Accompanied by his mother, his wife, Pam, and daughter Aubrey, he told the crowd that he had asked his son not to miss class at William and Mary today because he wanted him to get his full money's worth of that tuition cost. An appropriate segue for later comments in his extemporaneous and "from the heart" twelve minute address.
Dr. Northam described his life-long connection to the Eastern Shore. Born and raised there, he left for Virginia Military Institute after graduating from Onancock High School. He went on to attend Eastern Virginia Medical School and served 11 years as a physician in the United States Army.
Outlining his concerns for his constituency, he discussed the importance of electric rates, and funding for broadband. He pointed out that he is an advocate for children, believing that "...we are here for our kids."
Here he spoke of an experience in Landstuhl, Germany when he was working in an Army hospital during the First Gulf War. A soldier came in on a stretcher who had been thrown from a deuce and a half and suffered a broken leg and facial and scalp abrasions. In an effort to put her at ease, he began talking with her and, among the subjects, asked her where she was from. She told him that she was from Virginia. Responding to his query for a more specific location she said that it was a small place and that he had probably never heard of it...Keller. Grinning, he told of how nice it was to be able to establish an easy rapport with a fellow Eastern Shore soldier. But he remembered she looked at him and remarked: "I didn't know anyone from the Eastern Shore ever went to college!"
A pediatrician who specializes in neurology, he demonstrates a passion for the subject of health care availability, particularly for children. He serves the Eastern Shore's rural clinic every month. He wants all children to have the benefit of inoculations. And he wants them to have appropriate health insurance.
Further, he emphasizes the importance of education and access to affordable education. He wants to make certain that, unlike his injured patient in Germany, children from the Eastern Shore know they have the opportunity to pursue education, so that they may help revive the economy there.
He did not neglect the issues of skyrocketing property taxes, the need for sustainable and responsible development, and the requirement for environmental protection of the Bay.
He pointed to the water outside Mallard's as he began his conclusion and stated that there is a rising tide in Virginia; that in that rising tide is a vibrant blue crab that will represent the people of the 6th District with integrity and hard work. You can believe from his evident sincerity that he is that vibrant blue crab.
In closing, he remarked with a grin that he was going to probably surprise his mother by quoting something he remembered from her Sunday school classes: "By his works and words, you shall know him." A fitting conclusion to this inspiring kickoff and words he can live by.