In the local House of Representatives contest, Republican incumbent Virgil Goode and Democratic challenger Tom Perriello are reaching out to voters through a broad range of issues, including energy dependence, the environment and the struggling economy.
Goode said he supports offshore drilling for oil and drilling in Alaska, which he claims his opponent does not.
“I am a strong supporter of alternative fuels,” Goode said. “I want us to be free of foreign oil.”
Perriello Communications Director Jessica Barba said, however, Perriello also wants to achieve energy independence.
“We absolutely need to be free from fossil fuels, and [Perriello] would support alternative forms of energy,” Barba said. It is “critical that our nation achieve energy independence.”
Another important issue in the race is the state of the economy and business.
“Our number one priority is the economy and jobs,” Barba said. “We need to make sure we are supporting the middle class for economic relief and plan for jobs.”
Similarly, Goode noted that his experience working on behalf of small businesses and corporations will help him fight for the economic needs of Virginia’s fifth congressional district, which includes the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County among other local areas, on a national level.
Barba added that Perriello wants to see change in Washington and the ushering in of a new, less partisan-based type of politics.
“We’ve seen the failure of Washington partisanship for a long time, and it’s time we get a new group of people in there to shake things up and change the way we do politics in Washington,” Barba said. “It’s not about right and left ... it’s about right and wrong.”
Goode, meanwhile, said he is also confident in his ability to reach out to his constituents. He noted that he earned the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, and that he has held many election events, including one yesterday, during which he connected with voters and has worked to get his message across.
“We’ve fought a hard race ... and every vote counts,” Goode said.
Dan Keyserling, deputy director of communications for the Center for Politics and former Cavalier Daily executive editor, said the fifth district race is an important one that is being watched not only in Virginia but also on a national level.
“Perriello has clearly demonstrated that he’s a formidable candidate,” Keyserling said. “And Virgil Goode has demonstrated that he ought not be underestimated.”
Keyserling added that the race shares some similarities with the current presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.
“Here in the fifth district, you have a veteran, experienced legislator with deep ties to his constituency challenged by a young internationalist and cosmopolitan lawyer who uses the same vocabulary of change and hope as Obama does,” Keyserling said. “It’s indicative of a new kind of politics.”
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