As cool weather overtakes the long Indian summer, the Fifth District's congressional election has heated up. Independent U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode is gearing up for a fight against his challenger Democrat John Boyd, who is campaigning vigorously to uproot the popular incumbent.
"Just a few months ago, John was seen as an outsider and now newspapers and major networks are referring to this as a close race," said Adam Segal, Boyd's policy advisor.
Boyd, the founder and president of the National Black Farmer's Association, an advocacy organization, was voted as one of America's most eligible bachelors in Ebony magazine last month.
"This is going to be a serious, hard fought race," Goode said.
April 14, Boyd helped win the largest civil rights settlement in U.S. history, representing 23,000 farmers when the U.S. Department of Agriculture admitted discriminating against minorities in loan allocation, Segal said. The case may bring a $2 billion total settlement.
Goode, an independent, left the Democratic Party after President Clinton's impeachment, but even before the scandal, Goode voted consistently with Republicans.
Goode criticized Boyd for supporting "the liberal agenda" and not favoring elimination of the marriage penalty tax. He supports Pell Grants, the Stafford Loan Program and increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, he said.
But Adam Green, University Law student and Boyd campaign communications director, said Goode has not always been such an avid supporter of higher education.
"Goode was one of six votes to cut $13 billion from the education bill over five years, including funding to hire 100,000 new teachers and funding for rebuilding dilapidated schools," Green said.
Segal said Boyd emphasizes federal sponsored loans, tax deductions, AmeriCorps grants and "making college more affordable for young people." He said Goode voted against funding for AmeriCorps, the Department of Education and Pell Grants.
Goode said he is working to increase employment through supporting the passage of the Community Renewal Act to "give employers tax credit for hiring persons from unemployment zones." The bill has been passed in the House and is currently stalled in Senate.
Segal said Goode is not doing enough on the issue of jobs, and one of Boyd's main priorities is employment.
But experts said Boyd is in for a fight.
"Boyd is running an energetic campaign," said Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor. "He's facing an extremely difficult and formidable opponent."
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