Out Of Respect For Democracy
I’m running for Virginia’s House of Delegates in the 26th District, which includes Harrisonburg and parts of Rockingham County, where I grew up.
My opponent, Del. Wilt, recently objected to how hard we’re working to contact local residents to let them know about registering to vote in Virginia’s election on November 7. Political campaigns regularly use publicly available information to knock doors and make phone calls. Our campaign volunteers used public information to send texts on National Voter Registration Day to promote participation in our democratic process.
Here’s why we’re working so hard:
Out of respect for our democracy, we want to ensure all eligible residents of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County have their voices heard in this election. The health of our democratic republic depends on a deeply engaged and involved electorate, working toward solutions for the common good. My opponent co-sponsored a bill that would have made it much more difficult to register to vote in state elections. I oppose such voter suppression laws.
Out of respect for human dignity, I’m committed to finding a way to make sure all Virginians have access to quality health care that doesn’t require them to choose between paying rent and paying for life-saving care. The incumbent has opposed expanding Medicaid, which would cover more than 400,000 uninsured Virginians (4,600 in the 26th District). This is a matter of life and death for many.
Out of respect for future generations of Virginians, I’m running to protect our clean air and water from pollution and fracking. I believe Virginia should ban fracking statewide. My opponent is against the moratorium on fracking in George Washington National Forest. Methane associated with fracked gas is contributing to the breakdown of our climate, and we should prioritize a swift transition to 100% renewable energy now.
Out of respect for property rights and Virginia ratepayers, I oppose eminent domain for private gain to build Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which is slated to cut through our beautiful Valley. We don’t need these fracked gas pipelines, and they violate the property rights of landowners in the path of the pipeline. They’re being built to benefit a handful of private investors, and we the ratepayers will end up paying for it. That’s why I’ve pledged not to take any money from Dominion Energy. My opponent has accepted more money from Dominion than any other corporate donor.
Out of respect for women’s rights, I believe that women should make their own decisions about their own bodies. My opponent co-sponsored Virginia’s invasive transvaginal ultrasound bill. That’s more than just distasteful. It’s wrong.
Out of respect for the value of education, I believe teachers deserve to be compensated fairly for the difficult and important work they do. The state should be prioritizing the construction of new schools over the construction of new jails. Today, the state government pays for 50% of the brick-and-mortar costs of building a new regional jail, and zero for the building of new schools. That is a clear example of the school-to-prison pipeline, and must change.
Out of respect for fair elections, I want to put an end to partisan gerrymandering so that every vote matters. Voters should decide who their delegate is, not the other way around. My opponent has been silent about this unfair and anti-democratic practice.
Out of respect for local governments, I want to work to reform Dillon’s Rule to allow local elected leaders more flexibility in how they operate. My opponent sponsored legislation specifically written to impede Harrisonburg City Council’s ability to create local public safety ordinances.
Out of respect for working families struggling to make ends meet, I support raising Virginia’s minimum wage to a living wage. No Virginian should have to work more than 40 hours a week to enjoy a decent standard of living.
Those are just a few of the reasons I’m taking this race seriously. This election is so crucial for so many Virginians. This campaign is about bringing the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County communities together; students and townies; young and old; black, white, Latino; Christians, Jews, and Muslims; gay and straight; rural and urban — this is about realizing that we are all in this together, and that when we come together, we can create a Virginia that works for the common good.
