Democratic Party congressional nomination candidate Beth Macy brought her listening tour to Waynesboro on Monday, the first campaign stop since she entered the Sixth District race one week ago.
While Macy is accustomed to speaking before crowds to promote her latest book and interviewing people as a journalist and author, Monday’s event was the first time she was on the flip side, with voters asking her tough questions.
While the 40 or so people in attendance were a friendly audience and mostly fellow Democrats, they made it clear that she’d have to work to earn their vote.
Macy, who one week ago addressed 400 supporters in Roanoke to announce her candidacy, stood before a room of people where she didn’t have the same name recognition.
Macy came face to face with a city that feels forgotten by DC politicians and isn’t easily convinced that even if she does go to Washington, it won’t corrupt her the same way it has other career legislators.
The event, held at Charley Parkers on East Main Street, was the first opportunity for her to gain the trust of voters, and it was clear it was going to be a little harder than she thought.
ICYMI
- Democratic congressional candidate Beth Macy to bring listening tour to Waynesboro
- Author Beth Macy enters Sixth District race, will fight for those ‘left behind’
Macy is one of three Democratic candidates to announce they are running for the Sixth District, currently represented by Republican Ben Cline. A primary will be held next year in June for voters to select his challenger: between Macy, Rockingham County veteran and organic farmer Ken Mitchell, and former FEMA analyst and Augusta County resident Pete Barlow.
In 2024, Mitchell won just 34.8 percent of the vote against Cline. In 2022, Jennifer Lewis won 35.4 percent of the vote. In other words, it would not necessarily be easy to win a district that has overwhelmingly supported Cline, and before him, Bob Goodlatte, assuming the district lines stay the same, with redistricting possible ahead of the 2026 midterms.
With a blue wave in Virginia in November putting a Democrat back in the governor’s mansion and flipping multiple seats in the General Assembly from red to blue, the 2026 midterms could give Democrats the best chance they’ve had in decades to replace Cline.
It was clear Monday night that it is a responsibility that voters in the Sixth take very seriously – to find a candidate who is not only up for the fight, but has a winning strategy.
Macy, who grew up dirt poor in rural Ohio and has two queer children, said she’s ready to stand up for the working class and the LGBTQ community in Washington.
Macy also admitted she doesn’t have all the answers and hasn’t hashed out her entire platform just yet; that’s part of what brought her to Waynesboro and will take her to other parts of the district in coming weeks, that she wants to listen to voters and what matters most to them.
As a journalist, and as promised in her announcement speech, she took notes, using her journalistic instincts to get the story about Waynesboro and its unique challenges.
“I’m standing here listening. I’m just getting started. I haven’t even announced for a full week,” she said. “I’m out listening. I’m gathering these stories, and I will be developing my plans based on this interview.”
People shared concerns with rising housing costs and growing homelessness, the need for a full-time shelter, frustration with ICE and its presence mostly in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, among other issues. One person suggested that if she wants to win, she needs to find a way to connect with young people, many who feel that they can’t get ahead and need hope.
Macy has come out of the gate strong, raising more than $350,000, with more than 2,000 contributors to her campaign, giving her a frontrunner status for the Democratic nomination with just one week under her belt.
“Some of my donors are people who are traditionally Republican, but they see what’s happening with authoritarianism, and they’re scared. I do think there are independent and center right people that we’re going to reach out to.
“Am I going to support ICE? No. Am I gonna, you know, just let people lose their healthcare? No.
“I’m gonna be fighting for the people.”