McEachin

for Congress

When Richmond voters go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, they will have a choice of who will represent them in Washington in the newly redrawn 4th Congressional District.

We believe Democrat A. Donald McEachin will best represent our interests in the U.S. House of Representatives.

A successful attorney and ordained minister, Sen. McEachin has a proven track record in the legislative arena, having represented the Richmond-Henrico area for 16 years in the Virginia General Assembly. He has been a member of the Virginia Senate for the last eight years, and was chosen by his colleagues to chair the Senate Democratic Caucus. That leadership position has helped him develop the political skills necessary to be an effective legislator in Washington.

He understands what it takes to move a legislative agenda forward. He has mastered the art of compromise and yet holds a keen understanding of when it’s better to stand tough on an issue without bending.

That expertise will be critical serving in the House, particularly as a Democrat in a chamber currently dominated by a Republican majority.

Sen. McEachin remains committed to preserving Social Security and blocking any efforts to privatize it. He also is committed to the Medicare and Medicaid health systems, and has expressed his support for the Affordable Care Act because it has expanded health coverage and access to thousands of people in Virginia who previously were uninsured, as well as to millions of people across the nation. While tweaks may be necessary, he will push back against GOP efforts to dismantle that crucial health insurance program.

Many of the key issues Sen. McEachin will confront in Washington are concerns he has grappled with in the Virginia legislature — gun safety, environmental protection, job creation and infrastructure improvement. His research, knowledge and experience from the Commonwealth will allow him to hit the ground running in Congress.

The newly re-drawn 4th Congressional District includes all or parts of 16 cities and counties. It includes urban and suburban centers stretching from Richmond and Petersburg to parts of Chesapeake and Suffolk. It also includes many rural towns and counties, such as Waverly and Charles City and Surry counties.

While concerns in the district can range from town water towers, farming issues and the expansion of broadband to rural communities, there are many overarching concerns that are common throughout the district — job creation, quality schools and health care that’s affordable and accessible.

Even before the June Democratic primary election, Sen. McEachin was busy listening to the concerns of rural voters and others from areas he had not previously represented. With Petersburg, Prince George County and Hampton Roads now a part of the 4th District, military issues also will become a critical part of his agenda in the Congress.

Sen. McEachin is a quick study with an inquisitive mind, intent on learning what he doesn’t know. He has pledged to protect the military installations and jobs located within the district. He also will work for more resources for veterans and the Veterans’ Administration.

He has outlined a jobs initiative tied to improving critical infrastructure, such as aging roads and bridges. He is opposed to drilling for oil and natural gas off the Virginia coast, saying investment should be put into more environmentally friendly energy sources.

He has a sensitivity to the issues heavily impacting the African-American community, and will be an advocate for positive change in areas of justice reform and education. Every police officer needs a body cam, he has said, and bias training is a necessity for all law enforcement officers carrying a gun. He also supports the use of historic tax credits to enable Richmond and other localities to fix or replace crumbling school buildings.

In reviewing the records of Sen. McEachin and his Republican opponent, Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade, we believe Sen. McEachin will be by far the better, more effective advocate in Washington for Richmond and the entire 4th Congressional District.

While Sheriff Wade has implemented in his job several innovative strategies to combat drug dependency and to reduce health care costs at the Henrico Jail, we believe he would be better suited to working around the state to spread those good ideas.

We are disappointed by Sheriff Wade’s comments at a recent debate that many victims of police shootings were “on their way to jail.” His comments show a shallow understanding of a troubling and urgent problem in this nation that must be addressed immediately.

We also are disappointed that Sheriff Wade has not taken a clear, hard line in repudiating Donald Trump, the abominable GOP presidential candidate. If Sheriff Wade cannot stand against someone like Mr. Trump, how can we expect him to stand firm for our interests in Washington?

We stand now with Sen. McEachin.