It’s easy to bemoan some of our Democratic representatives. Joe Manchin is nobody’s favorite Democrat (well, maybe Mitch McConnell’s). Tim Ryan’s flirtation with the anti-vaxx crowd is unsavory, to say the least. And I suspect we’re all actually relieved that Kyrsten Sinema finally let her freak flag fly…
So where do we find our good ones? Our new-on-the-scene Democrats who go on to become our Adam Schiffs, our Katie Porters, our Obamas and Jimmy Carters? We find them at the state level, getting involved in local politics. And when we find a truly exceptional local leader, we do everything we can to support and nurture them. Which is why today I am asking your support for one such leader, and asking you to dig deep and donate just two dollars to his campaign.
You may already have read ZenTrainer’s diaries about Terrence Walker, talking about his passion for paid family leave reform, or his efforts to decrease food insecurity for college students and others. Those sort of nuts and bolts, basic human priorities are what Walker is most passionate about. Education (he’s been involved with the Henrico County PTA for over a decade). Health care. The environment. Food — how much more basic can it get?
On all of these issues, he has already put in time and passion and sweat, as a volunteer, a parent, a community member. For over twenty years he has been making a difference in his community. Now he wants a chance to make a difference for the entire state.
And your two dollars can make a massively outsized impact on the chances of him successfully getting there. (Just click here!)
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I’m not always a fan of the state Democratic Party apparatus. Especially in Virginia, they’ve made some, uhmmmm, questionable decisions in my book. (Witness today’s firehouse primary to fill Don McEachin’s empty seat. Could they have held it on a Saturday so more people could have participated? Yes, easily.)
However, part of the state party’s job is to help nurture new, young political hopefuls. Sometimes that nurturance takes the form of a challenge — and in this case, the challenge set before Terrence Walker is to demonstrate that he’s got the breadth of support to go the distance.
And what’s one of the best markers of breadth of support? Donations. Many, many, many small-dollar donations. He’s got till the end of this quarter (Dec. 31st, folks!) to show he can bring in new, small donors by the hundreds.
So please, take a few minutes to check out his website. Read one of ZenTrainer’s diaries here or here. Then drop just a couple of bucks in Terrence Walker’s coffers (Actblue page HERE).
It’s an investment not only in Virginia’s future but I suspect in the nation’s eventually as well. It’s how we get new, outstanding Democrats. Two dollars at a time.
