in the same afternoon.... :)



Go Chap. Thanks n/t (Andrea Chamblee - 1/3/2007 4:59:46 PM)


The rising generation (Kindler - 1/3/2007 10:16:07 PM)
Not to get too Kennedyesque about it, but I see much of the renewed strength of the progressive movement coming from the rising of a new generation of leaders -- from Spitzer to Obama to Patrick to Fenty and many others, bringing in a lot of new energy, spirit and ideas.

Chap is one of the early leaders of this generation in Virginia and I'm glad to see him getting back into the mix.  I'll heartily support him over Lady Macb...uh, I mean, Jeannemarie.