Forgit For Congress: "I'll sleep when I'm dead!"

By: Lowell
Published On: 10/29/2007 2:53:06 PM

Philip Forgit sounds like the perfect candidate for Congress from the 1st district.  I expect he will attract strong netroots support if he is the Democratic nominee. This should be verrrry interesting.

PHILIP FORGIT RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN 1st CD

Decorated war veteran and award-winning teacher Philip Forgit of Williamsburg, Virginia announced today that he is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District seat. 

Mr. Forgit is a Bronze Star decorated veteran of the Iraq War, serving with a Naval Special Warfare unit as an adviser to the Iraqi Army in 2005-2006. A Naval Reservist, Mr. Forgit was mobilized from his former job as a 4th grade teacher at Rawls Byrd Elementary.

Mr. Forgit is also a nationally recognized teacher, having won the 2005 National Education Association (NEA) Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, which included a $35,000 national prize which was awarded to him live, via satellite, while he served in Iraq. Since his return to the U.S., Mr. Forgit has used the prize money to establish ForgitFilms LLC for the purpose of making a documentary on Iraqi soldiers and their families. 


Mr. Forgit is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in History '89 and an M.A. in Elementary Education '95.  He lives in Williamsburg with his wife, Dawn, also a school teacher, and their three children. They attend Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church where Mr. Forgit is a Deacon and Chair of the Mercy Ministry.

Mr. Forgit ran a competitive race for the Virginia 96th District House of Delegates seat in 2003 against incumbent Melanie Rapp.  Active in Peninsula campaigns, Mr. Forgit is a member of the First Congressional District Democratic Committee and the James City County Democratic Party.

In announcing his candidacy, Mr. Forgit said the following:

"I didn't go to Iraq to fight for a democracy, only to come home to an uncontested election for our Congressional Representative. I am stepping forward so that there WILL BE an election in the 1st Congressional District. I've been on a ballot before in a tough, close race and  I am ready to run, with a background and beliefs that will appeal to voters in the 1st CD."

Forgit, the only announced Democratic candidate in this race, is also prepared for the unusually short window for the special election, with only 10 days until the convention where a Democratic nominee will be chosen, and 30 days to the actual special election.  The 40 year-old Forgit said, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

The Democratic convention will be held in Williamsburg on November 10.

P.S.  The Daily Press has a story.

Comments



Phil is probably the frontrunner right now (Chris Guy - 10/29/2007 3:51:45 PM)
The other names interested are political novices and all from the Fredericksburg area. Most Dems from the Williamsburg area will probably rally around Forgit for the nomination.


Pic of Forgit (Dianne - 10/29/2007 7:18:14 PM)


This is great news! (beachmom - 10/29/2007 7:53:17 PM)
Do you think that he has a chance of winning?  I'm not as familiar with that district.


I actually think he can (Chris Guy - 10/29/2007 8:21:09 PM)
It's a tought district, but it only went 51% for Kilgore in '05, so it's not impossible. Plus the DCCC has a ton of cash-on-hand for the eventual nominee. Phil's got a great bio and loves retail politics.


Don't get me wrong but (JohnB - 10/29/2007 10:01:46 PM)
Why would the DCCC give money to someone who lost a delegate race  to Melanie Rapp


Why don't you ask them (Chris Guy - 10/30/2007 12:56:38 AM)
They've been recruiting candidates for this seat for months, and Phil is one of the guys they've been talking to. But now that more Democrats have expressed interest in the seat, they've decided to remain neutral and let the nomination process play out.

Maybe if Democrats had won more local races in recent years, we'd have more options. But this isn't Richmond or Fairfax. We don't have Don McEachins or Leslie Byrnes around every corner. If Albert Pollard wins on Nov. 6, he'd be an ideal candidate.....in 2010.