Democrats anticipate a record-breaking win
It’s not only critical that the Democrats win this year; they need to win big to send a message to the nation, said candidate for governor Abigail Spanberger at a campaign event for James Walkinshaw.
Walkinshaw, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, is running in a special election on Sept. 9 for Virginia’s 11th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Spanberger, a former member of Congress, will be on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 4. Early voting starts Sept. 19.
Virginia is just one of two states, along with New Jersey, with a national election this year. So those elections are attracting national attention as a preview of the midterms in 2016.
The two candidates spoke at a pre-canvass rally on Aug. 30 in Burke as volunteers prepared to knock on doors.
Related story: Spanberger vows to stand up for Virginians against the chaos in Washington
“It’s so important to engage our neighbors and let them know their voice matters,” Spanberger told the crowd. “At a time when there is so much chaos and so much anger, and it can be so hard, this is our power. This is our ability to use our voices to ensure that we win.”
Spanberger lauded Walkinshaw as a “champion for federal workers.” And with the “chaotic, difficult trade policy coming out of this White House, we need a congressman who can stand up and speak to all of the reasons why it’s hurting small businesses and our communities.”
Related story: Whitson and Walkinshaw disagree on everything
“We need people not just to vote against the worst of the worst policies,” she said, “We need people to explain why in terms that make clear the impact on Virginia.”
“The choice is very clear between me and my opponent,” Walkinshaw said. Stuart Whitson, the pro-MAGA Republican candidate, “says he wants to go to Congress to be Donald Trump’s ally. He wants to double down on DOGE. And he is deeply, deeply obsessed with fighting culture wars.”
“I want to go to Congress to be your ally, to be the ally of every single resident and small business in our community in the 11th District,” Walkinshaw said.
“I will fight anyone – right now it happens to be Donald Trump – who attacks our federal workers, who attacks our immigrants, who attacks our schools,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to do in Congress on your behalf.”
Related story: Spanberger offers a plan to boost Virginia’s economy
“From a Fairfax County perspective, we desperately need Abigail Spanberger in the governor’s mansion,” he said.
He noted that Virginia is $3.5 billion behind average state spending for education, with the commonwealth spending less on schools than West Virginia and Kentucky. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to make sure our schools, and our teachers, and our kids have the support they need.”
“Culture warriors like my opponent, like Winsome Sears [the Republican candidate for governor], are not going to get the job done,” Walkinshaw said.
Related story: Walkinshaw launches congressional campaign
He condemned Gov. Glenn Younkin for seeming to believe that he only represents the parts of the state that voted for him. Youngkin won’t even meet with those who didn’t vote for him “to discuss the economic devastation that Trump’s policies are creating for so many Virginians.”
“Abigail Spanberger is going to be a governor for all Virginians,” he said. “She’s going to represent everybody.”
Spanberger said it’s critically important to elect Democrats for statewide office and the House of Delegates “who will stand up for Virginians when our education system, our academic freedom, our jobs, our economy, our farms, our healthcare, and everyday aspects of our lives are under attack.”
“We will win in November,” she said, “because, quite frankly, I don’t see any other acceptable option.”
The educational system is broken and spending more to get lower results is NOT the answer. I’m interested in a candidate who addresses the issues and is not just against the current administration as there issue
It is?
Like a good teacher I’ll ask for data, even anecdotal to prove your point.
I want the Democrats to win across the board in Virginia. It is sad how the Republicans do not take care of the voters. But what is really sad is the Republican voters who keep putting the same bad apples back in power. Republicans voters wake up. The Republicans only care about lining their pockets and the rich people.
Many good people go into politics, none come out. In case you missed looking closely at reality. As to the elections …. In VA the 8th or 10th congressional district not electing a Democrat would be shocking due to gerrymandering. Same goes for all the Mason district electoral districts at state and local levels. Because there are zero swing/ competitive races in Northern Virginia all this talk of countering or supporting one or other side is irrelevant thanks to gerrymandering by those in elected office. The only competitive choice elections are for the state level executive positions this year. I vote routinely and I urge everyone to do so – but I know that it is always a choice between two corrupt and unpleasant options.
Yes! More democrats! Take away guns, increase taxes, start more wars, more forced injections, outlaw white men, more men in the girl’s bathroom, indoctrinate our children, make crime legal again, open our borders, burn cities to the ground, more inflation, and most importantly for our neck of the woods: no more gas-powered lawn care equipment, but more art projects and street renaming!!
You seem angry and confused. Maybe limit the Fox News to just four or five hours each day?
Angry? At Democrat policies? You bet
Confused? Not at all.
oh where to even begin with this gem. What have Republicans done to help anyone since Trump was elected? Food costs, housing costs, healthcare costs. Could go on and on. Doesn’t help that the current WH occupant is only concerned with me, myself and I. And the R gubernatorial candidate posed with an automatic weapon in a poster for a previous campaign. So tone deaf considering the threats our kids face in schools. So irresponsible to promote violence.
Wow. Insert Billy Madison meme here. “We are all dumber for having listened to you.”