Letter: a Season of Gerrymandering… and onto a Season of Solutions

A Reflection by David Kennedy, Democratic Candidate for the U.S. House (7th District)

To every thing there is a season… and so begins the 3rd Chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes. 

We’re almost out of this Season of Gerrymandering, and thank God! While I don’t love what Virginia Democrats had to do, I am proud of my party for turning the tide on Trump’s orders to Texas last July. When Trump was asked about the possibility of adding GOP-friendly districts around the country, he responded, “Texas will be the biggest one. And that’ll be five.”

While Texas collapsing on their knees to Trump was not the first time we’ve seen Gerrymandering run amuck, Trump no doubt kicked off the most recent Season of Gerrymandering. The term, originally written as “Gerry-mander” was first used on March 26, 1812, in the Boston Gazette – a reaction to the redrawing of Massachusetts state senate election districts under Governor Elbridge Gerry. In turn, one of the remapped, contorted districts in the Boston area was said to resemble the shape of a mythological salamander. The conflation of Governor Gerry and the shape of the mythological salamander resulted in what we now refer to as “Gerry-mandering.”

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As I kick off my campaign to represent the people of our “new” (and very urban-suburban-rural-diverse) Congressional District 07, I see a golden opportunity to move on to a Season of Solutions. The truth is, We the People  – regular, everyday folks, of all political stripes and walks of life – are sick and tired of Big Money, Big Voices, Big Power, Big Media (think the “Tech Bros”), and all the other “Bigs” dominating our political landscape. We want “normal” and we need political leaders who can unite, build bridges, and carry the mantle into a Season of Solutions.

Where better to start than to put an end to Big and Dark Money in Politics, as well as an end to Gerrymandering, and all the other shady tricks that are chipping away at the voice of We the People.

If elected, this is one of the fights I will take on. I will ask leadership for a seat on the U.S. House Committee on House Administration, which has the primary responsibility to provide federal elections oversight, advocate for campaign finance reform, and protect the rights of all voters. In short, making our elections fair.

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There is a lot we need to do in America, and I’m a fighter and always will fight for those who are on the margins or who have gotten a raw deal. Unless we address boldly a new and reimagined Season of Solutions, We the People are the ones who will be forever marginalized.

The Annenberg Classroom is an incredible resource for better understanding our U.S. Constitution and related institutions in simple, plain language. Founded by Leonore Annenberg and housed at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the Annenberg Classroom reminds us that “The essence of democracy is majority rule… However, constitutional democracy in our time requires majority rule with minority rights.” As Thomas Jefferson expressed in his First Inaugural Address on March 4, 1801:

"… bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights [emphasis added], which equal law must protect and to violate would be oppression."

I agree with Jefferson, and we had better start paying attention now. I’m paying attention, and as your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, I’ll take on the Big and Dark Money in Politics, as well as Gerrymandering, and all issues that minimize the voice of We the People. Indeed, to every thing there is a season.

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About Dave: Dave will be one of many running for the open seat in the “new” Congressional District 07. He came to the DMV in 2006 and has lived in Arlington since 2014. With 35 years of Federal Policy and Higher Education experience, he is well attuned to how the Federal Government works. Dave is a lifelong educator and has degrees in Economics, Public Policy, and Theological Studies. You can learn more by visiting www.DaveKennedy07.com

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