To run as a Democratic in District 18, you have to be tough and realistic while still being a dreamer. In other areas in Virginia, it has been a blue wave, but here it’s more like a blue slog. In high school in Warrenton, I came from behind to win the Virginia State Equitation championship (show jumping). After college, in the middle of the Great Recession, I moved to Memphis to work in theatre and play guitar on Beale Street. I returned home to start a media/music business based out of Rixeyville and had the opportunity to perform up and down the East Coast. This led to being cast on NBC’s The Voice, appearing after the Super Bowl for millions of viewers. My professional life is about bringing people together united around a shared message. That is the essence of good politics and good representation. It is natural for me not to be shy of a challenge, like being a Democrat in our area running for office. In the 2017 election, as the Democratic nominee for Delegate, I received more votes than any Democrat in the recent history of our District, despite having a well-funded 3rd party candidate in the race. The way to effect change is through persistent, consistent action dealing with real problems. We need to solve the problems we have, not the ones Republican leaders make up to avoid dealing with reality.
