Charlie Schmidt, a former ACLU attorney with a progressive agenda, defeated former Richmond City Council President Michelle Mosby in the firehouse primary for the Democratic nomination in HD-77. A special election is taking place next month to replace Del. Mike Jones, who won the Democratic nomination in SD-15’s special election last week.
Schmidt’s victory was a surprise as Mosby was considered the favorite in this heavily Democratic House district based in the City of Richmond. This is also being seen as a grassroots win against the Democratic Party establishment. Mosby was backed by several big names in the Democratic party, including Jones, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, Del. Delores McQuinn, Sen. Lashrecse Aird, and many other prominent elected officials from the Richmond area.
“It’s possible to view this as an underdog just plain outworking the favorite,” said Dr. Richard Meagher, a political science professor at Randolph-Macon College.
“If you look at [Mosby’s] Instagram, you see a parade of endorsements from high-profile local politicians, but not much campaign activity,” Meagher continued. “Schmidt seemed much more active – social media, press releases, campaign stops, even a Reddit AMA.”
Schmidt won 639 votes to Mosby’s 488, the Democratic Party of Virginia said Sunday night. A third candidate, Gregory Powers, received 32 votes.
“His legal and community experience will serve him well in the House of Delegates,” said DPVA Chair Lamont Bagby. “I look forward to welcoming him to both the General Assembly and to the Richmond delegation.”
Schmidt touts his union membership and had their backing in the primary. He is expected to bring a progressive voice to the Democratic House Caucus, which is undergoing change after flipping 13 seats in November.
“Schmidt will join a fired-up progressive wing of the Virginia Democratic Party,” Meagher said. “Expect him to join other Democrats in putting pressure on Gov. Spanberger on repealing right-to-work and other progressive priorities that she may want to go slow on.”
The special election to replace Jones is being held on Jan. 6. So far, no Republicans have filed to run in this district — they have until 5 p.m. Monday.
Jones was reelected by more than 50 points last month.
“Democracy” has become the new pseudonym of “progressivism”, which is the misnomer of “socialism”, “Marxism”, and “Leninism”, “Maoism”. It is, in reality “statism” : concentration of economic controls and planning in the hands of a highly centralized government often extending to government ownership of industry. I suppose when you are too embarrassed by your own ideology, you’ll call it anything to obfuscate what it truly is. Recall this, the next time you encounter the phrase “our democracy”, or the claim of being “progressive”.
When you encounter someone referring to “our democracy” or changing/eliminating the Electoral College, realize that they are claiming to have wisdom greater than the Founders of our Nation. They are also attempting to overthrow the Republic for a democracy that the Founders resoundingly rejected, warning of the dangers and inadequacies of democracy.