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Three Democrats vying for the nomination to run for the 5th District Congressional seat faced off during a candidate forum at Danville Community College on Thursday evening.
The three contenders, Gary Terry, Paul Riley and Gloria Witt, hope to replace current Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, who is being challenged for the Republican nomination by state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland.
Primaries for each party will be held June 18, and early voting for the primary began Friday.
During the forum hosted by the Danville Democratic Committee, the three candidates sounded off on health care, jobs, gun violence, women’s rights, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, broadband access in rural areas and the Israel/Palestine conflict.
There was little to no disagreement among the contenders when they each answered a series of seven questions from moderator Peter Howard, chair of the Danville Democratic Committee.
Paul Riley, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gary Terry and Gloria Witt. Danville Democratic Committee Chair Peter Howard, far right, looks on.
And they didn’t miss a chance to take shots at Good.
“We know that Bob Good is no good and has been a zero as a representative,” Witt said.
The 5th District includes the cities of Danville, Charlottesville and Lynchburg, and the counties of Pittsylvania, Campbell, Louisa, Halifax, Powhatan, Mecklenburg, Amherst, Goochland, Fluvanna, Prince Edward, Appomattox, Nelson, Buckingham, Amelia, Nottoway, Charlotte, Lunenburg and Cumberland.
It also includes parts of Bedford, Albemarle and Hanover counties.
An Amherst County native, Witt has described herself as “a country girl who values family, faith, education, justice and community building.”
She is founder and CEO of Define Success Coaching, a company that nurtures and develops executives and community leaders. She also worked for a global energy company for 32 years.
All of the candidates pointed out that voting, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights are under attack.
“I feel like our rights are being taken away from us,” said Terry, a Kentucky native and Danville resident who is CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Danville Area.
Gloria Witt, far right, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gary Terry, center, and Paul Riley.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a U.S. Army veteran who has worked in the nonprofit world for 15 years.
Prior to working in nonprofits, Terry had a career in corporate America at companies including Corning Glass and General Electric.
When asked what legislation they would introduce if elected, Riley said he would develop a bill addressing teacher income inequality by providing grants that would enable teachers to purchase a home.
He would also support legislation, such as the Women’s Health Care and Health Equity Reform Act, that would expand access to women’s reproductive care.
Riley, a native of Norwich, New York, who lives in Crozet, said of Good, “All he’s brought is ‘no’s’ and heartache. We need someone who will build consensus across the aisle.”
If elected, the retired military intelligence officer said he would bring a “common-sense approach with humility but backbone to fight the other side.”
Witt said she would back the federal Women’s Health Protection Act, which would create a new legal protection for the right to abortion care.
If elected, she said she would also introduce legislation requiring the registration of guns and banning assault weapons.
“Those weapons were made for military use, so they were designed to shoot humans, not animals,” Witt said. “We do not need assault weapons on the street.”
In addition, Witt said she would support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to re-enter the preclearence requirement mandating that any proposed changes in voting laws in states with histories of discrimination in voting must be approved by the federal government.
The U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the requirement in 2013.
Terry said he would pursue codifying abortion rights that were given by Roe V. Wade, which was dismantled by the Supreme Court in 2022. Restricting sales of assault weapons and capping prices for prescription drugs were also goals of his.
Broadband access in rural areas was also a top concern among the contenders.
“Without broadband infrastructure and digital infrastructure, economic growth, education growth will not come,” Riley said.
Jobs are also needed in rural communities, which also face challenges when it comes to health care, Terry said.
Gary Terry, center, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gloria Witt, right, and Paul Riley.
“We need jobs, we also need a good hospital system,” Terry said, adding that lots of hospitals have closed up in rural areas.
Witt added that obstetric-gynecological services “should be available within 60 miles of every locality.”
Riley proposed overhauling the way doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners are trained, including enabling someone to become a doctor after four years at a university.
“We train medics in the Army that have no more than a high-school education,” Riley said, adding that they are performing surgeries. “If the military could do it, we could do it.”
As for the Israel/Palestine conflict, Riley and Witt said Israel was justified in its initial response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, but has now gone too far.
“The response now has become disproportionate,” Riley said.
Israel has a right to defend themselves, Terry said, but there’s “full-fledged genocide going on.” The U.S. should continue to support Israel, but there must be conditions, he added.
Candidates pointed out the importance of the 2024 election, with former President Donald Trump the likely Republican challenger against President Joe Biden.
“Freedom is on the ballot, democracy is on the ballot, women’s rights are on the ballot,” Witt said.
The U.S. is “sleepwalking into a dictatorship,” Witt said, echoing Liz Cheney’s statement to “CBS News Sunday Morning” last fall.
Witt, Terry and Riley will be on the Democratic ballot for the 5th District race during the June 18 primary. The nominee will go up against either Good or McGuire — who are on the Republican primary ballot — in November.
Early voting began Friday for the primaries.
Those wishing to cast ballots in the primaries must either vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. They cannot vote in both.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, is up for reelection but faces no primary challenger. There are five competing for the Republican nomination, Hung Cao, Edward C. “Eddie” Garcia, Jonathan Emord, C.L. “Chuck” Smith Jr. and Scott Parkinson.
Danville voters can cast their ballots early at the registrar’s office at 530 Main St., Suite 100, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on the last two Saturdays before June 18 (June 8 and June 15).
Pittsylvania County voters can vote early at 18 Depot St. in Chatham from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on the last two Saturdays before June 18.
Valid identification is required in order to vote.
John R. Crane (434) 791-7987
jcrane@registerbee.com
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A recent poll highlights the stark differences between supporters of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, based on the media…
Paul Riley, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gary Terry and Gloria Witt. Danville Democratic Committee Chair Peter Howard, far right, looks on.
Gloria Witt, far right, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gary Terry, center, and Paul Riley.
Gary Terry, center, one of three Democrats running for the 5th District nomination to replace Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, speaks during a Democratic candidate forum at Danville Community College Thursday evening. The other two contenders are Gloria Witt, right, and Paul Riley.
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