See below for the endorsements by the Fairfax Professional Firefighters and Paramedics – IAFF Local 2068, Prince William County Professional Firefighters & Paramedics – IAFF Local 2598, and Virginia Professional Firefighters of Democrat Dan Helmer for Virginia House of Delegates from the 40th District. Also note that this is a HUGE turnaround from two years ago, when the Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics – IAFF Local 2068 endorsed Del. Tim Hugo (R-HD40) for reelection.
Helmer Secures Firefighters’ Endorsement: Virginia Firefighters Break With Delegate Hugo Over Lack of Support On Healthcare, Endorse Helmer Instead.
October 1, 2019
Fairfax, VA — This past week, Fairfax Professional Firefighters and Paramedics – IAFF Local 2068, Prince William County Professional Firefighters & Paramedics – IAFF Local 2598, and Virginia Professional Firefighters endorsed Dan Helmer, the Democratic nominee for the 40th District of Virginia’s House of Delegates. This comes after Republican House Caucus Chair, Tim Hugo (HD40) published multiple claims about having support from firefighters and first responders.
Ron Kuley, Fairfax IAFF Local executive board member, announced the endorsement, saying, “For years, we supported Delegate Tim Hugo because we expected him to deliver for firefighters in Richmond. He didn’t. Now, we’re supporting Dan Helmer, since we know he’ll stand with us in protecting our access to quality healthcare.” Joe Mirabile of Prince William IAFF Local added, “We are proud to endorse Dan Helmer. His record of service speaks for itself, and we need someone who will fight for healthcare protections for our firefighters and every other member of our community. Dan is that person.”
Helmer responded to the announcement, “I’m proud to have the support of the firefighters of Fairfax & Prince William Counties, as well as the statewide association. I understand the dangers our firefighters and other emergency personnel go through, and I’m ready to stand with them and other members of our community to ensure they have the healthcare they’ve earned.”
“It’s ridiculous,” said Helmer Campaign Manager, Erik Darcey, “that Delegate Hugo claims to have the support of firefighters. Hugo took tens of thousands of dollars from the insurance and fossil fuel industries, but then voted against letting firefighters and first responders easily know about chemicals they might encounter in a fire. We’re proud to have the support of Virginia firefighters. Today, they are letting Virginians know which candidate stands with them, and which with special interests.”
Dan Helmer is a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a businessman, and a Rhodes Scholar. He is the Democratic nominee for the House of Delegates in Virginia’s 40th District. His wife, Karen, is a public school teacher, and their sons, Aaron and Harris, attend Fairfax County Public Schools.
P.S. For some background on Hugo, see GOP Virginia Del. Tim Hugo “should know better” than to “[sign] off on the use of “anti-Semitic trope to target the grandson of Holocaust survivors”; Tim Hugo Puts the F-I-X in Fairfax Judicial Nominations; Virginia’s Patron of Predatory Lenders, “Title Max Tim” Hugo (R-40), Has Got to Go; Anti-Transit, “Anti-Tax Hard-Liner” Del. Tim Hugo (R) Draws Small Crowd to Kickoff in District Tim Kaine Won by 18 Points in 2018; Godawful Del. Tim Hugo (R) Bill Would Screw Arlington, Lavish Big $$$ on Super-Rich People, Weaken Local Autonomy vs State AND Set a Horrible Precedent – VETO!; VA Dems Chair: “Whenever you’re stuck in traffic, don’t get mad at the cars in front of you. Get mad at Tim Hugo.”; etc. In sum, Hugo’s one of the worst members of the Virginia House of Delegates, and most definitely needs to be defeated this November 5, by Democrat Dan Helmer.
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