“The remarkable enthusiasm behind Abigail Spanberger’s campaign is what drove her to an impressive victory in this primary, even while facing a well-financed and strong competitor,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “Voters are rightly excited to support someone with Abigail’s impeccable record of service to her community and country, and are finding common cause in her message about putting her district and families first. That grassroots energy and powerful message are already creating a contrast with her opponent, and are why Abigail is ready to compete for this district in November.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Jacob Peters, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 12, 2018
RE: The Case Against Rep. Dave Brat
Abigail Spanberger has the experience, perspective and values to fix Republican controlled Washington from the negative influences of people like Rep. Dave Brat. Her commanding performance in the Democratic primary against another strong, well-funded Democrat demonstrates her strength and momentum heading into the general election.
Spanberger has always served her country and community, first as a federal law enforcement officer and CIA operative, and now as a community volunteer and leader. Dave Brat has never served anyone but his own extreme political agenda.
Spanberger is a problem solver who sees that Congress needs more leaders who will put their country and their constituents first – that’s what she learned from a career working overseas to keep us safe. Brat is a partisan who puts politics ahead of getting things done and has directly contributed to the gridlock in Washington.
Spanberger made the final decision to run for Congress when she saw Dave Brat vote to repeal health care without having adequate information about the bill’s effect on people in Virginia – the opposite of how she learned to make decisions as an intelligence officer. Dave Brat has never seen a health care repeal bill he wouldn’t vote for, and his reckless votes are going to lead to higher health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs for his constituents.
Dave Brat has never had to defend his reckless record in a general election, let alone against a top tier opponent who is running with a massive grassroots operation at her back – particularly as the districts shifts beneath him. He has absolutely no idea what’s coming for him.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Spanberger is an example of the new class of Democratic challengers.” [Inside Elections 10.27.18]
“But the Richmond suburbs, once the heart of Virginia conservatism, are changing fast: this seat voted for President Trump by six points, down from Mitt Romney’s 11 point margin.…Spanberger has an emerging grassroots following in the populous, highly-educated Richmond suburbs (Henrico and Chesterfield counties).” [Cook Political Report 5.10.18]
Washington Post: He scored a political upset that shocked Washington. But is it Rep. Dave Brat’s turn for a shock?
Real Clear Politics: Dems Aim to Flip the Script on Giant-Killer Brat in Va.
Rep. Dave Brat: Lived Long Enough to Become the Villain
Two-Faced Partisan
Dave Brat made many big promises when he upset the establishment, and has since broken most of them. Brat ranted and raved about the national debt, even dubbing himself “a leading voice explaining why spending, deficits, and debt matter,” and then voted for the GOP tax scam that exploded the national debt by $1.9 trillion.
Brat said he would take on his own party, but he votes with Republican bosses 99% of the time. As a reward for his loyalty, Brat has accepted more than $22,000 from Washington Republican leadership. Brat plays the outsider when it suits him, but in reality he is just another politician who says one thing and then does another when it benefits him, his party and his special interest donors.
Bane to Affordable Health Care
Dave Brat has been an enemy to affordable health care since the moment he entered office. He has voted nine times to repeal the Affordable Care Act without any replacement at all, even pledging to defund the law and scrap employer based plans that cover more than half of Virginians. Brat voted last year for the failed Republican repeal bill that would have caused 50,000 of his own constituents to lose health care and made Virginia’s recent Medicaid expansion impossible. Then he voted for the GOP Tax Scam that gutted a key provision of the Affordable Care Act – sabotage that has already led Virginia insurers to propose premium increases as high as 64 percent.
Tax Joker
Nothing encapsulates Brat’s transition to the ultimate insider more than his vote for the GOP Tax Scam. It gave more than 80 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest Americans. It rewarded powerful special interests. It satisfied his party bosses. And it lead to Brat doing rhetorical gymnastics to argue that his vote didn’t abandon his commitment to lower the national debt, even though every non-partisan analysis made it clear that it did.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
Abigail Spanberger’s compelling profile and competitive campaign are essential to putting this rapidly-changing district in play. Spanberger served overseas collecting intelligence and overseeing high-stake programs as a CIA Operations Officer – the type of unique and impressive experience that means she can appeal to voters across the political spectrum. Her television ads in the primary have focused on putting country before party, rejecting corporate PAC donations, and health care – a message that delivered a commanding primary win while also laying a strong foundation for the general election.
The grassroots support for Spanberger is simply off the charts, with campaign events attracting hundreds of attendees, an army of volunteers ready to knock doors and make phone calls, and a primary performance that speaks for itself. And finally, Spanberger has outraised Brat three quarters in a row, a strong showing for a first time candidate and evidence that Brat has failed to prepare himself for a serious challenge.
VA-07 is a rapidly changing district that looks significantly different than it did even just a few years ago when Brat won a race by running to the right. Residents are more affluent and more likely to have a college degree than neighboring districts, making it an opportunity for Democrats and a good fit for Spanberger’s profile.
Clinton carried forty-four percent of the district in 2016, and Governor Ralph Northam got nearly forty-eight percent in 2017. Also in 2017, Democrats flipped three House of Delegates seats that overlap with the district, fueled by the growing Democratic support in suburban Chesterfield and Henrico counties. Chesterfield County supported the Democratic nominee for governor for the first time since 1961, after McAuliffe lost the county by nearly eight points in 2013. Henrico County backed Northam by almost twenty three points, up about ten points from 2013.