In the Appalachian Coalfields of Virginia there is a fight looming for the future of all of Appalachia and perhaps it's the beginning of a new phase in the never ending war which is our political system.
In Virginia's 3rd district House of Delegates seat the incumbent Republican Delegate who first won the seat in 2009 in the early days of the tea party wave faces an unexpected challenger.
Bill Bunch, the progressive firebird of Southwest Virginia, former candidate for the Democratic nomination for congress in Virginia’s 9th district and national delegate for Bernie Sanders has been nominated by the Democratic Party to run for the seat. Bunch has spent his life serving the area as a rural carrier for the U.S. Postal service and helped protect workers jobs as a union steward. Bunch’s strong labor ties echo that of the former long time representative the late Jackie Stump, the United Mine Workers hero and organizer who won a write in campaign for the seat in the late 80’s. The third district was then the stronghold of the UMWA (which has endorsed Bunch to my understanding) and the Democratic Party, could those labor roots help Bunch pull of an upset? Right now if you drive around the district and count signs Bunch has a far more signs out in the incumbents home precinct (Not saying that signs matter but these signs aren't out just anywhere they are actually in yard of peoples homes.)
This district is in desperate need of help, The second largest locality is Buchanan county which has long suffered from high poverty rates (at least one in four live in poverty in this county). Most of the area’s economy has been based on coal and the income per capita average is around $19,000. Buchanan County until 2008 had been won by every Democratic Presidential candidate since FDR with the exception of George McGovern in 1972. Then in 2009 the current Republican incumbent won the seat and last year was the most pro trump district in the entire state of Virginia going 82% for Donald Trump.
It looks like it could be a very uphill climb for Bunch but never under estimate the power of genuine progressive politics and hard work. It is Districts like these that are going to be the beginning of the new Democratic Party and the beginning of the new fight for Appalachia.
Meanwhile down in the tip of the spear which is 1st District currently held by Delegate Terry Kilgore (whose brother was defeated by current US Senator Tim Kaine for the governors mansion way back in 2005) is fighting for his political life against his first challenger in a decade.
Alicia Kallen is running a great campaign with a small army of volunteers who show up everywhere with their Alicia for Delegate gear. She is getting some great like the United Mine Workers, the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters and the AFL-CIO of Virginia. If I was Kilgore I would be starting to sweat, and he must be because he is running some TV ads and is spending a lot of cash.. But Alicia’s ground game looks like it is picking up even more steam as we start to near the final stretch… Ole Terry maybe in some serious trouble and looking for a new line of work come November… Maybe he can go work for his lobbyist buddies who have funded his campaigns for so long…
But get this…. Before you say neither of these Democrats running in what is commonly known as “Trump Country” have no chance consider this….. In Alicia’s district the Commonwealth Attorney in Lee County is a Democrat, The Sheriff in Scott County is a Democrat, and the Commissioner of Revenue in Wise County is also a Democrat. And in Bill Bunch’s district Democrats control the board of Supervisors of the three full counties in his district plus all but one county’s commonwealth attorneys, and treasurers seats. So on the local level Democrats win in these districts, the ability to win is there it is just going to take our help to get these two Democrats over the finish line.
Help these two great Democrats turn Appalachia Blue this November by donating and joining in on the Blue migration to canvass!
Help out Alicia : secure.actblue.com/…
Help out Bill : secure.actblue.com/...