VOTE FOR VANNOY, CAMPAIGN WEEK 1 RECAP. FIRED UP! READY TO GO!

     I made my announcement last week that I was running for the West Virginia House of Delegates district 42 seat, and, the level of support and interest I received was overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who had a kind word of support and expressed interest. My blog tells me how many people read my posts. If I write a blog about any particular issue, I can hope for 50 views. I think with those 50 views, perhaps I showed some of my readers a view they haven't thought of before. Maybe I motivated someone to write to their congressman about a particular issue. My announcement blog has gotten well over a thousand views. I don't think that all of these people are excited about me running for office. Some are, and again, thank you. I wont let you down. Most, I think, are like me and are fed up with how our state and federal government is being run. I had a hunch that more people than ever are considering running for office, and wanted to see what I, or anyone, has to say about running for office. Turns out, it looks like I'm right. According to the VOX article below, there are 391 Democratic challengers running for the US House of Representatives who have raised at least 5 thousand dollars. There isn't a mid term year that even compares to this according to the article. I think Democrats are very excited for the 2018 election, and are putting their money where their mouth is. In my own election, there will be, I believe at least 4 people running in the Democratic primary for the 2 potential seats from the 42nd district. Last year, there was only one Democrat who ran. Democrats in 2017 are......... FIRED UP! READY TO GO! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AhRqg0ADbk&t=45s

    On Sunday, my wife and I went to the Greenbrier County Democratic Executive Committee's annual Christmas party at Hill and Holler, a local restaurant. Where I met a lot of great people. Fellow Democrats who are ready to take back our country and state from the Republicans who only seem to work for the very wealthy. The Democrats at this party were excited to take back our country and state from the Republican politicians who put tax breaks for the wealthy over any kind of standard of decency.

    While there I spoke with State Senator Stephen Baldwin who is running for re-election for West Virginia's 10th Senatorial district. Stephen is a preacher, all round nice guy and wants to improve quality of life for West Virginians. Here's a quote from his ballotopedia page

• Ten years from now, I envision a state that is in the Top 10 for quality of life indicators. Our citizens are healthier because parents are not smoking around their children, we're choosing to exercise and eat well, & drugs are no longer the path of least resistance. Our population is educated because we enacted major reforms to put our dollars in classrooms to pay teachers significantly higher salaries and rebuild smaller community-based schools with health centers. This is truly the key to changing quality of life. When we build our human capital, as social scientists call it, we are primed for growth and development. Our economy is stable because it is diverse, buoyed by new small businesses in backyards and town shops. Our families are together because the kids no longer have to leave the state to find meaningful work. Our business climate is booming because companies want their employees to live, work, & play in Almost Heaven. A high quality of life leads to happier people who produce at higher levels for better pay. And all the while, the quaint West Virginia we all love with outdoor activities and starry skies is still available for us to enjoy...a little more sweetly now.

Senator Baldwin sponsored bills that would establish a Earned Income Tax Credit for low wage earners, reestablish the prevailing wage for skilled workers, to exempt industrial hemp from being classified as a schedule 1 drug, as wells as many more that you can look at by following the address https://ballotpedia.org/Stephen_Baldwin_Jr.
 or
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Senate1/lawmaker.cfm?member=Senator%20Baldwin


    While at the Greenbrier County Democratic executive committees Christmas party, I also met Huntington's mayor, Steve Williams, who is running for West Virginia's third Congressional district. The Mayor also has previous experience in the West Virginia State House of Delegates. He wants to diversify Southern West Virginia's economy, he states that Coal will always be important in West Virginia, but diversification is key. In April, Huntington won Americas best communities competition (https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/huntington-wins-million-for-urban-development/article_a98dee60-de0e-535f-85f4-90c24944b534.html), which provided Huntington with 3 million dollars for city revitalization. To read the Mayor's announcement, use the address below. I think the Mayor likes this quote, as he uses it in the opening of the video address below "Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir mens blood." In the video, the Mayor speaks of what he will do with the three million dollars that Huntington has won. Watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tHrIxcEY8g

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/huntington-mayor-steve-williams-to-run-for-congress/article_d28801b2-3ad4-5d7b-8ba3-4d9590b97a12.html


    While speaking with some of the Democrats there, I learned about Act blue, a fundraising website for Democrats and the left. I haven't set up an account yet, but plan to. I also learned about campaign strategy, and there may be a campaign strategy class coming up. Which I will gladly go to.

    I also spoke with the Democratic candidate for West Virginia's third congressional district in 2016, Matt Detch. He is a 2nd Lieutenant in the National Guard now, and I want to take this opportunity to say congratulations to Matt, and to say thank you for your service.


    Thats all for now, I plan to continue these blog updates through the campaign. I know I'm going to stay FIRED UP! READY TO GO! You should too.






https://www.vox.com/2017/12/11/16748716/chart-democrats-2018-midterms-elections

https://mountainmessenger.com/baldwin-announces-candidacy-wv-house/