Northam, other Va. Dems rally in Hampton ahead of Election Day
Party officials say momentum from 2017 is still strong
HAMPTON — Democrats from various levels of government expressed confidence for another blue wave on Election Day at a voter rally in Hampton Sunday, but they are not planning to coast in the final days before Virginians cast votes on every single seat in the General Assembly.
Channeling a sports analogy in the Boo Williams Sportsplex, Gov. Ralph Northam said this election was the party’s opportunity to get back on offense and stop playing so much defense. With a Democratic legislature, he said the state government could focus on making Virginia a better state for its workers, expanding early childhood education, pass gun control laws and making the state more welcoming and inclusive.
The rally was organized by the Hampton Democratic Committee and the Greater Hampton Roads Black Democrats. It drew a crowd that filled a section of basketball bleachers in the gymnasium along with several Peninsula elected officials and candidates Martha Mugler, who’s running against Colleen Holcomb in the 91st District, and Angela Reason, who’s running against incumbent Gary Anderson to be Newport News Clerk of Court.
Many officials pointed to the momentum generated in 2017, when Democrats picked up 15 seats and came a random drawing away from taking the majority in the House of Delegates. They said that momentum was still going.
Del. Jeion Ward said Sunday felt “like Christmas Eve and you know what’s in the package, but you just have to wait until Tuesday.”
State Sen. Mamie Locke said since the 2016 elections, she’s focused energy on helping Democrats who could flip sitting Republicans. When she said she was confident the party could pick up at least three Senate seats, Northam interjected that it would get five.
Reps. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and Elaine Luria, two of Hampton Roads’ representatives in Congress, said actions at the state level help instill changes that get stuck in federal gridlock. Luria called Virginia’s elections a referendum on federal issues, particularly related to President Donald Trump.
Speakers acknowledged that those in attendance at the rally weren’t the people they needed to encourage to get out and vote. Instead, they encouraged the crowd to volunteer at precincts and make sure others got to the polls, challenging them to talk with friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.
Hampton wasn’t the only place this weekend officials were rallying voters for an off-year election that traditionally draws a low turnout.
Vice President Mike Pence spoke to local Republicans at Kempsville Middle School Saturday. Actress Kerry Washington participated in a discussion about voting, activism and democracy Sunday afternoon at Norfolk State University. Northam said he had been criss-crossing the area Sunday before appearing in Hampton.