My work is interesting, it is challenging and it is rewarding; and I can wear jeans, which is a real bonus! It is gratifying to see something which was completely neglected restored to it’s former glory. We are re-purposing the old Masonic Lodge in Jackson Ward in Richmond, Virginia into apartments. When the Mason’s no longer wanted the building, I was beyond excited to carry the baton and take their building into the future with respect for its past.
So, if I am so gratified by work, what am I doing also running for office?
In my estimation the 56th House of Delegates district has also long been neglected. No Democrat has run here since 2009. Like the building I am working on, the 56th is also a beautiful place with a rich history. But the neglect is starting to show.
At a campaign event last week someone asked me, “ What are the odds of a Democrat winning in this district?” My response was, “I’m not really sure, but I do know that if we don’t run, our chances hover around 0%.”
I am willing to get out there and take the Democratic message someplace it hasn’t been in a long time. I am out there day after day making phone calls, knocking on doors and attending community events so that we get the message out. We need to fully fund our public schools and fight against charters and vouchers. Our public schools may need work, but how do we expect them to adequately function without the money needed to run at optimal levels?
My district needs to know how much it is costing us when the General Assembly fails to expand Medicaid. This cost is to the economy, sure, but also it costs us in human life as well. This is unacceptable. Failure to expand medicaid places hospitals and clinics in rural districts like mine in peril of going out of business; stressing access to healthcare even further.
It is unacceptable in 2017 for any community to go without broadband access. It is an educational and economic imperative for everyone in the Commonwealth to have access at this point in time. This is not something that the free market can fix. There isn’t enough money in it for large commercial providers. We need to step up with legislation and find solutions with providers of all kinds, from fiber to satellite, to get broadband everywhere: NOW!
Everyday I think about taking something that is broken and restoring it. I do it in my work and I am doing it in my campaign. At work I have a team of like minded people who help me accomplish my goals. I need that in my campaign as well. Please visit me on Facebook and like my page. If you are in a position to do so, please give to my campaign. Let’s breathe some new life in this district!
Lizzie Drucker-Basch
www.lizzieforvirginia.com