WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL RACE
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL RACE
With the Virginia Supreme Court denying the Democratic Redistricting Plan, it is time for each of the eight Democratic candidates in the First Congressional District to evaluate their campaigns. Wittman Watch stated it very clearly that Virginia has eight better choices for Congress than our silent and missing Congressman who does not communicate with Virginians but then votes ultra-hardline MAGA on all issues. I truly appreciated that Wittman Watch identified me as having the most district-specific accountability document in the field of candidates - “a dedicated farmer-focused page enumerating specific harms Wittman’s votes have done to Virginia farmers and how a different representative would respond.”
I entered this race not because I wanted to become a politician, but because I believed Virginia’s First District deserved a Congressman who would listen, communicate honestly, and put public service ahead of party politics and corporate influence. I believe my lifetime of public service, my understanding of the district, and my willingness to speak directly about local issues would have made me a strong and effective Congressman for the people of Virginia’s First District.
I grew up in Virginia. I love Virginia. And I remember when Virginia Congressman Thomas Downing was so popular that it was said for one reelection campaign he spent only $5.00. But today, in this era where corporate money and PACs buy politicians and elections, political campaigns that cover only a few counties can run into the millions. I am not a politician. I have been a public servant all my life. I am also a realist.
I came into this race the last of the eight because my duties as a public servant on an Electoral Board required my attention. Ideas matter. But for a politician, fundraising is his or her most important job. Starting a campaign late put me at a disadvantage in fundraising. One of the eight built a substantial war chest by starting almost two years ago. Another has taken out a $200,000 loan.
My decision is to suspend my campaign because the funds are simply not there to support what will likely become a multi-million-dollar campaign by both Democrats and Republicans for Virginia’s First Congressional District. Our recent redistricting vote showed just how close this race will be.
I wish the remaining Democratic candidates good fortune. I hope one of them will win. But I also leave this race believing that Virginia deserves representatives rooted in public service, accountability, and connection to the communities they serve. And I have a lingering doubt that somehow I will be doing this again in two years.
And I will not be late to the party.
VIRGINIA'S PROPOSED REDISTRICTING
"I’m often asked how the proposed Virginia Congressional redistricting will affect me. I currently live in District 1 - the Historic Triangle — home to Jamestown, where my ancestor Richard Littlepage arrived around 1650; Williamsburg, where John and James Littlepage enlisted in George Washington’s regiment; and Yorktown, where our independence was won.
"My family, like so many others, came here for the American dream. They fought to survive, they fought for freedom, and many - including my father - fought fascism and racial and religious persecution in WWII. He spoke of the horrors he witnessed when Auschwitz was liberated.
"Today, those same forces - fascism, racial and religious profiling, and detainment camps - are appearing here at home. The American dream is still alive, but it must be defended.
"Yes, the proposed redistricting moves me three miles outside the new District 8. Unlike candidates who immediately look for an easier race, my fight is here - in the part of Virginia my ancestors settled and defended.
"Is it legal to run while living three miles outside the new district? Absolutely. The Constitution requires only that a member of Congress live in the state they represent, a standard upheld by the Supreme Court. Many members of Congress have lived outside their district. Will I move three miles? Maybe. The district numbers may change, but my fight is here.
"Rob Wittman has been a silent partner to Trump’s authoritarian agenda. His record - cuts to Medicaid, attacks on reproductive rights, harmful environmental and energy positions, and his refusal to challenge Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs - shows how out of touch he is with Virginia and with America."
