OPINION:
A.J. Rice did a nice synopsis of the political peril facing Republicans in Virginia, but I disagree that Northern Virginians “vote their interests” (“The ’Californication’ of Virginia,” Web, Nov. 13).
Most of the employment in Northern Virginia is not people who work for the federal government, as Mr. Rice notes, but for federal contractors and the information technology/cybersecurity sector, which relies heavily on defense, intelligence and homeland-security spending. It was President Obama and a divided Congress who gave us “sequestration,” which wreaked havoc here for a number of years on contractor jobs. However, it was President Trump and his expansion of the defense budget and end of sequestration who deserve the vote of these voters.
But Republican candidates for statewide and House races fail to make that connection or craft an agenda that whets the appetite of the suburban “NoVa” voters, many of whom come from Northeastern states where they voted Democrat and/or who are immigrants who think Republicans hate them. Few of these voters see the connection between the GOP and the reasons they moved here (jobs and lower-priced housing). It’s largely because Virginia is a Dillon Rule and right-to-work state, meaning locals have limited taxing and regulatory authority, and we do not favor unions. It is Republicans who are the “check” on the excesses of the leftism that pervades other states.
Meanwhile, on the local level and in some legislative districts, Republicans do win — but they win based on practical, bread-and-butter issues, and we do have to work much harder than Democratic candidates.
I was elected four times since 2006 to our town council and board of supervisors in Leesburg, which has been “blue” for some 15 years. Along with a number of Republican supervisors and legislators, we campaign on our accomplishments in education and transportation to get those votes. It also helps that turnout is lower in these elections, but in my 2016 election turnout was massive and I and another GOP-backed council candidate were elected. So I do not wish to throw in the towel, as Mr. Rice seems to be proposing. Republicans in Northern Virginia have to work harder to get elected and reach out and educate voters. We need to explain how a two-party limited government state is key to avoiding “Californication.”
KENNETH REID
Former member, Leesburg Town Council
Leesburg, Va.
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