Addressing false accusations from my Republican primary opponent and his attack on people in the Gainesville District.
I want to take a moment to address a recent email “press release” from my opponent in the Republican Primary, Brian Landrum.
Let me start by saying this: I am not interested in engaging in political attacks. That’s not why I’m running, and it’s not how I’ve lived my life. I have a mission and a platform that matter far more than wasting time on trivial distractions. I’m focused on the people of Gainesville, on continuing the fight the late Honorable Supervisor Bob Weir started, and on leading with purpose and principle.
This was the second smear email, however the first was directed at me. That’s unfortunate, but I’ve always believed that if you have a good name and a strong reputation in the community, the truth will stand on its own. False accusations don’t shake me.
But I draw the line when innocent people of my district are attacked.
At the Prince William County GOP meeting on Monday, August 4, between 25 to 30 residents of the Gainesville District showed up to demonstrate their support for my campaign, continuing the mission that Bob Weir started. These were people that had fought with Bob, voted for him, and now support me to carry on his legacy. I was there. I watched the joy, the unity, and the excitement. People were encouraged and energized. It was a moment of community pride.
And yet, my opponent sent out an email accusing these citizens, my neighbors, of harassing people entering the meeting, disrupting the meeting itself, and even harassing his wife and daughter.
These accusations are not just false, they are horrific. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I’ve been in this community for 24 years. I know these people. I’ve stood beside them through local fights, county battles, and personal challenges. Gainesville is different. My opponent does not know the people that loved and supported Bob. The people of Gainesville are different from any other district in the county. The people of Gainesville have been fighting battles together for decades. We look at each other as people and see the things we have in common versus the things that divide us. Our neighbors are like family members, not adversaries. The issues before us are too important than to engage in name calling, labeling, smearing, and creating false narratives about others. Our country and our county would be better off if they were more like the Gainesville District.
So while I can tolerate personal attacks against me, I will not stay silent when good, honest people are wrongly accused and smeared.
My opponent hasn’t been here long enough to understand this community. He hasn’t fought beside us. He doesn’t know the people who loved and supported Bob. He doesn’t understand what Gainesville has built over decades. This district isn’t like the rest of the county, we don’t get torn apart by labels and politics. We stand together.
And that’s what I intend to do.
I will lead Gainesville the way I’ve lived my life: with integrity, with conviction, and with the goal of bringing people together. I will continue to fight for this community, to protect it, and to serve it with honor and respect. That’s my only concern. Not political games. Not false narratives.
As for my opponent, I could demand an apology, but the truth of the matter is that he’s only lived in our district for two weeks. In two more weeks, the people of Gainesville will send him back to his home in Woodbridge. Meanwhile, Gainesville will continue to stand strong. And we will stand united.
