A couple weeks ago we talked a little about Frank Schaeffer's road-trip around America meeting progressive candidates working to take back the House in 2018. His first stop was Racine, Wisconsin, where he spent time with Randy Bryce, Paul Ryan's opponent. This week, he made his way down to Winston-Salem in Fosythe County, North Carolina to meet up with the progressive Democrat running for the 5th district seat held by radical right Republican Virginia Foxx. Watch the video above of Frank and Jenny talking about the campaign. And, remember, most people outside of North Carolina who have ever heard of this unfortunate batshitcrazy extremist just know Virginia Foxx for her tight embrace of bigotry and radical right buffoonery. In North Carolina, everyone knows she hates immigrants and she hates gays and she hates... well... she sure hates public education. She just doesn't believe in it. Like so many Republicans, she doesn't think education is for everyone, just for the wealthy. So it's completely appropriate that this year, she's fighting for her political life against Jenny, a dedicated public school teacher. When Frank sent me the video, he also said that "I was stunned to meet Jenny Marshall. In this day and age intelligent sincere authenticity is shocking to encounter in a political candidate. I literally mean it when I say that my hopes and prayers are offered for Jenny. America is lucky to have her and THIS I pray is the new face of the Democratic Party. On to 2018!"Five month ago, when we first endorsed Jenny, she told us that when she introduces herself to folks in the mixed urban, suburban and rural district they wish her luck, almost with a chuckle. Her response though is to tell them "It isn’t about luck, just hard work... hard work deep canvassing 263 precincts and a message that reaches out to voters. That is our plan, simple yet effective. Get out there and meet people where they are." And that's exactly what she's been doing for the last 5 months-- in a district Trump won 57.4% to 39.8%. It's worth noting, though, that in Watauga Co., Hillary won, albeit narrowly, but in the primary, where Jenny helped organize Bernie's field operation, Bernie didn't just beat Hillary in a landslide-- 5,811 (68.5%) to 2,514 (29.6%)-- he also beat Trump's 2,321 primary votes by more than double. In fact, Bernie won more votes than Cruz and Trump combined (5,040)!Foxx, she points out, "feels so secure that she refuses to hold town hall meetings and her letters in response to voter questions are cut and pasted together from her website." Foxx's carefully gerrymandered district was a red district literally taylor-made for her-- until last year when a court order redistricted it, adding in something like 33,000 more Democrats. She told us that "The new district lines, coupled with the kind of campaign that we are amassing, is a recipe for us to send Foxx packing." Here's her formula for victory. If you want to help her with that, please consider contributing by tapping the Blue America Act Blue thermometer below.
Our campaign focuses on a strong economic platform of raising the minimum wage, providing opportunity for job skills training, and adding jobs through rebuilding America’s infrastructure. Everywhere I go in the 5th, economic issues are at the top among people’s concerns. From the teacher who is working a second job or the waitress who picks up a second shift just to make ends meet, people are struggling. In 2007, Virginia Foxx voted no to increase the minimum wage to $5.85 with a cap of $7.25. She does not support people earning a living wage. She has little empathy for people’s plight to make a better life for themselves. People have lost hope in our government. They need someone who will stand up and fight for their families and communities. I will fight to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 and include wage increases for service workers. I will fight for the right to unionize and will work to protect employees from pay schemes like comp time that can be controlled by their employer.Another major worry of voters is healthcare. A recent survey found that 68% of Americans have less than $1,000.00 in the bank. One major illness can be financially devastating. Virginia Foxx wants to repeal the ACA and replace it with what I call The John Grisham’s Rainmaker AHCA where states like North Carolina will apply for waivers to gut provisions like pre-existing conditions and coverage limits. So, not only have you maxed out your insurance coverage, you are destitute and stuck in a high risk pool for the rest of your life. Thanks, Virginia. 40,000 people in the 5th district are covered under the Affordable Care Act. 30,000 receive substantial subsidies to buy their plans. They will lose their coverage when she votes yes on the repeal and replace. With 75% of Democrats and 60% of all Americans supporting single payer health plans, there is no reason for Congress to continue to stonewall the progress of bills like HR 676. I will be a strong voice in support of a single payer program.We must protect our most vulnerable by protecting Medicare, expanding Social Security and Medicaid. I spoke to an elderly woman at the Earth Day festival who lives on $820.00 per month. She visits the food pantry and other charities just to scrape by, yet she still volunteers to help others in hospice care. In the wealthiest country in the world, why do we have people living their senior years in abject poverty? We all know the answer is greed. I support raising the cap on Social Security Income tax moving towards abolishing it completely. I will fight to prevent the privatization of Medicare and propose to increase the income eligibility guidelines to qualify for Medicaid.You have to have the right message and the strength to stand up and fight for it. Bernie Sander’s progressive populist message resonated with the people in the 5th district as was evident in his primary results. These people of the 5th want equity from a system they feel has left them behind. They want a representative that isn’t bought out by corporate interests and big money. They want their voice heard and to know that their opinion matters. And I agree.In the words of Bernie Sanders "Enough is enough." Let’s get to work.