Continuing with our “Focus on the House” series, we bring you Jane Dittmar, running for Virginia’s 5th District. Dittmar is working to win a district that voted 53-46 for Romney. She has consistently outraised her opponent, more than doubling his haul for the entirety of the race, and she picked up an endorsement from President Obama on Monday.
I became a Virginian when I was six years old, attending Arlington County Public Schools after my family moved from rural Illinois. I graduated from the University of Virginia where I received a degree in Economics. Since then, I’ve attended the UVa Darden School’s Executive Program and Virginia Tech’s Center for Public Administration and Policy.
I am a certified mediator for both General District and Circuit Courts and have served as court coordinator for the General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit courts of the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Louisa. I’m also a principal in Positive Solutions Group and a business consultant specializing in strategic planning. My background is business and I have owned and worked with many businesses in the Commonwealth, particularly when I served as President of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce from 1992-2000.
My husband, Frank Squillace, and I reside in Albemarle County, Virginia. We have raised six children (Will, Mary, Virginia, Leia, Jed, and Joe), four of whom are in college. I will bring my experience and action-oriented approach to Congress, to make sure it is accountable, transparent, and responsive to our needs in the 5th District.
Kerry Eleveld: What about your biography makes you uniquely suited to represent your district?
Jane Dittmar: My background as a certified mediator is a unique qualification—not just for solving the problems in our district but in helping to bring my colleagues on the Hill together to discuss positive solutions for the challenges we face as a nation. I’ve spent the last sixteen years studying the science of conflict resolution and helping people move from conflict to solution. Voters from all across our district tell me that’s the kind of leadership we need more of in Washington.
Can you pitch in $3 to elect Jane Dittmar to this Virginia district and help turn the House blue?
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KE: What are the two biggest problems your district faces and how will you fix them?
Dittmar: The first challenge we need to better address is the economy. A huge part of our district has hemorrhaged jobs in the manufacturing sector. Because there are so few opportunities, the biggest export in many of the towns are their children. My number one priority will be getting folks back to work by efforts to help small businesses grow and by attracting new industries. As a small business owner myself, I know what it takes to heat up a local economy.
The second challenge is related. Our district includes many rural communities that do not have reliable internet access or cell phone coverage. This digital deficit is leaving families behind because nearly everything is done now through the internet. Children can’t do their homework when it requires online research; people can’t look for jobs or telecommute, and businesses can’t grow. There are federal funds already allocated to solving this problem; our district just needs someone in Washington to bring them home.
KE: What do you see as the key to your electoral victory?
Dittmar: We have a winning message, and when voters hear about my experience and our plans to move our district forward, they are eager to support our campaign. In order to spread that message we’ve been investing heavily in television and direct mail advertising. It takes great financial resources to keep our message on the air and our momentum going strong, and that’s why I’m so grateful for the support we’ve received from the Daily Kos community. Your continued financial support will be the key to turnout and victory on November 8th!
KE: What's your opponent's biggest Achilles Heel?
Dittmar: Our opponent’s biggest hurdle is his Tea Party affiliation (receiving some of the highest scores in the Virginia State Senate from the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015) and his continued support for Donald Trump. He repeatedly emphasizes his endorsement of Trump and describes him as “a smart man.” He recently told the local newspaper that he is “so solidly in the Trump camp that [he] can’t find a word strong enough to describe it.”
KE: How is the presidential race impacting your district?
Dittmar: Folks here are genuinely concerned that someone with Donald Trump’s temperament and lack of any substantive record could actually become president. We are even hearing from a lot of people who consider themselves moderate Republicans that they are fed up with the Tea Party obstructionists, like my opponent, and are ready to consider other options.