Lieutenant governor candidates square off in Staunton
STAUNTON - Discussion of Medicaid expansion and education funding dominated the conversation Monday night between the three Democratic candidates for Virginia lieutenant governor during a live forum in Staunton.
Justin Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor, Susan Platt, a political consultant, and Gene Rossi, a former federal prosecutor, agreed on much as approximately 100 audience members at Mary Baldwin University listened carefully to try inform their voting decisions in the upcoming June 13 primaries.
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All three agreed on the importance of appealing to voters "disengaged" with mainstream politics that voted for President Donald Trump last November, as well as expanding Medicaid, building up education and fostering a welcoming environment for immigrants.
With such similar policy agendas, their task was distinguishing themselves among the Valley Democratic voters with their different experiences and approaches to the office.
Fairfax, who described growing up as the youngest of four children raised by a single mother, continually underlined a goal that all Virginia children get "the same shot in life" no matter their beginning.
Platt pulled on her experiences working in business and behind the scenes in politics, for example as Joe Biden's chief of staff when he was a Delaware Senator, to argue that she knows how to get things done and will bring that expertise to the lieutenant governor's office.
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And at each question, Gene Rossi seemingly had a new harrowing personal story to convey how he will "fight for those who cannot fight for themselves," like he did when he was a federal prosecutor, like he did when he had a rare, deadly blood disease and like his "hero," his daughter, did in battling back from cancer. His refusal to "blink" or back down on the things he believes are right will help broker agreement with state Republicans, Rossi said.
“I dare them to say, ‘we’re not going to expand Medicaid’," he said. "[They’re] going to blink, not me," he said.
The SAW Action Movement group streamed the event live on its Facebook page and the recording of that footage is embedded below.
Also speaking in Staunton Monday were democratic candidates for the House of Delegates Michele Edwards and Angela Lynn, who kicked off the event, which was sponsored by the Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro Democratic Committees.
Edwards opposes incumbent Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, for the District 20 seat, and emphasized greater education funding and Medicaid expansion in introducing herself.
Lynn, who will face off with Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, for his District 25 seat in November, spoke on why she thinks gerrymandering threatens our democracy and why it's important to put an end to the practice of manipulating the boundaries of the Virginia's electoral districts.
Primary elections are June 13 and the general election is November 7.