“Splitting his time between treating COVID-19 patients and helping raise his two young children, Dr. Cameron Webb knows a thing or two about taking on big challenges for the good of his community, which is exactly why he’s the right person to serve these Virginia communities in Congress. In contrast with Cameron Webb’s deep connection to his community, Bob Good’s out of touch personal agenda and shady political practices would put him right at home in Washington. With unending attacks on our health care and a global pandemic impacting everyday Virginians lives and well-being, it’s never been clearer why Cameron Webb is the right person to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.” – DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
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To: Interested Parties
From: Sarah Guggenheimer, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 23, 2020
Subject: The Case Against Bob Good
Last year, incumbent Congressman Denver Riggleman officiated a same-sex wedding. And for this, Bob Good and Virginia’s 5th Congressional District Committee rigged the nominating process and kicked him out of office.
Now Good enters a general election leading a badly fractured Republican Party, tasked with uniting a party he broke in the first place. Unfortunately for Bob Good, he enters the general election with only $34,482.17 cash on hand, running against Dr. Cameron Webb whose medical background and deep ties to his community make him the right person to unify the district once more.
A doctor treating COVID-19 patients, a teacher and the Director of Health Policy and Equity at UVA’s Medical School, Webb has spent his entire life working to serve others. Born and raised in Virginia, Webb understands his community – he understands the challenges that face so many hardworking families and has worked to be part of the solution wherever he can.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Dr. Cameron Webb is a fresh-faced, 36-year-old doctor from Charlottesville who could go down in history as the first Black physician elected to a full-fledged spot in Congress. It’s a prospect that carries particular weight now as Black communities are facing the worst of the coronavirus outbreak and as President Donald Trump works to undermine medical experts’ advice on how to stop the virus.” [HuffPost, 6/16/20]
“The defeat of Riggleman, who was endorsed by President Trump, puts the central Virginia seat within reach for Democrats in the general election for the first time in more than a decade.”, [Washington Post, 6/14/20]
“Riggleman won the seat in 2018 with 53% of the vote, and Good’s nomination may make the seat a bigger Democratic target in November. The Cook Political Report changed the race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican, following Good’s win.” [NPR, 6/14/20]
“Bob Good will be the reason the seat goes blue. This district, and the extremist who is running to represent it, do not deserve our help. It’s okay to take the “L” on this. Don’t turn on the hose of cash flow. Let this one burn.” [Bearing Drift Editorial, 6/16/20]
“…[Webb] approaches policy problems the same pragmatic and evidence-based way he approaches diagnoses and treatments as a physician.” [Fauquier Times, 5/28/20]
Bob Good: Washington Swamp-Member in Training
BOB GOOD’S RUDE AWAKENING
Bob Good is in for a rude awakening as he realizes that winning a rigged convention is much different than running a real campaign and winning in the district.
Conservative news outlet Bearing Drift declared it would rather “take the ‘L’ on this” than support Bob Good.
Meanwhile national Republicans have stayed silent, and looking at the records of past GOP challengers who ousted incumbent Republicans in competitive districts it’s easy to see why.
Per Leah Askarinam of the National Journal: “In NC-09, 2018 nominee Mark Harris (R) ousted then-Rep. Robert Pittenger (R), resulting in an election fraud scandal that forced an expensive redo election. In one of the biggest upsets of the cycle, Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-SC 01) won a district where Clinton received just 40%, after 2018 nominee Katie Arrington (R) defeated Rep. Mark Sanford (R) in the primary. Arrington blamed Sanford, who never endorsed a candidate to replace him.”
More to the point, through a paperwork error, there are now real questions if Good will even make it on the general election ballot in November.
Since Good first entered the congressional race he’s raised a paltry $186,000 and is entering the general election trailing Webb’s total raised by 4 to 1, underscoring just how ill-prepared Good is to run a competitive campaign.
GOOD’S HEALTH CARE POSITIONS MAKE VIRGINIANS SICK
Good may not have a hefty voting record on health care, but he’s already made his positions on lowering health care costs and protections for pre-existing conditions perfectly clear.
Good has said that with him in Congress, voters in the fifth Congressional District would have a representative who flat out supports repealing the Affordable Care Act. In fact, not only does Good oppose the ACA but he also specifically called out Riggleman for his vote to stop funding the lawsuit to repeal the ACA.
Good’s health care agenda would hike costs and gut protections for pre-existing conditions in the middle of a global pandemic. It is the same agenda of countless former Representatives who found themselves out of a job in 2018.
In contrast, as a practicing physician, Dr. Cameron Webb knows firsthand how dangerous Good’s views on health care are and understands how to lower costs and improve coverage for Virginians.
Health care remains the most important issue for voters this election and Good’s out of touch positions next to Webb’s competence and understanding will be trouble for Good. Especially as Virginians continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19, Webb’s experience and knowledge make him the perfect person to stand up to Good’s reactionary policy and to lead his community.
GOOD IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH VA-05
We can’t forget the issue that started it all: same-sex marriage. One of Good’s main reasons for running for office was the fact that Riggleman supports same sex marriage. Good has loudly disagreed, spouting his homophobic views across a district that lives in a world where LGBT rights were reaffirmed by the conservative leaning Supreme Court just last week.
It’s also a position that’s drawn criticism from members of his own party. The Conservative Virginia publication, Bearing Drift argued that if Good were a true conservative “he would accept gay marriage as the law of the land.”
But Good’s offensive views spread beyond homophobia. In recent weeks, he has faced pressure from Republicans and Democrats to condemn a campaign surrogate for his racist and homophobic comments in a video from several years ago. In this district with 19.5% Black citizen voting-age population, Good’s silence speaks volumes.
And his policy positions are to the right of even President Trump. Per Good himself, he would have voted against the coronavirus relief bills that gave direct aid to working families, expanded unemployment insurance, funded hospitals and health care providers, and provided small businesses the help they needed to survive.
GOOD CORRUPTED THE DISTRICT NOMINATING PROCESS FOR HIS OWN SELF-INTEREST
The story of Good’s nomination cannot be told without also examining the fractures he created in his Republican Party and the “vile and disgusting” levels to which his campaign sunk in order to win the party nomination.
Put simply: Good paid off members of the District Committee, which manipulated the nominating process to benefit Good at every turn.
His actions force all Virginians to ask themselves in Congress, would Good be an honest representative of the district, or another member of the Washington swamp looking to profit off his position however he can?
For Webb, public service has never been something to profit from. That’s why he became a physician and that’s who he’ll be in Congress: someone steadfastly dedicated to his constituents. Bob Good can’t say the same.
PATH TO VICTORY
In 2018, Congressman Denver Riggleman ran behind Trump’s 2016 margin of victory by 5 points, despite his party being relatively united. Bob Good will not have that advantage. And while he will run even to the right of President Trump, it’s unclear if he’ll even try to heal GOP divisions he created to turn out the coalition he’ll need to win.
Webb’s ties to Charlottesville and UVA, along with Vice President Biden’s presence on the ticket will help hike turnout in Charlottesville, and Webb’s cross-party appeal through his dedication to service will help him in the more rural areas of the district.
Good will be on defense from the outset, defending an untested and unexamined record. He’ll have to answer for his out of touch stances on issues from LGBTQ rights to the Affordable Care Act, and at every turn he’ll prove wanting. And Good’s record, agenda, and character simply can’t stand up to the honest, strong integrity of Dr. Cameron Webb.
His commonsense and moderate sensibilities will unite Democrats and reach across the aisle to consolidate support among former Riggleman voters who find Good too extreme and corrupt for their tastes. Because while Bob Good likes to rig things in his favor to win, Webb knows what it’s like to take on the big fights, and win.
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