Note of Gratitude
Though it was not the final result we were hoping for, I’m very proud of the campaign we ran and the emphasis we placed on building strong personal relationships with voters on an individual basis. The evidence of our success in that regard was on clear display on Election Day at the polls. Scores of voters showed up with enthusiasm and pride, excited to recall a conversation on their front porch, a letter they received in their mailbox, or simply to share with us that they had turned out to “Vote Schear!”
From the very beginning, our focus has been on having genuine conversations with voters, rather than bombarding them with mail, TV, and other mass media ad nauseam. We listened to what people had to say, learned about the issues they found important, and educated them about who I was and what, specifically, I would like to accomplish as their Delegate. It worked spectacularly, showing the importance of personal relationships with voters, and the value that we, as Democrats, should be placing on them. Despite being responsible for just 6% of the total spending in this Primary Election, we earned 37% of the vote.
Of course, none of this would’ve been possible without a superstar team of committed volunteers, who generously gave their time, again and again, to power this campaign. Sarah, Emily, Mark, Sue, Holly, Nick, Rachel, Mears, David, Nan, Francisco, Steve, Khristy, Jess, Gray, Michael, Kaylan, and Cathy - thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for helping build something we can all truly be proud of.
To those of you who contributed financially to this campaign - thank you for believing in me, and trusting me to use your hard earned dollars efficiently and responsibly to advance Democratic politics.
To those of you who cast a vote for me yesterday - thank you for trusting me to represent you in Richmond. I am honored and humbled.
To my mother - thank you for being there to care for Harrison and Oliver when I could not, and for handling a generous portion of the 3,841 hand-addressed, hand stamped envelopes we sent to voters.
To my campaign manager Ralph - thank you for having the political courage to work with me, for running with me up a steep hill for five months straight, and for helping me knock on 2,278 doors in District 57.
And to my wife Michelle - thank you for being the glue that held our family together and the engine to keep it running while I did this important work that is so critical to our Democracy.
This campaign is over, but our work as Democrats continues. I urge you to support Ms. Nivar this November as she takes on Republican Delegate David Owen, in an attempt to flip this district blue. Doing so will be crucial to ensuring our future Governor Abigail Spanberger can accomplish as much as possible while in office, and for us to continue to move forward toward a more inclusive, equitable, and just Commonwealth.
As for me - I'll be out there this fall, helping Democrats win. But until then, I'll be catching up on time with the family and enjoying the summer. If you see me around, feel free to say hello! I would enjoy chatting and would love to keep in touch.
Your friend,
Andrew
