Anyway, my husband stayed in Maryland during the week and bunked with an old college roomate, with whom we are still close friends. In fact, I performed his wedding - Virginia has something known as a Marriage Celebrant law, and I took out the license required to do the ceremony. You have to put down a hefty deposit, which the state returns to you when you file the marriage certificate for the couple. And you can only do one marriage ceremony per license. So, I'm not repeating it any time soon.
Meanwhile, back to my story. During the time Dan was staying with our friend on weekends, since he knew we would be settling in Virginia, he got involved in Virginia politics.
So, while I was still in Florida, he told me all about working on Doug Wilder's gubernatorial campaign. Soon after I got here, he was involved with Leslie's congressional campaign. He was just a grunt. But somehow, he got to know the Byrnes, and we got a congressional calendar from Leslie's office and a Christmas card from the Byrnes family.
All these years later, I still support the former congresswoman, who made history in Virginia by being the first woman elected to Congress from the commonwealth and still had time to be nice to a newcomer and novice who didn't have much status - I was a GS-5 clerk in the federal government at the time.
Anyway, that whole preamble, just to announce how happy I am that Leslie has qualified to be the first name on the ballot in the June 10th primary. According to an announcement I just received via email
Leslie will be the first candidate on the ballot! That means on June 10, all voters will see what we know: that Leslie is the #1 choice to represent Virginia’s 11th district in Congress.In addition, she's picked up additional support. Delegate Steve Shannon has endorsed her. She also has the endorsements of Blue Majority, Blue America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Tuesday was the first day for candidates to submit paperwork and signatures to secure a spot on the ballot for the June 10 primary. Not only did Leslie file right at the first possible moment, she delivered more than 1,500 signatures to the 11th District Democratic Committee — well over the 1,000 required to get on the ballot.
Here's a list of some of the other unions, progressive organizations, blogs, and individuals - both grassroots activists and candidates, that have endorsed Leslie because of her principled stands on the war in Iraq, the economy, her support for economic justice for workers, sensible consumer protections, and women's rights.
Congratulations to Leslie! I am so very proud to support you!
9 comments:
Karen, You can shill for me anytime! One of the best things about running for public office is having supporters like you who always "have my back". Thank you. Leslie
Do you support Ben Tribbett's shrill attack on Delegate Vivian Watts just because she endorsed Connolly?
Are you going to remain silent as NLS attacks one Connolly endorser each day, as Ben promised?
This is not productive for Leslie.
Can anybody control Ben Tribbett's shrill attacks - and why would anybody want to? They're funny.
If anybody takes them seriously, it's their own lack of sense of humor I'd question.
It does, however, look like Dave Marsden may be in danger of losing his "most improved" designation on NLS now.
Don't tell me my Delegate has joined the dark side and endorsed Darth Connolly!
Word on the street is that Leslie is claiming endorsements from folks who haven't really endorsed her - just like she did in '94.
Her campaign is starting to unravel.
Word on the street is that anybody can make any baseless claim and not sign it. When you've got more than innuendo and rumor, probably from one of her opponents' camps, and can back it up with sources and your own name, please see me.
And jsrutstein, more than likely your delegate has indeed gone to the darkside and probably not for the first time. Most of those delegates endorsing Gerry also endorsed Harris Miller, which helped his campaign so much too.
Seriously, I wouldn't hold it against a delegate you might otherwise like. In politics, people owe others favors, have outstanding chits that get called in, and just have prior relationships with a candidate.
Some people even endorse out of personal friendship and loyalty to somebody. I'd judge my delegate and state senator based on what they stand for and how well they deliver on their own pledges, not on whom they've endorsed.
AIAW, thanks for the informed speculation on Marsden. While I agree with your bases for judging your representatives, I'd add one more: who was displaced by their election.
In Marsden's case, I was more than happy to work for him to keep Golden out.
In Chap's case, the prospect of ejecting Jeannemarie and seriously denting Tom were themselves reasons enough for me to work for Chap.
I hope those who vote for the losing candidate in the Dem primary in VA-11 can swallow their pride, hold their nose, or do whatever it takes to keep Fimian out of Congress.
I suspect Dave will support the winner whole heartedly. I know both him and his wife Julia and think they are good guys.
I hate to admit that because, God help me, it means Ben is gonna call me as soon as he reads this :)
Seriously, Chap, Dave and David Bulova will all support the winner. It's up to us to see that it is Leslie!
Lucky for you it is 10:34 and I feel like it is too late to call. :-)
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