The Congressional Race

by | May 5, 2020 | Candidates, Candidates Forum, Democratic Party, Elections, Events, Virginia, Voting | 0 comments

We have four terrific candidates to run against Republican Denver Riggleman (or Bob Goode) in the 5th District in November. Due to the coronavirus, the CD5 Congressional Primary has been moved to June 23.

Apply for your absentee mail-in ballots now! Happily, you no longer have to have a witness sign your ballot in Virginia. Click HERE for your application form.

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Our four primary candidates—RD Huffstetler, John Lesinski, Claire Russo and Cameron Webb—are adjusting their campaigns to reach out to voters online. Look for them on Facebook for events announcements.

And mark your calendars for a series of live streamed virtual forums through May and June until the June 23 primary. View them from the comfort of home.

Please, send me your questions for the candidates! What do you want to know about their positions on voting rights, jobs, the COVID19 crisis, the economy, healthcare, criminal justice…This is the chance to hear their answers.

  • Saturday, May 9, 1:30PM, moderated by Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, 31st District. Sponsored by the Fauquier Democrats and Fauquier Indivisible. See www.FauquierDemocrats.org.
  • Tuesday, May 12, 6PM, moderated by Leslie Cockburn, former CD5 candidate. Sponsored by the Rappahannock County Democratic Committee.
  • Thursday, May 14, 6:30PM, sponsored by Charlottesville Democratic Committees. Please email for the Zoom link:  charlottesvillenow@gmail.com
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Save the Date for Our Virtual Candidates Forum on May 12!

by | Apr 24, 2020 | Candidates, Candidates Forum, Democratic Party, Events, Rappahannock County, RCDC Events, Voting | 0 comments

The Rappahannock Democratic Committee invites you to a virtual forum for 5th District’s candidates for U.S. Congress.

Click the following link for the official press release with photos: https://www.rappdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RCDC-CD5-Forum-Press-Release.pdf

When: Tuesday, May 12th, at 6 pm.

Where: Live Streaming on Facebook and YouTube

The forum will be moderated by Leslie Cockburn, former Democratic 5th District candidate.

RD Huffstetler grew up in North Carolina and served as a sergeant in the U. S. Marine Corp in both Iraq and Afghanistan. With a Harvard MBA, he went to work in Silicon Valley. He now lives in Charlottesville with his wife, an OB-GYN, and daughter. Looks forward to “solving the challenges of the future” and pledges to improve the economy of “every community” in the 5th District.

John Lesinski of Rappahannock County. A Marine Corps colonel and one-time president of the county school board, he served as a member of the county Board of Supervisors. Successful in commercial real estate, John lives with his wife Heidi in Washington, VA. He promises better access to health care and broadband in the many rural communities of the 5th District.

 Claire Russo is a veteran of the U. S. Marine Corps who served in Iraq, and later as a civilian employee of the U. S. Army in Afghanistan. “I was trained,” says Claire, “to run toward the fight” and she plans to put that same determination to work for her constituents especially when it comes to affordable health care. Claire lives in Earlysville with her husband and their three children.

Cameron Webb, a UVA grad with degrees in law and medicine, Dr Webb is Director of Health Policy and Equity at UVA’s School of Medicine. He pledges that “Common sense and fairness” come first. Then promises to put health care front and center when he is in Congress. Webb lives in Charlottesville with his wife Leigh-Ann, an ER doctor, and their children.

Participate in the discussion.

Submit your questions for candidates at Chair@RappDems.org

For more information contact: Mary-Sherman Willis at 540/987-8912 or send her an email.

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A LETTER TO THE RCDC MEMBERSHIP

by | Apr 9, 2020 | Democratic Party, Elections, Events, Rappahannock County, RCDC business, RCDC Events, RCDC Special Meetings, Voting | 0 comments

April 8, 2020

Dear Rappahannock Democrats,

We missed seeing you at our last monthly get together, cancelled for COVID19. Unfortunately, we will miss you again. Our scheduled general meeting for April 11 is also cancelled to keep everyone distanced and safe, following Governor Ralph Northam’s recommendations. They came not a moment too soon. Sadly, our county reported its first confirmed case this week.

Distanced as we are, we have been busy and want to keep you informed of events in the coming months.

  • County delegates to the district, state, and national Democratic conventions have until April 9 at 5 pm to send in their pre-filing forms to the DPVA (Democratic Party of Virginia).

Based on your votes on Super Tuesday, the county was allotted two delegates for Joe Biden and one for Bernie Sanders. Even though Bernie has dropped out of the race, his delegates will go to the conventions!

  • To be a delegate to the 5th District Convention on May 9 and State Convention on Jun 20, click HERE for the form.
  • To go on to the National Convention in August 17-20 in Milwaukee, click HERE to apply.

NOTE: Compared to other counties in the CD5, Rappahannock has had a great turnout of delegate applications! The DPVA has been accepting them all, for both candidates, to cover the shortfall in other counties.

NOTE: Because of the pandemic, the Party will decide, from moment to moment, whether to hold in-person or virtual conventions. The 5th District Convention will be held virtually. (Those details to come.)

  • To find out more about delegate selection and duties, click HERE.
  • The 5th District Congressional Primary is scheduled for June 9. We are urging you to vote absentee by mail. It’s easy and complies with our distancing practices.
    • I’ve attached Registrar Kim McKiernan’s instructions and the deadlines to apply for and send in absentee ballots for the June Congressional Primary and November General elections.

NOTE: Mail-in voting is going to be crucial this year for getting out the vote! We’re planning phone banks, texts blasts, and socially distanced postcard parties to get the word out, and to help voters get their ballots in. We’ll need your help.

NOTE: We have four terrific candidates to run against Denver Riggleman in November: RD Huffstetler, John Lesinski, Claire Russo, and Cameron Webb. Instead of live forums to let voters meet the candidates, we’re coordinating with other 5th District committees to hold virtual forums in our localities. Ours is tentatively scheduled for May 12 at 6 pm, to be moderated by former candidate Leslie Cockburn. (Details to come.)

  • RCDC fundraising has become one of the casualties of COVID19. Our April 4 Blue State Blue Grass Brunch and auction were cancelled. The Yard Sale in August may be too. While our expenses will go down, our income will too. As the season progresses, we’ll need to buy yard and highway signs, and campaign ads. We appreciate any donations you’re able to make along the way.

We want to thank everyone for your work and support, for stepping up even as our world is upended by this invisible threat wreaking such havoc to ourselves and our democracy. Thanks in particular to Ron Goodman, Tommy Bruce, Larry Wohlers, and Rachel Taylor for representing us as delegates to the State Convention (and beyond!).

Please send your questions and comments at maryswillis@me.com. We want to hear from you! Keep up with our news at www.RappDems.org and on our Facebook page.

Stay safe, stay engaged, and let us bring the light of Democratic competence and compassion into this dark time.

Mary-Sherman Willis

RCDC, Chair

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