I received the following press release from the Tom Perriello for Governor campaign earlier today and was pretty sure this was the first endorsement of Perriello I’ve seen from a Virginia elected official. I checked around and as far as I can determine, my gut feeling was correct. As always, the question is how much endorsements matter. In today’s political world, with all the anti-“establishment” feeling out there, my guess is “not much,” but feel free to disagree in the comments section. Also, I wonder if more endorsements of Perriello will be coming, or if this is a one-off.
Prince William County School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers Endorses Tom Perriello for Governor
Sawyers: ‘Virginia Is Ready for the Next Generation of Bold Leaders’
In Virginia’s Second-Most Populous County, Sawyers Led Fight in 2016 for Non-Discrimination Protections for LGBT Students and Staff in Schools
In the latest sign of momentum for Tom Perriello’s progressive campaign for Virginia governor, today Prince William County School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers is endorsing Tom in the Democratic primary.
“Virginia is ready for the next generation of bold leaders to take on our biggest fights, which is why I’m proud to support Tom Perriello for governor,” said Prince William County School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers. “We can’t be afraid to be bold, even when the forces of hate or the special interests come after you. When Republicans tried to attack me for standing up for LGBT students and employees in my county, I said, bring it on. Tom has taken that same approach to fighting against corporate-sponsored pipelines, making our minimum wage a livable wage, and defending immigrants, refugees, and communities of color from the endless assaults by President Trump and Virginia Republicans. Tom knows our system needs to be tilted back in favor of working families, and I’m ready to stand with him in that fight this year and in the years to come.”
Sawyers, who has been chairman of the board since January 2016 and is one of the first Democrats elected countywide in Prince William in recent memory, last year promoted a non-discrimination policy in Prince William schools that would protect LGBT students and staff, which led to anti-LGBT advocates and Republicans launching a failed recall attempt against him.
“I am proud to have Ryan, who has been a champion for equality and opportunity in Prince William schools, join our progressive campaign,” said Tom Perriello. “This campaign is about standing boldly as Democrats for working families and making sure Virginia remains a firewall against hate. The momentum is on our side, and that’s because thousands of Virginians know we can join together to make Virginia greater than it’s ever been.”
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