Among the many Republicans who need to be voted out of Congress in November 2018, Rep. Scott Taylor (R-VA-02) is certainly high on the list. For starters, Taylor is godawful, basically right wingnut all the way down the line (e.g., see Congresscritters Scott Taylor and Dave Brat Richly Deserve These Health Care Ads; Rep. Scott Taylor (R-VA 02) Announces He Will Vote “Yea” to Throw 24 Million Americans Off Health Insurance). Second, the 2nd CD is potentially winnable; Donald Trump won it by just 3 points over Hillary Clinton last November, and he’s significantly more unpopular now. I’m hearing that something like 4-5 Democrats (e.g., possibly State Senator Lynwood Lewis) could end up running in VA-02, including Dave Belote, whose announcement I just received and which you can read below.
Today, Dave Belote, a native of Virginia Beach and twenty-four year Air Force veteran, announced his candidacy for Congress in Virginia’s Second District.
On launching his campaign, Dave said, “I’m running for Congress so that the people of Hampton Roads have a representative in Congress who will fight for their needs. For far too long, Richmond and Washington politicians have said one thing and done another. My service to our country instilled in me servant leadership-a concept I intend bring to D.C. We must have a secure and prosperous future. This includes knowing where the next paycheck is coming from, knowing that one hospital stay won’t bankrupt our families, making sure Americans feel safe-at home and abroad, and leaving a habitable Coastal Virginia where our children can raise their own families. I believe that public service is about bettering the everyday lives of people, not a stepping stone to the next elected-position.”
A businessman and longtime advocate on energy issues, Dave knows that priority one for a Congress needs to be job creation. He will focus on how to create new, high-paying jobs in the renewable energy, manufacturing, trade, and technology industries that benefit the heart of the local economy while using his decades of experience to protect our military infrastructure and support our veterans and military families.
Dave was born in Norfolk and grew up in Virginia Beach and graduated from Kempsville High School. He matriculated to the University of Virginia and, upon graduation, joined the Air Force. During his tenure serving our nation, he flew F-111s and F-16s, led two combat deployments for Operation Iraqi Freedom, commanded Nellis Air Force Base and the Nevada Test and Training Range, the largest fighter base complex in the U.S., and received numerous accolades, including two Bronze Stars and two Legion of Merit awards. Following his retirement from the Air Force as a Colonel, Dave served as a senior civilian executive in the Pentagon establishing the Department of Defense Siting Clearinghouse, a mechanism to ensure military readiness while facilitating development of energy infrastructure, sustainability, and security. Dave then was a vice president for a Virginia-based wind and solar company and nationwide advocate for clean-tech and renewable technologies, especially in and near military communities. Recently, Dave has started his own clean-energy and defense consulting business. Dave resides in Virginia Beach with his wife and two of his three sons. He attends St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church and serves on several local boards.
P.S. Note that Belote ran for Virginia State Senate in 2015 in the heavily Republican 8th district, losing 59%-41% to Bill DeSteph.
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