Video: VA-06 Dems Debate in Lynchburg

See below for video of tonight’s VA-06 Democratic debate in Lynchburg. The candidates are Jennifer Lewis, Peter Volosin, Charlotte Moore and Sergio Coppola. Topics covered (following opening statements) include: whether a Democrat can win in the “very red” VA-06 (all candidates, not surprisingly given that they’re running, felt that the district is winnable; Coppola kept talking about not having a “far-left candidate” and that we need a “moderate candidate”); gentrification in Lynchburg, development of cities without disadvantaging low-income citizens; supporting private higher education; meeting with constituents, unlike Bob Goodlatte; climate change (Volosin said we have to put a price on carbon and get off of fossil fuels; Moore seconded everything Volosin said; Coppola talked about coal workers and how we should NOT have a carbon tax; Lewis said environmental protection has been her lifelong mission, supports a carbon tax and investing in renewables – not “dirty, fracked pipelines”); the potential trade war and its impact on farmers; DACA (Lewis said we need to protect our immigrants and not split up families; Volosin said we need to pass a clean DACA bill and fix our immigration system; Moore talked about reuniting children with their families); where campaigns get their money from (Lewis said we need to get big money out of politics, that Dominion runs this state, and that her #1 issue is campaign finance reform; Volosin said corporations are NOT “people my friends” and that we should move towards a more public-based finance system; Moore said we need campaign finance reform; Coppola said he wasn’t going to sell his soul for $5,000 or whatever); people with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act; the gun violence epidemic and what to do about it (Lewis said we need to do something about assault weapons; Volosin said gun violence is an epidemic, that we need gun restraining orders and to talk to each other; Moore said we need more data in the criminal database; Coppola basically attacked the other candidates for inconsistencies and for not talking to Republicans sooner); ensuring a safe and inclusive community in the aftermath of the tragedy in Charlottesville (Volosin said we have to embrace diversity, that this is what makes us the strongest nation in the world; Moore talked about the example adults set for children; an audience member said there is no common ground when one side is Nazis; Coppola said there were “two groups that were going to protest each other” and “both sides talking past each other” – WTF?; Lewis said this is not a new problem but that she will not stand for it); bipartisanship/reaching across the aisle; women’s reproductive rights (all support it); does the Democratic Party need to become more progressive (Lewis said she supports the party moving towards a more progressive stance but not closing the door to anybody; Volosin said it’s about making sure everyone is getting ahead and fighting for everybody, that a label is not important; Moore talked about listening to people; Coppola said Volosin told him he didn’t believe he was a Democrat and that he found that “offensive,” also that not everyone fits a label); education and making schools more equal; health care (Moore talked about expanding Medicaid and taking care of people with Alzheimer’s; Coppola said single payer “is not that great”; Lewis said she supports Medicare for All; Volosin said he supports Tim Kaine’s Medicare X plan); “who are you” and your “furry family friends”; “the driving factor in declaring your candidacy“…and the video cut out.