Loose Leaf Notes

-The Following first appeared in The Floyd Press on August 14, 2024 The Celebration Hall at Floyd’s Ecovillage Event Center was filled with enthusiastic supporters Friday evening for a Democratic fundraiser to benefit the campaigns of Karen Baker, who is running for Congress in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who is up for re-election.

Approximately 100 attendees enjoyed live music and a meal catered by Chef Michael Gucciardo and family. Emcee Paul Kitchen warmed up the crowd and local Democratic leaders who spoke at the podium received applause.

After thanking her supporters and the Ecovillage hosts, Kamala Bauers and Jack Wall, Baker introduced herself, outlining her 30 years of service as a trial lawyer for The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, an Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration and a Registered Nurse at a small rural hospital. She spoke about caring for her husband, who developed a neurological disorder, and raising her son as a single parent for 15 years.

Following the death of her husband, Baker moved to Floyd in 2014, after being on a search for a small farm to accommodate her rescue horses. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, Baker’s life of service was influenced by her Quaker father. Retired, she was not expecting to run for Congress, but when asked to run, she asked herself “If not me, then who?”  and found herself “all in.”

“Since March I have been all over the 9th District,” Baker said, explaining that the 9th is larger than the size of New Jersey. She reported that 51% of the district is on Medicaid, “which tells you it is a poor district.”

Access to affordable healthcare and making lives better in the district are at the center of Baker’s campaign. She noted the lack of cell service and broadband in large swaths of the 9th district and her commitment to addressing that. “It’s a public health and safety issue, an issue for farmers, for business and education,” she said.

Baker is focused on face-to-face campaigning and building trust.  Although she is running as a Democrat, her motto is: “My party is the 9th district.”  “I love this district,” she said. “I love the people. I love the terrain. I love the spirit and the sense of resilience and fortitude that the people of the 9th district have.”

When a random phone rang in the hall, Baker joked that it was Kamala Harris, which caused audience members to laugh.

When Kaine took the stage, he began by honoring President Biden’s impressive public service legacy and the example of leadership he modeled by passing the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders, which elicited a rousing applause.

Speaking of Baker’s run for Congress, Kaine said “If you want to know the kind of public official someone will be, look at what they did before they put their name on the ballot.” He commented on the packed room with so much energy and excitement, saying, “This is what I’m seeing all over Virginia.”

Kaine, who recently celebrated 30 years in office, referenced the renewed excitement following Biden decision to step down and endorse Kamala Harris for president. He recalled working with Harris in the Senate and commented on her perseverance and skill in assembling a coalition to address maternal mortality and racial disparity. He spoke of her reputation for being a prepared and perceptive member of the Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

As a former candidate for Vice President with Hilary Clinton, Kaine praised Harris’s choice of Tim Walz as her Vice President running mate and jokingly added, “Maybe I’m bias. A Tim from the Midwest who was a governor. There’s something about that I like.”

Kaine pointed out what he considered the sharpest contrast between the Democrat and Republican parties, saying “Trump’s yesterday’s chaos is Kamala’s tomorrow’s progress.” “We Democrats want to serve. They want to win,” he continued.  “We’ve got to want to win. We’ve got to want to win to serve, not just for our buddies but for everyone.”

The audience rose in a standing ovation when Kaine stated the reason that he’s confident about the result in November. “We’re stand up people, not tear down people,” he said. “We’re going to stand up for reproductive freedoms. We’re going to stand up for climate science. We’re going to stand up for a healthcare system that Karen’s been fighting for. We’re going to stand up for an economy that works for all. We’re going to stand up for school kids, for better salary and respect for teachers. We’re going to stand up for democracy itself.”

Bauers, Ecovillage co-host and Democratic organizer, closed out the event by calling Kaine back to the stage to lead the audience and accompany them on harmonica in a rousing rendition of This Land is Our Land.

 

Applause broke out when it was reported that the fundraising event had raised $18,000.  – Colleen Redman

Photo: Senator Kaine signs his book, Walk Ride Paddle, for Floyd supporter Melodie Pogue. The book is widely available and can be checked out of local libraries. Check out a review HERE.

Post note: The final tally for the fundraiser came in at $22,700