“Barnstorming” Congressional hopefuls pack The Barn for GOP Forum
Wall-to-wall citizens packed The Middleburg Barn on Tuesday, April 19th for another GOP Candidate Forum. With the May 21 Primary weeks away, these earnest voters were keen to pick their “winning jockey.”
The evening was moderated by Julie Carey of NBC with Virginia Republican Party Chair, Rich Anderson kicking it off. The crowded, highly qualified field of 10 present (11 with Jennifer Lawson absent) held the crowd’s attention for over two hours.
Candidates include lawyers, investment bankers, educators, homeschoolers, elected county officials, school board members and activists, small business owners, farmers, retired military veterans, and space and technology experts.
Carey managed the full agenda well, allowing 30 second opening remarks followed by one-minute answers to preselected questions. This included education, the economy-inflation, balancing the budget, tax burden, U.S. energy independence, national defense, border security, “your first legislation if elected?” and even their favorite political role-model. The latter generated some obvious “Reagan’s,” and some unexpected others.
All seemed well versed in the issues, offering thoughtful answers. Some were convincing, others even passionate. But, at the end of the day, all must prove they are The One to beat incumbent Democrat Jennifer Wexton.
Of the three women and eight men, one person clearly stood out – retired Naval Captain Hung Cao. (http://hungcaoforcongress.com)
Hung (as he is known) is the only minority immigrant-refugee running who, escaping communism in Vietnam, came to America with next-to-nothing and realized the American Dream. He is also a West Point graduate and only battle-proven combat veteran in the race who has risked it all for America.
Hung spoke with wisdom and passion about the equity agenda in education, solving open borders, military vaccine mandates, balancing the budget, and clean nuclear energy. And unique to all, his political role model is Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.
Regardless of your politics, please learn more about each candidate and your May 21st voting location by visiting http://vagop10.org.
Carl Hagen – Washington, Virginia