Rural Virginia constituent outreach gets national attention

At right, Keith Ellison, deputy chair of the National Democratic Committee, with Vir-ginia Delegate Sam Rasoul, D-11th – Ellison has lauded Rasoul’s Democratic Promise constituent outreach program. Courtesy Photo/Office of Sam Rasoul

Just three weeks after his Keynote Speech highlighted the Annual Warren County Democratic Committee Dinner, 11^th District Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul has gotten the attention of his Party at the national level.  An October 11 press release issued from Rasoul’s Roanoke office noted that “Congressman Keith Ellison, Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee, endorsed Democratic Promise (www.DemPromise.com), a new initiative rebuilding trust in the Democratic Party in rural Virginia.”

“The initiative is built as a tool to proactively reach constituents regardless of party affiliation, listen to their concerns and connect them with resources to resolve any problems.  Over its first month, Democratic Promise launched in rural Floyd and Tazewell, Virginia, and has reached over one thousand residents to see if they need help. In doing so, Democratic Promise earned the support of the Rural Caucus of the Democratic Party of Virginia and many other statewide political groups,” the October 11 press release states.

Rasoul alerted Warren County Democrats to Democratic Process during his September 21 visit as part of his Keynote theme that “people deserve the decency of a functioning government”.

Sam Rasoul, left, with former Warren County Democratic Committee Chairman Tom Howarth at Sept. 21 county Democratic event at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club. Photo/Roger Bianchini

The notion of legislative initiatives being pushed across Party lines for the common good of all American citizens, rather than for partisan voter blocks or the big-money political donor class, has been increasingly elusive on the national scene in recent years.  Democratic Promise looks to reverse that trend.  Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that a constituent reach out across party lines would originate with the 11^th District’s young, first-term delegate.

During his remarks to Warren County Democrats on September 21, Rasoul told the story of some Republican colleagues in southwestern Virginia who said they would endorse his 2014, 11^th District candidacy.  He said they sent him a statement that read in part, “The candidate known as Sam Rasoul has now changed his name to Sammy Russell and we endorse his candidacy.”

“And I got a real kick out of it,” Rasoul said of the friendly poke at his ethnic heritage.  More seriously, he added, “But the important part of that story is reflective of the delegates you used to hear about in the 1980’s and before, when politicians used to sit down at the end of the day at dinner like this and hash out some of the differences.  You hear about Tip O’Neill, Ronald Reagan and whoever it may be.”

Hmm, a State Democratic delegate invoking the name of, not only long-time Democratic Congressional leader Tip O’Neill, but Republican Governor and President Ronald Reagan as well. Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that the 36-year-old Rasoul garnered 70-percent of the vote to defeat his Republican opponent for the 11^th District seat in 2014 – or that he is NOW gaining the attention of his party at the national level.

National Committee Deputy Chair Ellison said Rasoul is pointing Democrats back to their roots – “What we as Democrats must do is simple – build relationships; be a voice for voters; follow through with our promises … We are the Party of the People, and this initiative is the foundation on which we will rebuild the trust of those we aim to serve.”

It might be noted that Virginia has gone Democratic in the last three presidential and two of its last three gubernatorial elections.  However, rural Virginia has remained a Republican stronghold that has helped that party maintain its state General Assembly majority.

‘Can’t we all just get along’ Rasoul may have been thinking during his Keynote ad-dress to WC Democrats – his theme: ‘People deserve the decency of a functioning government’, not partisan paralysis. Photo/Roger Bianchini

(Some info from a release by the office of Del. Sam Rasoul)