It's Urgent That Democrats Win Back The Virginia House In November-- Meet Progressive Democrat Eric Stamps

In less than 4 months the Virginia state Democratic Party needs to win 2 seats-- maybe just one now-- to flip the House of Delegates. The party and the DLCC have their status quo candidates in the easiest districts-- generally speaking the ones Northam won that are occupied by Republicans. They ignore the rest of the state-- in some ways a good thing for progressives. When progressives win seats that the establishment ignored, they owe the corporatist establishment nothing. The drawback, off course, is that they have to depend on grassroots fundraising since the party will give them nothing at all.

That brings us to a hot election in the Danville area (HD-14) that pits right-wing good ole boy-- and incumbent-- Danny Marshall, against true blue Berniecrat progressive Eric Stamps. Marshall has held the seat since 2001, uncontested in five of nine election cycles. The last time his seat was challenged was in the 2013 state election.

It's been a pretty red district, but not prohibitively so-- and less and less year by year. Trump beat Hillary there 53-44%. In 2017 statewide Republicans lost the state but won HD-14. Gillespie beat Northam for governor 55-44% but last year it was less lopsided for Senator Tim Kaine, who lost-- but just 51-48%.

Over half the voters live in Danville City (52%), which votes blue. The problem is with Pittsylania County (28%) and Henry County (20%), which are rural and red. Example: Hillary beat Trump in Danville 11,051 (58.6%) to 7,306 (38.7) but he made up for it in Henry, where he beat her 15,207 (63.3%), and Pittsylvania, where he did even better-- 21,742 (68.6%) to 9,195 (29.0%).

Danville (age 29) is Eric's hometown. Yesterday he told me that "For 20 years many areas in this district have gotten worse. Poverty, income inequality, violence, lack of quality jobs, and more have lead to a decline in our population. So much is made about our improving downtown, but it doesn’t show the overall economic situation in this area. In southern Virginia, Republican candidates rarely have competition and they are wholly owned by corporations. I stepped up to run because it’s time for the people’s agenda to be advocated for in Richmond. A living wage, funding our education system, protecting our environment (a Green New Deal), protecting and expanding workers rights, increasing the minimum wage...This message is resonating with voters I speak to everyday. They know that the system is rigged against them. They know that this isn’t a 'booming economy.' People are ready for change in Southside  Virginia."

He also said that he feels his grassroots campaign "has the numbers to win. District 14 is a swing district now. Tim Kaine only lost this district by 836 votes (27 votes per precinct). Ralph Northam the year before lost by over 3 thousand votes. We’re running a grassroots campaign funded by people, not corporations. With or without state party support we’re taking this election very seriously. We know that we can win and with boots on the ground and monetary support we’ll make it happen."

  In January, local reporter Halle Parker interviewed him for the Danville Register & Bee, noting that "some of his main issues are health care, decriminalizing nonviolent behavior, increasing the availability of affordable housing and raising the minimum wage."

To Stamps, the minimum wage, currently set at $7.25 per hour, is more like a “poverty wage” because people who work minimum-wage jobs are still below the poverty level.

“Even though we have a low unemployment rate, a lot of times people have to work two or three jobs,” he said.

He said he’d also like to see more regulation on payday lenders and get rid of Virginia’s “right to work” laws.

All issues, he said, would directly affect people in the 14th district, and he’s tired of seeing people at the state-level who have never been to Danville make decisions that impact its residents.

“We shouldn’t have to go beg people in order to get things done in our own community,” said Stamps.

Many of Stamp’s stances come from his own life experiences after watching his friends who were teachers forced to get a second job or not finding a job in his field after graduating from college and landing in a low-wage job.

“People think that low-wage work isn’t hard work. It is hard work, they’re just not being paid well,” the father of two said.

Both vice-chairs of the Danville and Pittsylvania County Democratic Committees said their groups are supporting Stamps’ campaign.

“Eric has been getting Democrats elected for years. He knows the issues that have been affecting people here from his conversations at their doors and in community meetings,” said Danville Democratic Committee Vice Chairman Josh Norris.

Pittsylvania County Democratic Committee Vice Chairwoman Francis Tucker said his message that “Everybody deserves a seat at the table” rings true to a lot of people, including herself.

“I think there are a lot of people who have that their needs or issues weren’t being addressed or even cared about,” she said.

Stamps said this loss of faith in their representatives has led to a decrease in voter turnout that he hopes to reverse come November and draw out more voters in his favor.

“No one is speaking to the voters, and that’s what’s different about my campaign,” he said. “I’m speaking to the people.”

He said his grassroots campaign won’t be accepting any money from corporate donors, trying to take a stand against what he called a “pay to play” system.

Norris said, “We deserve someone who will work for us in Richmond and not only on the behalf of corporations and special interests.”

Tucker said she believes there are plenty of ways that Pittsylvania County residents could be better served, and that it’s important for representatives to be challenged.

Norris said, “This office has rarely been challenged and after 17 years it’s time that the citizens of Danville finally come first. We can’t afford to wait another 17 years for things to get done.”

Not yet 30, Stamps said he’s joining the movement pushing for fresh faces to take office.

“Now is definitely the time for new leadership across all levels of government,” he said. “From City Council all the way up to the presidency.”

Blue America has endorsed 5 candidates for the state legislature. If you'd like to contribute to Eric's campaign, and help him replace Danny Marshall, you can do that by tapping on the Blue America state legislative thermometer above. Now is exactly the time when Eric needs the help to fund his completely grassroots campaign.