First, as I've been saying for some time, there's the problem of Goodlatte's promise in 1992, which he has broken repeatedly.
When Congressman Bob Goodlatte, R-6th, said he would only serve 12 years, we believed him. That was during his first run for the office in 1992.
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Second, some in the district claim that we need Goodlatte's experience and seniority. But the truth is--not so much.
In fact, we wonder what we would lose without Goodlatte. In March, the nonpartisan research organization Knowlegis ranked the eight-term Republican 254th among 435 House members in the Congressional power structure. The study ranks members on their positions, indirect influence and legislative activity and earmarked funding for special projects.After all his years in Congress, we'd hope for something better than middle of the pack.
Third, Goodlatte is in the pocket of Agribusiness, not the small farmers who make up the backbone of our district.
His position on the Agricultural Committee is well-suited for his district, which runs through much of the Shenandoah Valley into southwest Virginia. But when you think Farm Bill, do you think "advantage farmer"? Not the small farmer. Not the ones we want to protect in the Valley. While the 2007 Farm Bill tossed out some conservation benefits for Valley farmers, the commodities that make up the bulk of the expensive bill go to the Midwest or Deep South.
Fourth, Rasoul represents real change.
Rasoul, on the other hand, walks the walk. He is seeking a seat in Congress on a shoestring - he refused money from the National Democratic Committee because he didn't want to be beholden to the lobbyists attached to party money.Rasoul tells the story of reading a magazine article about the future of politics. After brutally close elections with candidates from the far ends of the political spectrum, the article stated that success belonged to centrist candidates. That was a place Rasoul felt comfortable, so nearly two years ago, as the incumbent began his eighth term, Rasoul went to work.
He joined Change Congress, a collection of 168 Congressional candidates committing to a different kind of civil service, without accepting money from political action committees and saying no to earmarks, increasing Congressional transparency and supporting publically financed campaigns.
Goodlatte has grown too comfortable in Washington and doesn't listen to the people of his District. Rasoul brings a different kind of politics to the equation. He's in the style of Mark Warner, and he represents real change in a Congress that desperately needs it.