Iraq, Ebola, Jobs Top Voter Concerns, says Congressman
In the world of telemarketing sales, there’s an old saying “smile and dial.”
In politics it’s called a phone bank, where campaign supporters fill a room, sit side by side in close quarters, dial voters and ask for their vote.
And on Sunday a house in Montclair, it was Congressman Robert Wittman (R, Va. – 1) making those phone calls. This is his fourth campaign in an effort to keep his job representing Virginians from Prince William County to Williamsburg, an unusually diverse political district.
This election, voters are asking about him questions about the down economy, like they did during his last election season in 2012, but also about the conflict with ISIS in Iraq and the Ebola outbreak that has made its way to the U.S.
“There’s much more international flavor to what the election issues are this time around. During the last election, the issues were ‘what are we going to do about the economy, what are we going to do about jobs?” All of those things are still on people’s minds but they are now equal to issues like national security,” said Wittman.
The Republican is facing first-time candidate Democrat Norm Mosher. The two faced off last month in Manassas for their first debate where Wittman touted said more needs to be done to unclog this area congested highways, and Mosher warned voters of the real threat of global climate change and its effects on the Virginia coastline.
In 2012, Wittman won over his Democratic opponent by 15 points. This go round, he’s sticking to the same conservative points that resonate with his base like Obamacare, reforming the tax code, and that the government spends and owes too much money.
Tim Singstock opened up his home on Sunday for about 10 volunteers who all sat with cell phones in hand, in front of laptops using a special software used to track phone calls, and asked voters to cast their ballot for Wittman.
“These are my friends this is for my family. If I want to promote my family and do what’s important to them, I have to take care of my country,” said Singstock, who recently formed the conservative group Potomac GOP.
Singstock invited the congressman to his home for the 90-minute phone-a-thon. After the election, he hopes to keep the members of his group active by focusing on issues facing local government.
“We need to learn about local issues if we are going to be effective, so that means turning off Fox News, putting down the Wall Street Journal, and engaging in local media like Potomac Local, talking to our local elected officials, visiting them and holding them accountable…,” said Singstock.
