Amber and I drove up to Dale City/Woodbridge this morning for Bruce Roemmelt‘s campaign kick-off. It was a two hour drive, up along 20, 3, and then 95 for a bit. The gray skies and light drizzle (combined with the early hour) didn’t make the trip altogether pleasant, but by the time that we arrived, just before 10am, the rain had stopped and I’d more or less woken up. The location was marked by Rob Jardine’s #66 race car, which Bruce is sponsoring this year, out front of the Prince William Professional Fire Fighters office.
I always worry when going to events like these, because I fear that they’ll go badly. I have an emotional and, to a certain extent, reputational investment in Bruce’s campaign. If I’m one of four people to show up, that’s embarrassing, so it’s tempting not to even go, and avoid the whole situation.
Thankfully, there was no such problem today: inside were many dozens of people, packing the space to capacity. Hearty introductions and endorsements were provided by Tim Kaine, along with a few other dignitaries, providing a fine introduction. The whole affair had a decidedly fraternal tone, the result of the overwhelming presence of volunteer and professional firefighters, a bunch that is plainly the backbone of the campaign. Bruce did quite well, talking for perhaps 20 minutes from prepared notes. He speaks well, he’s engaging, and his two main issues — “transportation and trust” — are spot on. There’s a serious transportation problem north of Fredericksburg, and the incumbent (Republican Bob Marshall) has done nothing about it, having spent all of his time building up the nanny state and none of his time on issues of substance. The matter of trust is good, too — we’ve come to distrust greatly our representatives in Richmond, since we send ’em there and they spend 45-60 days each year doing God knows what and getting nothing done for us. Bruce is the kind of guy that you’d be hard-pressed to meet and not immediately like and trust. Neither I nor anybody else could say the same for Bob Marshall.
It was a good start to what I expect to be a spirited campaign (at least on Bruce’s part). He’s got a magnetic personality, a big brain and a “don’t screw with me” demeanor that will serve him well in the coming months. If today’s performance is any indicator, I think he’ll do real well on the campaign trail.
Disclaimer: I volunteer my brain to Bruce Roemmelt’s campaign, for what it’s worth. I’m not on the staff, and I’m not paid — I just advise. Assume the same is true for just about any other Democrat running for House about whom I write.