Tappahannock, Va – Retired Army Colonel and Democratic candidate for Virginia’s first congressional district, Scott Robinson released more names of party leaders from the region who have endorsed his campaign today. With the addition of the most current list of endorsers, Robinson’s total increases to 17 former and current members of the party leadership that represent every region of the 1st Congressional District.

“I was always taught that through hard work, the people around you would take notice and that you will achieve your goals. And it is because of that value, leaders from around the region are joining our campaign,” said Robinson. “I am truly honored with each endorsement I receive and I am looking forward to earning the support of more Virginians in every county, town and village of this congressional district. With so many people working together, we will not only win this campaign but we will be able to carry out our mission for building a stronger Virginia,” Robinson stated.

Among the recent leaders endorsing Robinson’s campaign, Williamsburg Democratic Committee Co-Chair, Mary Cottrill commented on what she considered to be a rare endorsement on her behalf.

“Rarely do I publicly support one Democrat over another, but Scott Robinson isn't your typical candidate. He has impressed me with his commitment to working for all Democrats running this cycle, and traveling the district on a ‘get-to-know-the-committees’ tour even before he announced,” said Cottrill.

The recent endorsers include:

Mary Cottrill- Williamsburg Democratic Committee Co-Chair

Peggy Garland- Former Commonwealth Attorney, Westmoreland County

Kenny Moskalski- First Congressional District Committee Member, King William County

Eugene Rivara- Former King William County Board of Supervisor

James Westmoreland- First Congressional District Member, James City County

Scott Robinson launched his campaign for Congress on August 3rd, 2009, after serving 25 years in the U.S. Army and attaining the rank of Colonel. He is from Heathsville, Virginia, which is located in Northumberland County. While in the Army, Scott served in a variety of command and staff positions throughout the world at both the Company and Battalion level. Scott’s last assignment was as a Senior Military Advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon. Scott was responsible for managing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive policy development for the Department of Defense. He and his wife Sandy live in Tappahannock, in Essex County.

Additional List of Previous Endorsers:

Philip Forgit- Former Congressional Candidate, James City County Democratic Committee Member

Cynthia Burton-Shackleford- Mathews County Democratic Committee Chair

Doug Ferguson, Spotsylvania County Democratic Party Co-Chair, Member of the 1st Congressional District committee

W.T. Scott- Richmond County Democratic Committee Chair

Travis Moskalski- King William County Democratic Committee Chair

Sandy Duckworth-Stafford County, Former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Hon. Jim Long- Northumberland County Board of Supervisors Member and Northumberland Democratic Party Committee Chair

Dick Toye- Former Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee Chair

Bud Ward-Mathews County Democratic Party Committee Member, Member of the 1st Congressional District committee

Hon. Walter Ball- Richmond County Board of Supervisors

Norm Mosher- Former Lancaster County Democratic Committee Chair

Dick Saxer- Former Northumberland Democratic Committee Chair

 

Candidate starts running early for Congress

 

BY CHELYEN DAVIS

 

The 2010 congressional races are 18 months away, but Krystal Ball, who recently kicked off her challenge to Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, doesn't think she's starting her campaign too early.

As a young mother who has never run for office before, and as a Democrat in the Republican-leaning 1st District, Ball said she needs that year and a half to introduce herself to voters and raise money.

"I recognize how difficult the race is going to be," Ball said in an interview. "Well over 90 percent of incumbents get re-elected. Time is one asset I can use to my advantage right now."

A King George County native, Ball, 27, said she has always been interested in politics, particularly economics and foreign affairs. But she didn't plan to get personally involved until the birth of her daughter, Ella, now 15 months old.

"I've always been relatively passive with those interests, thinking about it and learning about it and not really getting directly involved," she said. "After my daughter was born, the way that I look at the world just kind of shifted. It just made me realize I couldn't sit on the sidelines any longer. I want to have an impact on the policies that are most going to affect her life."

Once she decided to get involved in politics, Ball set her sights on federal office because, she said, that's where her interests and experience lie. An economics major who recently passed her CPA exam, Ball has worked for federal contractor CGI. Now she and her husband work from home designing educational software, which Ball said entails much international travel; they were in Jordan for three months, including during last fall's presidential election and President Barack Obama's inauguration in January.

Ball said her campaign is focused on "healthy communities" issues.

The daughter of an educator, she wants to raise teacher salaries and increase teacher training, to help recruit and retain quality teachers. Ball also advocates more "alternative certification" paths so that professionals who are experts in their fields could also teach.

She supports full equal rights for gay people, and said that if she is elected an early priority will be working to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

"Whenever possible, government should stay out of people's personal lives, both at the state and the federal level," Ball wrote on her campaign Web site. "It should stay out of our gun cabinets, our bedrooms, our marriages and our small businesses. We should be free to decide for ourselves who to love and how to raise our families, without government interference."

Ball supports background checks for buying guns but opposes stringent gun-control regulations, saying they have little effect on the root causes of crime and are contrary to her limited-government philosophy.

Ball said she dislikes the way incumbent Wittman has voted on several issues, particularly his votes against the Lily Ledbetter Act--which essentially expands the statute of limitations for claiming discrimination in pay--and his vote against SCHIP, a children's health insurance program.

The 1st District, which stretches from Stafford County to Hampton, has voted Republican for years. Wittman won 57 percent of the vote in the 2008 race, and a Democrat last held the seat in 1977.

The district voted strongly for George Bush in the 2000 and 2004 elections, and for Republican John McCain by a slimmer margin in 2008.

Ball said she is working on fundraising before a June 30 campaign finance filing, and that she'll use the next 18 months to have as much face-to-face contact with voters as possible.

"There's really no substitute for a face-to-face interaction with someone," Ball said. "No print media, no commercial, no radio ad can substitute for looking someone in the eye and telling them why you want to serve."

 

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2010 Candidates for Congress