The Campaign of Tom Perriello

It seems only fitting that I write a column about my nephew who is a Congressman in Virginia's fifth congressional district. Not only is he my nephew, but his campaign makes a great story. It is a story of a gifted young man who went into politics and was determined to do it his way. He had little interest in the political side of the equation and was primarily concerned with doing what he felt was in the best interest of his constituents in the fifth district. He worked hard, and campaigned tirelessly. This past summer he held more town hall meetings than any other congressman - listening and trying to explain why he felt the way he did about issues that were important to the district.

He was a progressive Democrat in a conservative district, but he didn't hide from his positions like many of his Democratic colleagues. He chose to highlight the benefits of the programs he supported and trusted that the people of his district would reward him for his hard work, his sincerity, and the strength of his convictions. He offers a shining example of how Democrats should have conducted themselves in the mid term elections.

There is only one small flaw in this great story. Tom Perriello did not win his race for reelection in the fifth district. The race was close. The final margin was less than 4%. He did significantly better than most other Democratic congressmen in similar situations, including those who tried to convince voters that they weren't really Democrats. Yet, It seems that the real story turns out to be that in this election it made no difference whether you ran from your beliefs or stood up for them. Democratic congressmen around the country fell victim to Republican and Tea Party candidates.

So is there anything we can take from what happened in this campaign Tuesday night? I believe that looking at the Tom Perriello we saw Tuesday night gives us some answers. He was able to stand on the stage and address the public with his head held high. He was clearly at peace and happy knowing that he had done a good job. There were no regrets. He believed in what he had been doing. He took the tough political votes without thinking about political considerations, but voting on what he believed to be the best interests of his congressional district.

So I believe that members of both parties still have much to learn from Tom's courage in Washington and in the campaign. Tom Perriello didn't win, but he had no doubts. He knew the terrible recession that would have followed without the stimulus and efforts to shore up the crumbling financial system. He knew energy independence required an energy bill, he knew Wall Street needed regulation, and he knew we needed to reform our health care system. He didn't flinch when it came to taking the tough votes, and he was proud to stand and explain the importance of those votes when questioned. Many could and did disagree with his prescription for the district, but no one could doubt his authenticity, his genuineness, and his desire to help the people of his district.

As we all waited together for election returns Tuesday night, Tom was indeed a tower of strength. He was busy comforting everybody from his youngest neices and nephews, to his Mom, to his campaign staff. He himself, however, was genuinely at peace and even happy about his two year stint as a congressman. He believes in his community and was honored to have been given the privilege of serving these people. The country needs more people like Tom, from whatever political persuasion, entering politics. Unfortunately, there are too few like him and our political discourse suffers as a consequence. Clearly there was no one, family or friend, who was with Tom Tuesday night, that was not filled with pride at his accomplishements

So, what's next. Many opportunities await Tom at this point. No decisions have been made yet, since the focus to the final moments had been on winning this election. Tom's future remains bright. He is destined to be a valuable contributor and leader in whatever endeavor he decides to pursue. The fifth district of Virginia is poorer this week, but the Tom Perriello legacy has just begun.

Congratulations Tom, for being who you are. There can be no doubt that your Dad is looking down with great pride.