Dear Kai,
I’m writing to you today in regards to your campaign against Bob Goodlatte for U.S. Congress. First, I want to say that I am thrilled that the person positioned to fight this locked-down government seat is you. Amongst all the local officials I have read about, known, and voted for over the last 16 years, none have had the chance of winning that I believe you have.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Robin Williams’ film, “Man of the Year;” he plays a popular television-show host that voluntarily becomes involved in politics. The film provides a lot of commentary on the state of our political system. At the end of the film, Williams says, “Politicians are like Diapers. They need to be changed often…and for the same reason.” I know this to be true, humor aside, which is why I appreciate and support our efforts to highlight Bob unacceptably long tenure in Congress and the erosion this causes to his obligation to the people of our congressional district, Virginia, and the United States.
I am not writing to you, however, because I think you are doing a great job. I write to you, now, out of concern. I follow your campaign on Facebook, and I have yet to see a very important aspect to your political platform. You have not addressed the concerns of the conservative voters in the district. I can’t say, for sure, that you have not addressed this in some other place. After all, I have recently moved out of Virginia due to life changes, but I still consider Harrisonburg and the Valley my home, and I care about what happens there. I have not seen a highly accessible instance where you address the concerns of the majority of your voters. When I say this, I consider these three points:
- The actual congressional district is quite large, as you know, and a great many voters are county residents, who tend to be more conservative or a great deal more conservative than their city peers
- This results in election results heavily weighted in favor of republicans. Every election I voted has favored Goodlatte with 60%, or, more, of the vote. That’s an incredible amount of ground to reclaim.
- There is an old, local joke that, if Jesus were to run as a democrat, and the Devil a republican, the county would vote for the Devil. It’s a biting description of how stubborn voters will vote for the (supposedly) conservative party because they are afraid that the opposition will take away everything they think it important.
When I look at the electoral history of the district, I feel great concern that you my fail to overcome Bob and the nigh-autocratic system that keeps him in place. I can still remember at least one election where he ran unopposed. His position has become, practically speaking, a tradition with no meaning—more of an appointment than a choice.
I have not read or seen you address the concerns of the conservative voter in our district. I feel that it is critical that you begin to do so, if you are to have a strong chance. They are a people that, generally, adhere to typical conservative values. They also fear that more liberal candidates will remove from them all the liberty and protection of the law that they value. They are farmers; they are concerned about property rights and litigation that might harm their ability to continue their livelihood of agriculture. They are hunters; they worry about the land that they use to enjoy life outdoors and feed their families. They are lawful gun owners who hunt and they protect themselves and they enjoy shooting for sport; they worry that they will lose their right to own them and exercise their right to use them. They are church goers and community leaders; they worry the law will come to violate their rights to follow their chosen spiritual path. There is war in the world, which has brought more refugees, and the people are worried that destruction may follow. I’m sure there are more issues with all of their nuances.
What I have never seen the democratic candidate do is assure the voters and residents of the district that he (or she) will not take these things from them, nor will he endorse legislation that might do so. I know that realistically, being the opposition party, there will always be issues that you cannot fully agree to endorse, support, or execute in the way that your conservative constituents may ask. You can, however, assure them that you do not intend to force your voters to change their fundamental way of life. You can show them that there are problems in the district that could actually be better by being a more responsible representative than Bob Goodlatte.
I wish I was more experienced individual in delivering public messages so that I could, at least, suggest some ways to communicate more directly with the voters that I feel you must reach. As an individual who takes it upon himself to try and tell you what you should do, it would only be polite to suggest something, even if it’s not the best idea. I only know that you must allow people to speak with you and hold a conversation. and conversation. These conversations should have broad public exposure as you will need to reach those voters who rarely travel to a political event, save for the polls on election day. They can be the hardest to reach because they are often willing to listen, but they don’t want to participate.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I don’t know if this letter is worth much, but I felt the need and drive to say something. There need to be changes. I have appreciated your tenure as the city mayor and council member, and I feel that you could be a quality representative. I just know that a large portion of the district’s residents are rural and lean conservative in their values, and they prefer the safety they perceive in choosing conservative candidates, which lead them to the republican party. They will see you as a dangerous candidate to choose if you cannot show them otherwise and allow them to know you.
Take care and best of luck this year,
-Nick
Little Robot in a Giant City 