Gary West
For Virginia House of Delegates, District 94
Press Releases
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LEGISLATOR ATTEMPTS TO DISTORT EFFECT OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND CLAIM THE SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION THAT ENDORSED HIS OPPONENT
Newport News, VA, October 1, 2009 – In a candidate forum tonight, hosted by Voices for Virginia’s Children, Delegate Glenn Oder attempted to distort the facts surrounding the endorsement of his opponent, Gary West, by the Virginia Education Association. Claiming that he skipped the candidate screening to go “on vacation” Delegate Oder implied that the endorsement of Gary West was a mistake. In fact, no mistake was made and the fact that Delegate Oder chose to vacation rather than appear before the group had no bearing on their decision.
In an August statement endorsing Gary West, Virginia Education Association cited “the incumbents past voting record on issues affecting public education” as a determining factor in the endorsement. This voting record includes HB1579 (2009), sponsored by Delegate Oder. Virginia Education Association President, Kitty Boinott, expressed her opposition to this proposal in unambiguous terms:
”This is absolutely the wrong time to pit the interests of the construction industry against Virginia’s school children. The proposal to divert these hundreds of millions in funds comes at a time when the current revenue stream is insufficient to fund current education and other core state programs. Our members understand the importance of addressing Virginia’s transportation needs, but surely we can find a way to pay for it that doesn’t penalize our schools and our students.”
Additionally, the Virginia Education Association has been given little reason to support Delegate Oder over the past few years. Oder received a rating of zero (0) from the organization in 2008 and 2009. This rating is based on the Educators scoring system which evaluates the legislator’s adherence to their recommendations. Because Delegate Oder has voted in opposition to the Virginia Education Association on every piece of legislation presented, the organization has determined that his presence in the legislature is dangerous to the preservation of quality education in Virginia.
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DELEGATE CANDIDATE, GARY WEST, EXPRESSES DISGUST OVER POLITICAL KICKBACKS
Joining a broad bipartisan group of elected officials and candidates, Gary West calls for Delegate Phil Hamilton to step down amidst revelations of corruption.
Newport News, VA, August 26, 2009 – Tired of the way Richmond wastes taxpayer money, Gary West launched his campaign for the House of Delegates to bring responsible leadership to the legislature. West has railed against legislators who, like his opponent, refused help for unemployed workers and voted to cut $500 million from Virginia schools, while approving $100 million in spending to renovate the State Capitol.Making skewed priorities a common theme of his door-to-door campaign, West is outraged that Delegate Phil Hamilton lined his own pockets with taxpayer dollars appropriated for education. “Enough is enough,” West said. “Hamilton has breached the public trust and should own up to his misconduct and resign.”
While Democrats and Republicans at the highest levels have joined forces to call for Hamilton’s resignation, West’s opponent has remained silent. Delegate Glenn Oder has taken no steps to distance himself from Hamilton and has yet to rebuke his colleague and friend. The two Newport News legislators are slated to appear together at a joint office opening event over Labor Day holiday.
Calling on Oder to put the public trust ahead of political and personal allegiance, West expressed his belief that “citizens of Newport News deserve representatives who value public service over personal gain”. West continued, “I respectfully ask Glenn Oder to put friendship and partisanship aside and do the right thing for the people by joining me in asking Phil Hamilton to resign.”
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.
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EDUCATORS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR DELEGATE CANDIDATE, GARY WEST
In an effort to unseat his incumbent opponent, the Virginia Educators Association announces their endorsement of West.
Newport News, VA, August 11, 2009 – Breaking with incumbency, the Newport News Education Association this week released a statement in association with the Virginia Educators Association and the National Educators Association announcing their combined support for House of Delegates candidate Gary West. The release cited “the incumbents past voting record on issues affecting public education” as a determining factor in the endorsement.A former educator, West knows the struggles teachers face and will be an effective voice for their concerns in the legislature. West commented “unlike my opponent, I will never introduce proposals that jeopardize funding for education.” West refers to his opponents plan to divert Port revenue from the General Fund to transportation.
West has taken a stand against diverting money from the General Fund, that otherwise would go to core programs, including education. This position puts West in line with State Senator John Miller (D-Newport News), who helped kill the Port revenue plan in the State Senate. Miller is quoted in the Daily Press (Jan 2, 2009), explaining the rejection of the plan as “a reluctance in the Senate to dip into the general fund for transportation.”
West is fed up with talk of borrowing from one program to fund another and has pledged to find solutions by cutting waste. West likes to say that “solutions take real leaders and focus on priorities.” Because education is a community priority, giving teachers what they need to educate is a priority for West.
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.
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DELEGATE CANDIDATE, GARY WEST, CALLS FOR WHITFIELD COMPENSATION
Urging legislators to provide recourse for Arthur Whitfield, West expresses his intent to take up the issue next year if action is not taken.
Newport News, VA, July 30, 2009 – Delegate candidate, Gary West, today announced his strong support for proposals to compensate Arthur Whitfield. Along with legislators from all sides of the political spectrum, West has called for this issue to be addressed during the upcoming special legislative session.After a meeting between West and Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan, the two commented on the need for immediate action. Morgan applauded West for his understanding of the issue and compassion for the plight of Whitfield. Morgan said “public faith in the integrity of our justice system and legislative process strengthens the hand off those charged with enforcing the law.”
Calling on his opponent to support legislation aimed at compensating Whitfield, West said “if my opponent and others fail to take action during special session I pledge to make this issue a legislative priority next year.” West has spent his legal career standing up to bureaucracies, seeking recourse for wrongfully harmed working families, and he’s prepared to take on this fight.
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.
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Democracy for America Endorses Gary West for Virginia House of Delegates, District 94
RELEASED JULY 13, 2009
BURLINGTON, VT — Democracy for America, our nation's largest progressive political action community, endorsed Gary West for Virginia House of Delegates, District 94.
West has dedicated his legal career to taking on big corporations and government bureaucracies. He, along with attorney Richard Glasser, were among the first in the country to pursue litigation on behalf of workers and their families who had been exposed to asbestos.
"Our members in Virginia know that Gary understands the needs of the community and will work to bring progress to Virginia," said Jim Dean, Chair of Democracy for America. "His experience will help him address the biggest problems facing the district—crime prevention and transportation."
West was appointed to the Newport News Planning Commission in 2001 and currently serves as Chairman of the Regulations Committee. He received his masters’ degree in political science from Virginia Tech before attending law school at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans.
"Gary's unanimous appointment to the Commission proved he can bring people together in the name of progress," Dean said. "That's why we're proud to endorse him in this race."
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DELEGATE CANDIDATE PARTICIPATES IN CLEAN THE BAY DAY ACTIVITIES
House of Delegates Candidate, Gary West, joined 400 volunteers to help with Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts.
Newport News, VA, June 11, 2009 – Gary West was joined by his daughter, Diane, and campaign staff at a Saturday Clean the Bay event. The event was organized by the Newport News Recycling Office under their Adopt-a-Spot program. This annual event was a huge success, with over 400 participants collecting 7,566 pounds of environmentally hazardous debris.
The debris was collected from coastal areas that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. Gary West expressed his commitment to furthering environmental cleanup causes. Congratulating community members in attendance, West said, “It was very encouraging to see members of our community, including many military personnel, all come together to make our neighborhood a safer and more beautiful place for all of us to live.”
The environment has always been important to the West family. Gary grew up in rural Danville, Virginia where he enjoyed outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing. After moving to Newport News, two decades ago, Gary and his family made the James River a regular part of their lives. Gary is an avid sailor and he and his wife Linda spent many weekends with their daughters on the James River. For the West’s, protecting our natural resources is a practical family value.
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.
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STRONG SHOWING OF SUPPORT FOR GARY WEST AT CAMPAIGN KICKOFF EVENT
Local elected officials and community supporters gathered at a Saturday event to kickoff Gary West’s campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Newport News, VA, June 8, 2009 – At a Saturday campaign event Gary West was joined by a group of supporters, including several elected officials. Senator John Miller, Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn, and Sheriff Gabe Morgan all addressed the crowd, expressing their commitment to West’s campaign and pledging to work hard on his behalf to insure victory in the fall.
Gwynn delivered a personal account of West’s commitment to community and family. Reminiscing about support he had received from West over the past two decades, Gwynn commented on what a privilege it has been to know Gary and his family. Echoing this theme, Sheriff Gabe Morgan spoke of knowing the West’s as longtime members of his community. Sheriff Morgan referenced the need for state legislators who will help President Obama tackle the economic crisis and expressed his confidence that Gary West is the right man for that job.
Introducing West, Senator John Miller spoke to the commitment and sacrifice needed from everyone in attendance. Miller expressed his confidence in West’s ability to serve as an effective legislator and encouraged his supporters to lend their support to Gary’s campaign this year.
Thanking everyone for their support and kind words, Gary West focused his remarks on why he’s running for the House of Delegates. West promised that his tenure as citizen legislator will be about progress, not politics and expressed his desire to have a campaign about our priorities as a community, and not personalities. West also spoke about spending his entire career standing up for those in need and how that experience perfectly prepared him to listen to the needs of his community and go to Richmond to make sure their voice is heard.
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.
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CHALLENGER GARY WEST OUTRAISES INCUMBANT GLENN ODER
With a late start and none of the advantages of incumbency, Gary West manages to out-raise and under-spend his opponent.
Newport News, VA, June 3, 2009 – Gary West, House of Delegates candidate, reports receipts of nearly forty-thousand, totaling $39,376.83, while his opponent fails to reach twenty-five thousand with $24,258.80 in receipts. The Gary West for Delegate campaign claims that this filing is an early indicator of their ability to outpace their opponent in both resources and message.
Gary West believes that it’s the resources to broadcast his message that will lead to victory. Expressing his commitment to the job he seeks, Gary West comments “I’ve spent my career standing up on behalf of people who needed my help, so listening to the needs of my community and going to Richmond to make sure their voice is heard feels very natural to me.”
Gary West has proven he can bring people together for progress. Democrats and Republicans on the Newport News City Council unanimously approved his appointment to the Planning Commission, where he’s worked to improve our quality of life. Preparing for an extremely well contested and hard fought campaign, Gary West will make sure his campaign has the resources to communicate his message, giving voters in the 94th Delegate District a choice to vote for someone who will put politics aside and bring real results.
With a strong record of community leadership, Gary West is running for the District 94 House of Delegates seat. Gary West will face Republican incumbent Glenn Oder in a general election matchup November 3rd.For more information about Gary West, please visit www.garywestfordelegate.com.
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Local Attorney, Gary West, Announces Campaign for House of Delegates Seat
Newport News, VA- April 10, 2009
Newport News resident, Gary West, announced today that he is running for election to the Virginia House of Delegates 94th Legislative District seat currently held by Republican Glenn Oder. West served as a Member of the Newport News Planning Commission from 2001-2008. He has a B.A. from Bridgewater College, a M.A. from Virginia Tech, and a law degree from Loyola University School of Law. West was a Visiting Lecturer of Government at Virginia Tech from 1978-1981. He has practiced employment, workers compensation for shipyard workers, and criminal law in Virginia since 1989.
“I believe Virginians are united. We are ready to bring a thoughtful and effective approach to transportation, education and public safety,” said West. Local and State Democrats believe that West can win the seat, held by Oder since Virginia’s district lines were redrawn in 2000, because he will address public dissatisfaction on issues such as stalled transportation plans, cuts in school funding, and escalating gang violence in the 94th district.
“The people of the 94th House District deserve a delegate who understands what is in the Virginia Constitution and who will not vote for unconstitutional regional government schemes,” said West. Early support from Virginia Democrats echo the public’s need for a new representative in the House of Delegates. The election will be held November 3rd.
For more information, please contact Gary West at 757-874-0492 or visit www.garywestfordelegate.com.
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NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 8, 2009
CONTACT:
Gary West 757-874-0492
Garywest3@mac.com
Oder Opposes Federal Funding to Stimulate Virginia’s Economy
Delegate votes to reject $125 million in federal stimulus money
Delegate Glenn Oder opposed amendments from Governor Tim Kaine today that will make Virginia eligible for $125 million in funding aimed at stimulating the Virginia economy. The funds are intended to help more Virginia families cope with the current economic recession without straining the state budget. For the first time, part-time workers will be eligible for benefits, and eligibility will be prolonged for workers who have lost their jobs but are enrolled in workforce training programs.
In February, the unemployment rate in Newport News hit 8.5% percent, compared to a 7 percent rate statewide.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that Glenn Oder chose to stand with big business instead of hard-working Virginia families,” said local attorney Gary West, Oder’s likely Democratic challenger in the November General Assembly election. “By rejecting these amendments, Glenn Oder has made it clear he’d rather see our share of the stimulus go to other states. People all across Virginia are being laid off in this recession and this funding will help them provide for their families. Now is not the time to play partisan political games with peoples’ futures.”
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