Tom Perriello: A Candidate That Can Bridge the Urban-Rural Divide

On Sunday March 26, 2017, former Congressman Tom Perriello spoke at Ireland's Four Courts in Courthouse. He is running for Governor of Virginia and first needs to win a primary on June 13, 2017 to become the Democratic nominee.

Virginia, unlike most states, holds state elections on years when there are no Federal offices on the ballot. As a result, these elections tend to be relatively low key with many voters failing to show up to the polls.

This year however, the Virginia elections will be a referendum on President Trump. Voters will have a chance to send a clear message about what they think about President Trump and the direction they want this country to go.

Tom Perriello is the perfect candidate to send that message because of his ability heal the divisions in Virginia and bridge the divide between urban and rural communities.

Even though Perriello was in the heart of Northern Virginia and in one of the wealthiest parts of the Commonwealth, he spoke about the problems in rural Virginia and how those problems unite all Virginians.

He found a receptive audience among voters who wanted to expand the appeal of the Democratic party beyond the traditional political fault lines. Instead of appealing to the narrow interests of specific groups of voters, Perriello talked about how all Virginians face similar problems.

Families all across Virginia are struggling to make ends meet whether it is because of the high cost of living or the lack of well paying jobs. Perriello outlined his vision of making community college and vocation training free for Virginia students, and also his proposal to raise the minimum wage.

Perriello understands the importance of these issues in all parts of Virginia because of his time as Congressman for Virginia's Fifth District. It includes both urban areas like Charlottesville, but also extends to the rural Southside of Virginia all the way to the North Carolina border.

Both during his campaign for Congress and while a Congressman, Perriello did not write off voters, but instead made an effort to understand the problems that all his constituents faced. As a result, Perriello did significantly better with rural voters than most Democratic candidates tend to do.

More than simply defeating the Trump agenda, electing Perriello will put someone in the Governor's mansion who can lead by example. Instead of pitting voters against each other, Perriello has the ability to bring different groups of Virginians together around common interests.

That is the type of leadership that Virginia needs in this increasingly polarized atmosphere. If you are looking for ways to get involved in the political process, join Perriello's campaign and work towards a better way.

All voters can choose to vote in the June 13 Democratic primary election and help make Tom Perriello the next Governor of Virginia